Welcome to the online press kit for Jason Liebig

A Maestro of Mass Market Mythology

Jason Liebig is a Gifted Storyteller and Trusted Advisor for Media, Marketing, Branding & Culture

Jason Liebig (say LEE big), often called “The Indiana Jones of Branding,” bridges generations through the stories we’ve forgotten — or thought we had. A former Marvel Comics story executive turned cultural historian, consultant, commentator and television personality, Jason is a trusted advisor for major brands, film and television producers, and media teams seeking to authentically tap into the emotional power of story.

Best known as the star of History channel’s “The Food That Built America,” Jason is also one of the world’s leading archivists and interpreters of vintage consumer packaging. This passion snowballed from humble beginnings researching and sharing brand history on his CollectingCandy.com blog to building a singular 100,000-piece archive, a thriving television career, and even consulting for the very brands he once documented.

Jason preserves the colorful, nostalgic, and sometimes ubiquitous or controversial history of consumer goods that no one else could — from ‘70s cereal boxes and ‘80s Halloween candy to obscure ‘90s snack food flops. Jason shows us what our shared history and branding says about our culture, our childhoods, and ourselves. But more than simply speaking about the past, he deciphers and decodes it, providing insights into where we are and where we aspire to be.

From Comic Books to Cultural Commentary

Jason’s career began at Marvel Comics leading the successful X-Men family of books, a place where he honed his eye for storytelling, character development, and the language of design.

In the years that followed, his love of design drove him toward the world of toys, product tie-ins, collectibles, and brand packaging — and soon birthed his obsession and mission to save ephemera others threw away. What began as a nostalgic curiosity grew into what is now recognized as one of the most extensive physical and digital archives of vintage brand packaging with a special focus on candy and snacks as well as fast food

Jason has become a recognized TV personality, becoming one of the stars of History’s “The Food That Built America,” “The Mega-Brands That Built America,” and “Hazardous History with Henry Winkler” along with producing and hosting the 2017 Cooking Channel show “Food Flashback.”

But Jason doesn’t just collect brand packaging — he decodes it. He documents when and where products appeared, who created them, and what cultural forces shaped their design. Due to his singular knowledge and archival holdings, over the last two decades his collection has been used by film and television teams to build era-accurate sets, by marketing firms looking to revive legacy brands, and by journalists exploring the emotional pull of childhood snacks.

Trusted by Hit Shows and Top Brands

Jason has quietly shaped some of the most beloved media of our time. As a behind-the-scenes advisor for hit shows like “Stranger Things,” “Mad Men,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Young Sheldon” and “The Goldbergs,” he ensures that even the most fleeting on-screen branded food or product box rings true for the time period. He’s not just a visual historian — he’s a cultural bridge, helping storytellers evoke emotion and authenticity.

In 2020, Jason stepped in front of the camera to join History's “The Food That Built America,” quickly becoming one of its leading contributors and stars, eventually adding “The Mega-BrandsThat Built America” to his television workload. In 2025, Jason was invited to represent a new show, “Hazardous History,” alongside Henry Winkler. The show explores the strange, funny, and sometimes risky origins of consumer products — everything from banned food dyes to lead- laced labels. Jason brings his deep expertise, passion, and delivery to the show’s storytelling behind host Winkler, who brings his own charm and wit — helping make a show that quickly won over viewers and producers alike.

Nostalgia Meets the News: RFK Jr., Skittles, & Clean Label Culture

While Jason’s roots are in retro, his voice is incredibly current. As RFK Jr. calls for a national ban on artificial food dyes — with brands like Skittles caught in the crossfire — Jason offers rare insight into how policy, branding, and generational identity collide. He can break down:

• Why Gen Z rejects the ingredients Boomers grew up on.


• How nostalgia gets “cancelled” when it clashes with modern values.


• What legacy brands are doing to evolve without losing emotional loyalty.


• How RFK Jr.'s stance could shift the entire CPG (consumer packaged goods) and food branding landscape.

Jason’s perspective is especially relevant now, as companies navigate polarized markets, viral rebrands, and health-conscious consumers with short attention spans and high emotional expectations.

Why He’s in Demand

Jason is one of the few people who can entertainingly connect the dots between:

• Retail mistakes like New Coke and Crystal Pepsi.


• Cultural campaigns like "Keep It Real" vs. "Bring It Back."


• On-screen branding accuracy in scripted TV and film.


• Emotional marketing across generational divides.


• Continuity of innovation, and the insights it offers when understood across decades.

He’s available for keynote speaking, brand consulting, and cultural insight sessions. He also regularly advises creative teams on how to revive legacy products, avoid nostalgia traps, and capture hearts across generational lines.

A Wrapper Is Never Just a Wrapper

Jason Liebig helps us see that even the most disposable items — a candy bar wrapper, a cat food label, a cereal box, a fast-food toy — carry meaning. They tell us who we were, who we wanted to be, and who we still are. Whether he’s advising a billion-dollar brand on legacy packaging or new product ideation and innovation, consulting for Netflix, or sharing stories on-air with Henry Winkler, Jason reminds us that the past is never really gone — it’s just waiting to be unwrapped.

Learn more at CollectingCandy.com.
Download Jason Liebig One-Pager.

Contact:
Michelle Tennant Nicholson
Wasabi Publicity, Inc.
Phone: 828.749.3200
Email: michelle@wasabipublicity.com