Like its namesake, Humpty Dumpty has had a couple of bad breaks.

Just 10 years ago the Kitchener, Ont.-based snack food company was in bankruptcy. But since its purchase by Gerald Schmalz, chairman and CEO in 1996, Humpty has undergone aggressive rebranding, product tinkering, and big-name marketing initiatives (with the likes of Spider Man 2 and hockey icon Don Cherry), and the 50-year-old Canadian brand has sured-up double-digit profits.

So with things back together again, annual sales averaging $170 million and a new look to boot, it seems a good time to trace the recent history of this oft-overlooked Canadian success story, with help from

VP marketing Lynda Murray.

Mid 1950s

‘This was the original ‘Humpty Dumpty’ that had been the imagery of the company since its inception up until the early ’80s. The thinking was to align the brand look with the imagery of the nursery rhyme, therefore making the brand fun, friendly and trustworthy while benefiting from the larger awareness surrounding the Humpty Dumpty icon. Not overly sophisticated,’ says Murray.

Mid ’90s

‘We’d been a little all over the map. Then we took a safer route. We wanted to focus on the Humpty Dumpty brand.’

2000

‘Humpty Dumpty evolved into a single look, but missed the mark a bit where brand imagery was concerned with the tired-looking [mascot].’

2002

‘Its current packaging [created by Oakville, Ont.’s Pigeon Branding + Design] is a move to add a fresher look to the line while reconnecting with the heritage of the brand.’

2003

‘[This packaging] is a move to elevate the brand through

the company you keep.’