Hawaiian Punch

Hawaiian Punch is an American brand of juice currently manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper, originally invented in 1934 by A.W. Leo, Tom Yeats, and Ralph Harrison as a topping for ice cream. It was started from an original syrup flavor titled Leo's Hawaiian Punch, containing orange, pineapple, passion fruit, guava and papaya, and has been available in 14 flavors since 2020. Though earlier versions contained 10% fruit juice, the drink is currently made with 3% fruit juice.^[1][2]

Leo's Hawaiian Punch was created as an ice cream topping syrup in 1934 by A.W. Leo, Tom Yeats, and Ralph Harrison in a converted garage in Fullerton, California. It originally contained 5 fruit juices: orange, pineapple, passion fruit, guava and papaya—all imported from Hawaii. Although customers later discovered that it made an appealing drink when mixed with water, Hawaiian Punch (with "Leo's" name omitted) was available only wholesale in gallon glass jugs to ice cream parlors and soda fountains. The original company was named Pacific Citrus Products (PCP).^{[citation needed]}

In 1946, Reuben P. Hughes purchased the company and renamed it the Pacific Hawaiian Products Company and quickly set about making Hawaiian Punch Base available directly to consumers in 1 quart glass containers. The immediate post-war period saw the introduction of ready-to-serve Hawaiian Punch in 46 oz tins (1950) and frozen concentrate (1955). Sometime around 1954, the brand was expanded to a second flavor, Sunshine Yellow. The original red Hawaiian Punch became the "Rosy" flavor. At that same time, a sixth fruit flavor, apricot puree, was added to the formula. The Sunshine Yellow flavor omitted the orange juice of the original and replaced the original red food coloring with yellow. By 1955, Hawaiian Punch had become a national brand.^{[citation needed]}

In 1961, the Atherton-Privett ad agency created a 20-second commercial to advertise Hawaiian Punch drink. The commercial was produced by John Urie and Associates in Hollywood. Jean Guy Jacques was the director; Bob Guidi and John Urie designed the two characters, Punchy and Oaf.[8] Ross Martin did Punchy's voice, "Hey! How 'bout a nice Hawaiian Punch?" and John Urie did Oaf's line, "Sure". Rod Scribner animated the commercials. Sam Cornell also worked on the later versions. Oaf never learned to say "No" and Punchy's response was always to punch him. The commercial ended with Punchy leaning on a can of Hawaiian Punch, saying, "Wasn't that a refreshing commercial?" The commercial won many awards.

Although the character was introduced prior to RJR's ownership, they took it to a new level with "television commercials, magazines, and Sunday comics and on school book covers, toys, clothing, tumblers, and wrist watches" featuring the character marketed to children. The RJR employee magazine stated “[h]is presence on point-of-purchase displays lends instant eye-appeal” and named Punchy “[t]he best salesman the beverage has ever had."^[4]

The Punchy and Oaf (sometimes known as "Opie"^[9]) characters were used in the product's commercials well into the 1980s, and again for a period in the early 1990s.

• Leo's Hawaiian Punch

(became Hawaiian Punch, but the original consumer product in 1946 was titled Hawaiian Punch Base)

• Rosy Red (later Fruit Juicy)
• Sunshine Yellow

• Orange
• Grape

(Sunshine Yellow contained banana puree by 1966)

• Cherry
• Strawberry
• Lemonade

• Fruit Juicy Red Low Calorie

• Cherry Royal

• Fruit Juicy Red
• Great Grape
• Sunshine Orange
• Tropical Fruit
• Very Berry
• Fruit Punch Low Sugar

• Red Punch
• Strawberry Punch
• Tutti Frutti Punch

• Fruit Juicy Red
• Fruit Juicy Red Light
• Green Berry Rush: strawberry and kiwi
• Mazin' Melon Mix: melon
• Bodacious Berry: berry
• Orange Ocean: orange
• Wild Purple Smash: grape and berry
• Lemonade: old-fashioned lemonade
• Berry Blue Typhoon: strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and kiwi
• Berry Bonkers: strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and pomegranate
• Lemon Berry Squeeze: strawberry and lemonade
• Berry Limeade Blast: strawberry and limeade
• Lemon Lime Splash: lemon and lime
• Island Citrus Guava: guava and lime
• Polar Blast: orange and raspberry
• Mango Passionfruit Squeeze: mango and passion fruit
• Mango Monsoon: orange, mango and pineapple
• White Water Wave: coconut and pineapple
• Watermelon Berry Boom: strawberry and watermelon

The following fruit flavors are offered by Keurig Dr Pepper:^[2]

• Hawaiian Punch Berry Blue Typhoon Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Berry Bonkers Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Berry Limeade Blast Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red Juice Drink Light
• Hawaiian Punch Green Berry Rush Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Lemon Berry Squeeze Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Lemon Lime Splash Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Lemonade Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Mango Monsoon Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Orange Ocean Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Punch Polar Blast Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Watermelon Berry Boom Juice Drink
• Hawaiian Punch Whitewater Wave Juice Drink