Intellectual Property Insights from Fishman Stewart
Mini Article – Volume 25, Issue 20
Share on Social
National Candy Corn Day – The Scariest Day of the Year
By Kristyn Webb
For as long as there have been car seats, candy corn has found its way behind and under them every fall, like hibernating animals fleeing the cold. Originally called “chicken feed” and paired with the tagline “something to crow about” alongside a rooster on the logo, candy corn has been with us since the 1800s. Before World War I, corn itself was considered mostly as a food for livestock. But agricultural themed candies were common during this era, due to the large numbers of Americans working on farms.
Legend has it that George Renninger, an employee at Wunderle Candy Company in Philadelphia, invented the process for producing this Halloween staple in the 1880’s. Each layer was hand poured, which meant the process was labor intensive, but the resulting product stood out compared to the more predominant mono-colored competition. In 1898, the Goelitz Candy Company (now the Jelly Belly Candy Company) saw an opportunity in Renninger’s creation and bought his recipe.
Currently, the largest producer of candy corn is Brach’s, with at least 30 million pounds of this culturally iconic candy being made in the United States every year.
Dislike it or hate it, candy corn is a permanent fixture now, with a variety of flavors available during every major holiday. From caramel apples to hot dogs and green beans, candy corn will likely outlive us all.
October 30 is National Candy Corn Day. Please observe a moment of silence for all candy corn abandoned in sofa cushions and car seats.
Kristyn Webb is the Group Leader of Fishman Stewart’s Copyright Practice Group and holds a master’s degree in Copyright Law from King’s College London.
Related Content from Fishman Stewart
Comerica Park becomes Fifth Third Park in 2027. Here’s how stadium naming rights work as IP licensing and what Fifth Third gains beyond fan approval.
As any trademark lawyer will tell clients considering a rebrand, the adoption of any new trademark involves risk. A search can identify potentially conflicting trademarks that could pose problems for use and/or registration of a new trademark.
Why would the United States grant inventors exclusive rights to their creations while simultaneously seeking to promote competition and innovation? The answer lies in the Patent Act of 1790, which established a framework that still shapes patent law today.
Before a brand makes headlines for the right reasons, it helps to make sure someone else doesn’t already own the name. A recent dispute involving Tesla offers a timely reminder that a great brand name can become an expensive problem.
One second became a surprisingly complicated piece of technology, intellectual property and sports governance in the 2026 collegiate season opening game.
With the end of Hot Dog Season quickly approaching, now is a good time to reflect on the innovative new growth that made this season what it is today.
The Ninth Circuit just reversed course on Jack Daniel's dilution claim against the 'Bad Spaniels' dog toy, vacating the injunction and ruling that parody humor alone doesn't prove reputational harm. Here's what the decision means for brand owners pursuing tarnishment claims.
The trading card industry is booming again - and what makes this moment different is not who holds the cards, literally and figuratively, but how the trading card space is rapidly evolving.
Imagine paying millions of dollars for the naming rights to a stadium—only to have your brand hidden behind a giant white tarp. That’s exactly what happened to Levi Strauss during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As we celebrate our nation’s birthday on July 4th, many communities are replacing or supplementing traditional fireworks with drone-based light shows - which prompts the question of intellectual property protection.
IDENTIFYING, SECURING AND ADVANCING CREATIVITY®
