Farewell, Cherry Blossom: A Nostalgic Bite of the Past

Youth has a way of shaping our perceptions, only for time to reveal new layers of meaning when we look back. Some of my earliest memories are intertwined with fleeting moments of pop culture, small joys that felt monumental at the time. One such memory is the Cherry Blossom commercial from the 1970s. It wasn’t just an ad—it was a sensory imprint of my childhood, a symbol of youthful innocence.

As a kid, I loved venturing into convenience stores, scanning the shelves for candy, gum, comics, and the much-anticipated Fall Edition of TV Guide, eager to see what new shows would grace the screen. That Cherry Blossom commercial resonated with me in ways I couldn’t fully articulate back then. It encapsulated the energy of the era, pulling in the vibrant, surreal animation styles influenced by Yellow Submarine and the bold, lip-centric imagery reminiscent of the Rolling Stones’ iconic mouth logo. It was a time when commercials felt like mini pop-art spectacles, weaving their way into the fabric of our cultural landscape.

Cherry Blossom had been a Canadian staple since the 1890s, originally manufactured by the Walter M. Lowney Company in Montreal. By the 1980s, Hershey Canada took over the brand, keeping its signature yellow packaging instantly recognizable to generations of consumers. And now, after well over a century, Hershey Canada has decided to discontinue Cherry Blossom, sending it to the proverbial chocolate graveyard in early 2025.

I’ll be honest—I never actually cared for the candy itself. The syrupy maraschino cherry coated in chocolate, coconut, and peanuts never really appealed to me. But Cherry Blossom was never just about the taste; it was about nostalgia, a tangible link to a bygone era. It represented a time when childhood joys were simple—the thrill of unwrapping a treat, the anticipation of flipping through TV Guide to find your favorite shows and the pure wonder of watching cartoons that played with color and form in ways that felt almost hypnotic to my young mind.

What truly captivated us back then wasn’t the candy—it was the commercial. That ad left an impression, embedding itself in the collective memory of my generation. It wasn’t just a pitch for a confection; it was a piece of the cultural landscape, a visual and auditory time capsule that still resonates today.

Looking back at that commercial now, with its lip imagery and slow, almost hypnotic reveal of the gooey center, I can’t help but notice the subtle sensuality that my youthful innocence never picked up on. It’s funny how time reshapes our understanding of things once seen through wide-eyed wonder. But regardless of interpretation, what remains unchanged is the impact. That jingle, that animation, that moment in time—it’s all still nestled in my memory, untouched by the passage of years.

Thanks to the internet, we can now uncover the origins of hidden gems like this Cherry Blossom ad and give credit to the artists behind them. The animation, which exudes a whimsical and almost childlike charm, was created by Henry Fernandes, a talented animator known for his work on Sesame Street and The Electric Company. The latter was an innovative educational series that featured an impressive cast, including Academy Award winner Rita Moreno, comedian Bill Cosby, and a then-unknown Morgan Freeman, who would go on to become one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors.

As for the ad’s catchy jingle, it was composed by Murder Music of New York, a production company that has largely faded into obscurity. While little is known about their broader body of work, this advertisement remains a rare surviving relic of their musical contributions, preserving a small but memorable piece of their creative legacy.

So, goodbye, Cherry Blossom. Even if I never craved your flavor, I cherished the nostalgia you carried. Like so many pieces of pop culture from my youth, you will be missed.