By far the best selling products for Swizzels Matlow are their Love Hearts. And they are 60 years old this year!!
Just how did Swizzels Matlow Ltd develop their famous product over these years?
Lets take a look shall we........
1950s
Launched in 1954, Love Hearts were initially put as gifts in Christmas Crackers with the simple phrase, "I love you". In these early days the packaging was all painted by hand, they proved so popular that the range was produced as an ongoing product.
With new technology always being produced it was in the late 1950's that the first 3-dimensional messages started being produced on the sweets.
1960s
1969 saw the release of "Golf Hints", these were love hearts with golfing messages on.
It was also the decade that Swizzels (as it was then known) teamed up with the Beano and Dandy to use comic characters in their advertising. They also gave away free sweets on the covers of the comics.
1970s
The 70s were the flower power period, and of course Love Hearts were part of this with the introduction of "Hippy Bits" bringing the UK messages such as "Keep Faith", "Swing It" and "Groovy".
1975 saw the companies name change to Swizzels Matlow Ltd
1980s
The 80s were the year Love Hearts went global.... translated into different languages including French and
German.
1990s
There was plenty to keep Love Hearts busy in the 90s.
Princess Diana visited the factory in 1991 and Swizzels Matlow Ltd specially commissioned Love Hearts for the occasion.
Another limited edition product arrived in 1995 - Jibes. Instead of the usual loving phases these contained a bit more of a sarcastic hint; "You Smell" and "Grow Up".
The new sayings didn't stop there, 1999 introduced more technological Love Hearts sayings; "Page Me", "Text Me" and "Luv me 24/7"
2000s
A big year for Love Hearts, they were included in the Millennium dome as an icon of the 20th century.
Following their Royal editions in 2003 - "Happy 21 Wills" love hearts were released to celebrate HRH Prince Williams birthday.
Also in 2003 Manchester designer Shaya created wedding dress using 4000 varnished "Marry Me" love
hearts estimated £125, 000.
In 2008 Swizzels Matlow removed artificial colourings from all 250 of their product ranges making parents feel better about giving them to their children, or enjoying them themselves.
2010s
Royalty featured again through out 2010.
When The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge married in 2011 a love heart gift box was released to commemorate it. The sweet wrappers read "Congratulations William and Catherine 29 April 2011".
When Price George, the Royal Baby was born in 2013, the royal sweets followed...
Another Love Heart creation arose from the Royal Wedding, artist Mark Kennedy was commissioned to make a mosaic out of them.
Another new release for Love Hearts in 2012, One Direction themed this time; who can resist "Forever Zayn", "Hold me Harry", "I love Liam", "1D" and " Harry 4 U".
Of course with all the changes over the years Swizzels have to discontinue some sayings to make way for new ones, messages no longer present today include "hey daddio", "good boy", "hello mum" and "cool".
In 2008 Swizzels Matlow launched a competition for the public to write 10 new Love Heart Message. Among the winners were "Heart Baby", "Juicy Jessie", "Thumbs up" and ":D". Think you can do better??? Well now is your chance!!
The competition is live on Swizzels Matlow's facebook site now and runs until August 2014 so you have plenty of time to get your creative juices flowing.
When you are ready simply enter here now.
If you liked this post you will love my Swizzels Flashback Friday blog, there is also an upcoming competition involving Squashies coming up later in the week.
Disclosure: Swizzels Matlow kindly sponsored the #midblogsmeet and asked if I would like to help promote them. Of course I love sweets and was more than happy to return the favour.
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