After news late last year that the Ecto Cooler trademark had been renewed, fans of the citrus-flavored drink have been looking for any sign of a potential comeback. Well friends, it appears that very sign dropped on our doorstep this morning in the form of an eBay auction. The auction is for what is billed as a “New, Unused Ghostbusters Hi-C Ecto Cooler Can sample.”
Looking at the can, everything seems authentic. The ingredients mostly match up, the logo points to the the new Ghostbusters movie releasing this July, and the copyright on the can has a 2016 time stamp. Either this is a very elaborate hoax or we are looking at what seems to be the prototype packaging of an upcoming re-release of Slimer’s favorite sugary drink. The bidding reached $200 for the can before the auction ended prematurely.
The 11.5 oz. can is a new iteration of the drink famously packaged in the distinct cardboard Hi-C juice boxes found in kids’ lunchboxes for decades. “Decades?” you ask? Yes, although most people think Ecto Cooler was a flash in the pan to promote the 1984 and 1989 Ghostbusters films, the drink actually had a long life on store shelves. It first debuted in 1965 as “Citrus Cooler,” and was only re-branded in 1987 after the popularity of the Ghostbusters movie and The Real Ghostbusters cartoon series. The drink remained in circulation as Ecto Cooler until, as a Minute Maid product, it changed names to become “Shoutin’ Orange Tangergreen.” Following a final name change to “Crazy Citrus Cooler” in 2006, the product was finally retired in 2007.
It remains to be seen if the gruesomely lovable Slimer character will appear on the still-officially-unannounced drink, but regardless, nostalgia junkies everywhere are rejoicing. If you need your citrus fix sooner, you can always buy a vintage box of the juice drink for the modest sum of $400! Although drinking that may turn you into a ghost yourself, so you’re probably better off wait for the real thing to appear.
GeekDad has reached out to Hi-C parent company Coca-Cola for comment and will update this story with any reply.
H/t @DinosaurDracula
