• by Fern Siegel , May 15, 2024

Butterfingers has turned 100 — and is showcasing its birthday with new packaging featuring “The Simpsons.”

The candy, invented by Otto Schnering for his Curtiss Candy Co., was featured in a 1934 movie with Shirley Temple. The name derives from the term sportscasters used to describe players that couldn’t hold onto a baseball.

Channel handled the creative packaging. The agency has also done work for M&Ms, Sepia and Snickers/Skittles.

“Butterfinger has created irresistible moments for the last century with its crispety, crunchety peanut-buttery taste, and we’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone birthday with our limited-edition packaging featuring The Simpsons,” said Neal Finkler, vice president of marketing, Butterfinger and Baby Ruth.

Now owned by Ferrero, the new packaging pays tribute to its longtime “Simpsons” collaboration, which began in 1988, when the animated characters premiered as a cartoon on “The Tracey Ullman Show.” While the initial “Simpsons” marketing ended in 2001, it resumed in 2010. In the opening sequence of “Treehouse of Horror XXVIII” in 2017, the family even appeared as candy in a bowl, with Bart as a Butterfinger bar.

The new “Simpson” wrappers are available for a limited time in regular size, a two-piece share pack and a fun-size bag at retailers nationwide.

To tout its centenary, a Butterfinger Birthday Sweepstakes is also launching. Consumers who purchase the limited-edition Butterfinger bars and click ButterfingerBirthday.com can win prizes, such as an Arcade 1 Game inspired by “The Simpsons,” “The Simpsons” Funko Pop! character assortment and a Butterfinger-branded skateboard.

“As a brand with so much history, it's important for us to evolve with modern culture to reach new audiences, while also still honoring our rich legacy,” says Finkler.