While many AU students will be enjoying such Easter treats as Cadbury eggs and chocolate bars over the upcoming holiday weekend, one particular treat's popularity has lasted more than 50 years.
Marshmallow Peeps, those yellow balls of sugar in the shape of baby chickens, seem to be infiltrating drugstores like CVS and Target.
"When my mom and I were home over spring break, we were shopping at Target and I saw bright red Peeps," said Erica LeMaster, a sophomore in the School of Communication. "I called them Satan Peeps and told my mom I wanted some for Easter."
Consumers spend roughly $700 million on 1.2 billion Peeps per year, according to Milenia Deluca, spokeswoman for Just Born Inc., the company that produces Peeps. A third of all Peeps are bought not for eating but for science experiments, dioramas, rituals, and arts and crafts, said an article from fortune.com.
There are numerous Web sites devoted to Peep art. One includes microwaved Peeps that have exploded and then been tacked onto poster board. Marshmallowpeeps.org includes photos of a drunken Peep floating in a bottle of Jack Daniels and a pierced bunny Peep with a silver bauble through its ear.
"I can't believe people do such weird things to them," said Theresa Blake, a senior in the School of International Service. "They should be eaten, not wasted."
Peeps were created by Sam Born in 1953, after he acquired the Just Born candy company, according to the company's Web site, www.marshmallowpeeps.com. The marshmallow creations were first packaged as bunnies and chicks, but now are offered in the shape of pumpkins, snowmen and hearts. Chicks and bunnies generate more than 70 percent of Peep sales, according to the fortune.com article.
"Peeps are the only mandatory food that I have to eat for Easter," said Jenna Weinerman, a freshman in the Kogod School of Business. "My favorite is the pink bunnies."
Some AU students are not fans of the sugary treat.
"I don't think they taste good but I like the sugar factor," said Rana Khoury, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs.
Ashley Wall, a freshman in SPA, was raised on organic foods and has never consumed Peeps over the Easter holiday.
"I am not a fan of dyed things. ... Red 40, blue whatever," Wall said. "I am a fan of dark chocolate, though."
Nathan Luoto, a senior concentrating in audio technology, said that Peeps are sickening and too rich.
"Their eyes are very weird-looking too. ... I think they are made out of burnt caramel," he said.
Web sites are also devoted to Peeps dressed in costumes and photographed in odd places. For instance, lordofthepeeps.com chronicles a "Lord of the Rings"-type narration that includes Peeps dressed as characters Frodo and Gandalf.
There is also a Peep diorama circulating online called "The Passion of the Peeps." The scene includes a bunny dressed as Jesus and chicks dressed as other Biblical characters.
"I love Peeps," said Erika Neenan, a freshman in SPA. "This is just weird what people are doing to my favorite childhood candy."
After viewing a picture from peepresearch.org, which posts experiments with Peeps involving cigarettes and alcohol, Anthony Valdez, a senior in SPA said, "That's just wrong dot com."
One of Just Born's favorite Web sites devoted to Peeps is www.peepsshow.com, which includes art designed by David Ottogalli, a Washington, D.C., artist.
Ottogalli has been featured in newspapers and has been to food expos devoted entirely to Peeps, said Deluca, the company spokeswoman. Ottogalli has even made an American flag out of red and blue Peeps and filled an entire Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket with the marshmallow treats.
"We were hoping that Peeps would become as popular as they have," Deluca said. "Our 3-D chocolate cr?me pumpkins, and strawberry and vanilla cr?me Valentine's Day hearts have become best sellers."
According to Deluca, Peeps originally became associated with Easter because of their very nature.
"Chicks are usually associated with spring. ... So is their bright yellow color," Deluca said.
The marshmallow confections are a well-liked Easter candy item at CVS, said Todd Andrews, CVS spokesman and graduate of AU's SOC.
"They are a very popular item," Andrews said. "The company that makes them is very innovative with the new products they invent each year. ... They are time-honored Easter confections."
According to Andrews, new products are introduced all the time in the candy sector, but Peeps seem to have a lasting image.
The newest item for the Easter season is a chocolate egg with a single Peep in the middle, according to Deluca.
"I'm particularly partial to the yellow chicks," Andrews said.
