Bubble Yum Gum: Iconic Brand That Revolutionized Bubble Gum History

When recalling the heartwarming nostalgia and carefree days of childhood, chances are, along with other remembrances, you’ll conjure up a picture of yourself with a mouth full of immense pieces of chewing gum. Unfortunately, such feelings of pure joy rarely come to adulthood.

Although there was a serious debate even back in our childhood about which brand of gum was the best, for many of us, Bubble Yum never gave up the lead – this juicy flavored soft gum never disappointed us with the gold standard for blowing bubbles!

Continuing on this nostalgic note, get ready to travel back in time to discover how the history of chewing gum, which began humbly in a Missouri kitchen, first became part of American culture and then evolved into a global sensation. In this article, we will discuss the history of Bubble Yum and take a closer look at its variety of flavors. 

History of Bubble Yum 

With a soft and easy-to-chew texture, Bubble Yum is a beloved brand of bubble gum that is currently manufactured in Mexico. First, it was officially introduced in 1975 by Life Savers, a division of the Hershey Company.

Bubble Yum was the first soft bubble gum in the 1970s. The customers enjoyed the pleasant experience, which was nothing like traditional hard chewing gum. It was this special softness characteristic of Bubble Yum that allowed people to blow large and long-lasting bubbles.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, only a few people know that Bubble Yum was not created by a confectioner with magical skills similar to Willy Wonka. Believe it or not, the author of this gum was a lady living in a small town in Missouri who wanted to surprise her family members pleasantly. Yes, the famous “Bubble Gum” created by this innovative housewife was shared by her child with her classmates. We bet you can already imagine what emotions tasting this unique candy would cause in children!

After school, “Bubble Gum” quickly attracted the attention of the general public and soon the Life Savers company was interested in this original idea and decided to buy the recipe from a lady in the early 1970s. That’s how the company began to produce this chewing gum on a large scale.

What Made Bubble Yum So Popular?

The first introduction of Bubble Yum to the masses was met with excitement. After all, people had never seen or tasted anything like it. Previously, most of the chewing gums on the market had firm consistency and were difficult to chew due to their firm consistency. Some of these chewing gums were Retro Bazooka or Double Bubble — both of them required a lot of jaw effort. 

In contrast, Bubble Yum’s soft texture was easier to chew and maintained its aromatic flavor longer. Because of the juicy and aromatic flavor characteristic of chewing gum, some people even found it hard to believe that Bubble Yum could not be eaten.

The bubble-blowing potential of Bubble Yum led Americans to the point of planning the annual official Bubble Yum World Series Blowout championships in the late 90s. Even today, with so many different choices around us, a large part of the public still considers Bubble Yum to be the best chewing gum for blowing bubbles.

As a result of the success of Bubble Yum, other companies soon started introducing similar products. Some of the pioneers among them were Bubblicious and Hubba Bubba. Thanks to Bubble Yum, today there are dozens of different brands of bubble gum on the shelves.

Bubble Yum’s Mascot

Marketing strategies often encourage brands to create memorable characters with whom consumers can associate their products. For example, M&M’s characters have become popular mascots that are still alive and powerful today. Similarly, Bubble Yum introduced a mascot — Floyd D. Duck. This character represents a freedom-loving duck who begins to challenge youngsters to burst their bubbles. That’s how it brought the brand’s fun and innovative spirit to life at its best.

Floyd D. Duck debuted on television in the 1990s. Since then, the septum-pierced spokes-duck is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Bubble Yum. The special thing about this duck is that he’s not afraid to express himself or think about what people will think of his punk look – just like the new generation is always protecting their identity.

In the early stages of Bubble Yum’s development as a brand, the company aimed to concentrate on teenagers and young adults. Therefore, along with funny commercials, they used catchy slogans and taglines to further promote Bubble Yum to a new generation. 

One of the chewing gum commercials even starred Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, which is not surprising, as every iconic star started their journey to success somewhere. In the case of DiCaprio, it turns out that the Bubble Yum commercial in the 1980s was a starting point.

Bubble Yum Gum Logo

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Bubble Yum Flavors

1. Original Flavor 

Original Flavor Bubble Gum is the one that started the history of Bubble Yum and which, along with the classic experience, offers consumers a great opportunity to blow bubbles. You will find this iconic flavor mainly in two convenient packages, large and small, which respectively contain 5 and 10 pieces of Bubble Yum. A five-pack of chewing gum contains about 5 grams of sugar.

Although we already have plenty of other Bubble Yum flavors available today, the classic one still satisfies both new and loyal fans and evokes childhood memories with every chew.

2. Jolly Rancher Blue Raspberry

As the brand became more and more popular and the competition in the market increased, Bubble Yum decided to diversify the flavor spectrum and launch new flavors such as watermelon, tropical punch, grapes, cherries, apples, raspberries, and strawberries.

Unfortunately, these flavors cannot be found in stores nowadays. The reason is that time and consumers have decided to choose only the best, and based on sales statistics, only Bubble Yum Jolly Rancher Blue Raspberry remained on the market, each package of which contains 10 individually wrapped pieces of soft chewing gum.

3. Cotton Candy

After studying the taste preferences of consumers, Bubble Yum decided to expand the range of flavors after the original and Blue Raspberry tastes, and as a result, they added the Cotton Candy flavor.

If you are a lover of cotton candy and wish to relive your childhood memories while satisfying your sweet tooth, you should try this lovely flavored Bubble Yum, as it offers a pleasant sweetness and fun-filled sensations. Like the Original Bubble Yum, the Cotton Candy Bubble Yum consists of 5 or 10 individually wrapped pieces of chewing gum. 

Rumors About Bubble Yum Containing Spider Eggs

Bubble Yum was so soft and juicy that, strangely enough, in 1977, a seemingly baseless rumor began circulating among schoolchildren. According to the rumors, one of the ingredients in Bubble Yum was spider eggs. Yes, the originator of the rumor indeed had a good imagination.

Maybe this joke is now very funny, not only to us but also to Bubble Yum itself, but at the time, the rumor sparked public outrage and fear. Consequently, sales of the once-popular chewing gum fell in both Chicago and New York. These two states were exactly where the rumor first spread locally before the information reached the whole country.

People couldn’t imagine how Bubble Yum could be so soft otherwise and started to believe the rumor about the spider eggs. Of course, the company didn’t accept this accusation and launched advertising campaigns against the rumors. As they stated, “someone was telling a very bad lie about a very good product.” 

In order to restore their reputation, Bubble Yum spent about $100,000. As a result of their efforts, the scandal surrounding the softest chewing gum quickly disappeared and sales returned to their old growth rate. But this story proved how much impact even a small, harmless joke can have on the reputation of a brand as large as Bubble Yum.

Bubble Yum Gum Ingredients

• Sugar
• Gum Base
• Corn Syrup
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Natural Flavor and Artificial Flavor
• Artificial Color [Red 40 Lake]
• BHT, to Maintain Freshness,
• Lecithin (Soy)

Bubble Yum Gum Nutrition

Serving Size:	1 piece (8g)	% Daily Value*
Amount Per Serving:
Calories	25
Total Fat	0g	0%
Saturated Fat	0g	0%
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate	6g	2%
Dietary Fiber	0g	0%
Total Sugars		5g
Sugar Alcohol	0g
Protein	0g
Vitamin D	0iu	0%
Calcium	0.13mg	0%
Iron	0mg	0%
Potassium	0mg	0%

• * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Bubble Yum is the one and only chewing gum brand that started with a humble family history and became the most popular gum brand in the world. Even after the praises we’ve already heard about Bubble Yum, it still manages to maintain its own special place in the market. Today, people believe that this gum has the potential to help people with swallowing difficulties, as chewing Bubble Yum’s particularly juicy gum can stimulate saliva production and thus make swallowing easier.

What’s more, some people even claim that Bubble Yum is beneficial in the smoking cessation process. It turns out that chewing this flavored gum can reduce cravings for cigarettes and replace this bad habit with a fun and tasty alternative to chewing.

With that in mind, starting from this moment, when you notice Bubble Yum gum on the shelf, you’ll know it’s much more than just satisfying your sweet tooth – it’s an innovative brand that changed the snack history.