1 00:00:02,375 --> 00:00:04,583 - [Narrator] It's a multicolored treat you can play with, 2 00:00:04,583 --> 00:00:09,542 and it fuels a $20 billion a year global industry, 3 00:00:09,542 --> 00:00:12,208 with nearly 100,000 tons 4 00:00:12,208 --> 00:00:13,458 sold every year. 5 00:00:15,125 --> 00:00:16,542 - [Vallery] The beauty of bubblegum, 6 00:00:16,542 --> 00:00:19,292 most kids are gonna be able to save up enough money 7 00:00:19,292 --> 00:00:21,625 to go and buy a piece of bubble gum. 8 00:00:21,625 --> 00:00:24,125 It puts everyone on the same playing field. 9 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:26,208 - [Narrator] But before bubbles, 10 00:00:26,208 --> 00:00:28,875 gum was something else entirely. 11 00:00:28,875 --> 00:00:30,542 - [Erin] Advertisements said that gum 12 00:00:30,542 --> 00:00:33,667 could help with your digestion, calm your nerves. 13 00:00:33,667 --> 00:00:35,458 - [Jason] The colors were a little blander. 14 00:00:35,458 --> 00:00:37,875 - [Vallery] It was white and beige. 15 00:00:37,875 --> 00:00:40,375 It was very utilitarian. 16 00:00:40,375 --> 00:00:42,875 - [Narrator] Until a group of mavericks blow it up. 17 00:00:42,875 --> 00:00:43,917 [intense music] 18 00:00:43,917 --> 00:00:44,875 [bubblegum popping] 19 00:00:44,875 --> 00:00:45,875 - Well, that' incredible. 20 00:00:45,875 --> 00:00:46,667 How do you do that? 21 00:00:47,875 --> 00:00:49,500 - [Narrator] And unlikely innovators. 22 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:51,292 - I've been working on the bubblegum. 23 00:00:51,292 --> 00:00:53,208 - [Jason] It's so wild, right. 24 00:00:53,208 --> 00:00:55,667 The accountant found the magic ingredient. 25 00:00:56,958 --> 00:00:59,042 - [Narrator] Create a modern day gold rush. 26 00:00:59,042 --> 00:01:00,792 - It's pink gold. 27 00:01:00,792 --> 00:01:02,125 [intense music] 28 00:01:02,125 --> 00:01:03,333 - I'm telling you, 29 00:01:03,333 --> 00:01:05,542 this is what we gotta be selling. 30 00:01:05,542 --> 00:01:07,167 [intense music] 31 00:01:07,167 --> 00:01:09,375 - [Vallery] They've pulled out all the stops with the 32 00:01:09,375 --> 00:01:10,708 packaging, with the marketing. 33 00:01:10,708 --> 00:01:13,125 - [Narrator] Transforming crude experiments. 34 00:01:13,125 --> 00:01:15,708 - What do you think? - It looks great. 35 00:01:15,708 --> 00:01:17,667 [intense music] 36 00:01:17,667 --> 00:01:19,833 - [Narrator] Into household names. 37 00:01:19,833 --> 00:01:21,542 - What did you say you call this? 38 00:01:21,542 --> 00:01:22,458 - Big League Chew. 39 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,208 - [Narrator] And creating an entirely new consumer category. 40 00:01:27,208 --> 00:01:29,542 - [Jason] Bubblegum is the amusement park of food. 41 00:01:29,542 --> 00:01:32,042 They influenced how people perceived kids 42 00:01:32,042 --> 00:01:33,708 as a marketplace. 43 00:01:33,708 --> 00:01:36,375 - [Adam] This is where gum became a candy, 44 00:01:36,375 --> 00:01:39,833 and now confection in America will never be the same again. 45 00:01:39,833 --> 00:01:43,042 [intense music] 46 00:01:43,042 --> 00:01:45,792 [dramatic music] 47 00:02:03,708 --> 00:02:05,708 - [Narrator] It's the early 1900s, 48 00:02:05,708 --> 00:02:09,625 and chewing gum use is on the rise in America. 49 00:02:09,625 --> 00:02:11,875 - [Jason] The chewing gum landscape at the time 50 00:02:11,875 --> 00:02:16,875 was just wildly dominated by Adams Gum and Wrigley's. 51 00:02:18,292 --> 00:02:19,458 These guys had the stores, they had the branding, 52 00:02:19,458 --> 00:02:21,500 they had the resources, the advertising. 53 00:02:22,625 --> 00:02:24,208 - [Narrator] But the gum is very different 54 00:02:24,208 --> 00:02:25,625 than what we know today. 55 00:02:27,833 --> 00:02:29,583 - [Jason] The colors were a little blander. 56 00:02:29,583 --> 00:02:32,125 They had flavors we wouldn't necessarily think about in gum. 57 00:02:32,125 --> 00:02:33,667 Yes, there was mint, 58 00:02:33,667 --> 00:02:37,417 but there were also things like violet, licorice gum, 59 00:02:37,417 --> 00:02:40,667 flavors that we don't so much embrace these days. 60 00:02:40,667 --> 00:02:41,875 - Gum was for adults. 61 00:02:41,875 --> 00:02:43,500 It was practical. 62 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:47,917 You chew it for cleaner breath, or to help with digestion. 63 00:02:47,917 --> 00:02:49,375 You know, it wasn't for kids. 64 00:02:49,375 --> 00:02:52,042 - [Jason] You could look at gum as a parallel 65 00:02:52,042 --> 00:02:53,417 to like toothpaste today. 66 00:02:54,292 --> 00:02:56,917 [intense music] 67 00:02:58,292 --> 00:02:59,792 - [Narrator] But in Philadelphia, 68 00:02:59,792 --> 00:03:01,708 a regional gum manufacturer 69 00:03:01,708 --> 00:03:04,750 is looking to do the nearly impossible, 70 00:03:04,750 --> 00:03:06,167 break through in a market 71 00:03:06,167 --> 00:03:09,500 dominated by two industry titans. 72 00:03:09,500 --> 00:03:12,542 - [Jason] The Fleer company was founded by Frank Fleer in 1885, 73 00:03:12,542 --> 00:03:15,458 and it was primarily a chewing gum company. 74 00:03:15,458 --> 00:03:18,208 Wrigley and Adams, they're going gangbusters, 75 00:03:18,208 --> 00:03:20,917 and Frank Fleer is looking to innovate, 76 00:03:20,917 --> 00:03:24,083 he's trying to figure out where's the white space, right. 77 00:03:24,083 --> 00:03:27,292 What's the territory that Wrigley and Adams don't have? 78 00:03:27,292 --> 00:03:28,542 - [Erin] It's hard to stand out 79 00:03:28,542 --> 00:03:30,333 in the chewing gum market at that time. 80 00:03:30,333 --> 00:03:31,667 It's hard to break through 81 00:03:31,667 --> 00:03:33,583 if you don't have something different. 82 00:03:34,708 --> 00:03:36,542 - [Narrator] Fleer looks to another market 83 00:03:36,542 --> 00:03:40,458 that's recently taken off for inspiration. 84 00:03:40,458 --> 00:03:43,542 - [Susan] When candy came around after the Civil War 85 00:03:43,542 --> 00:03:48,000 and all of these fun candies, fizzy candies, hard candies, 86 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,583 it was really important 87 00:03:49,583 --> 00:03:53,542 because they were made for an uncapped universe of people 88 00:03:53,542 --> 00:03:55,542 who are working class kids. 89 00:03:56,792 --> 00:03:59,708 - [Vallery] I mean, the beauty on penny candy, like cheap 90 00:03:59,708 --> 00:04:02,708 candy, it's something that most kids can enjoy, you know. 91 00:04:02,708 --> 00:04:04,750 You're not gonna get priced out of it. 92 00:04:04,750 --> 00:04:06,583 - [Narrator] While kids are buying up candy, 93 00:04:06,583 --> 00:04:10,167 chewing gum at the time is not being made for them. 94 00:04:10,167 --> 00:04:12,500 - So Frank Fleer decides he's going to create 95 00:04:12,500 --> 00:04:14,500 the first gum for kids. 96 00:04:18,208 --> 00:04:20,042 - [Narrator] After months of tinkering, 97 00:04:20,042 --> 00:04:21,458 Fleer has a new product 98 00:04:21,458 --> 00:04:23,292 that he's finally ready to present 99 00:04:23,292 --> 00:04:24,875 to his distributors. 100 00:04:27,250 --> 00:04:29,042 - I've got something to show you. 101 00:04:29,042 --> 00:04:31,833 - At that time, Frank Fleer had young children. 102 00:04:31,833 --> 00:04:34,167 I'm sure he observed their behavior. 103 00:04:34,167 --> 00:04:37,292 [intense music] 104 00:04:37,292 --> 00:04:38,833 - May I present, 105 00:04:38,833 --> 00:04:41,625 [intense music] 106 00:04:44,708 --> 00:04:45,625 Blibber-Blubber. 107 00:04:48,542 --> 00:04:51,500 It's gum, but it's not like any other gum. 108 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:54,042 It's designed for children to play with. 109 00:04:54,042 --> 00:04:56,000 - [Jason] It's hard to imagine now 110 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,458 because we look at kids as such a viable consumer category, 111 00:05:00,458 --> 00:05:03,583 but back then kids were really an afterthought. 112 00:05:03,583 --> 00:05:07,375 So for Frank Fleer to look at that category of consumer, 113 00:05:07,375 --> 00:05:09,708 that was a pretty innovative way of thinking. 114 00:05:09,708 --> 00:05:11,333 - Let me show you. 115 00:05:11,333 --> 00:05:14,000 [intense music] 116 00:05:17,542 --> 00:05:18,375 - Whoa. 117 00:05:19,708 --> 00:05:21,333 - [Erin] So in making this, 118 00:05:21,333 --> 00:05:23,667 Fleer has created the first gum 119 00:05:23,667 --> 00:05:25,250 that's meant to be played with, 120 00:05:25,250 --> 00:05:28,000 and bubbles to be blown with and to be snapped, 121 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,708 like he's invented bubblegum. 122 00:05:30,708 --> 00:05:32,917 - [Jason] Bubblegum comes into a world 123 00:05:32,917 --> 00:05:36,042 where blowing bubbles with gum doesn't exist. 124 00:05:38,042 --> 00:05:39,333 - [Narrator] Fleer's invention 125 00:05:39,333 --> 00:05:41,875 births an entirely new food category, 126 00:05:41,875 --> 00:05:46,208 which will one day sell nearly $8 billion a year. 127 00:05:46,208 --> 00:05:48,708 And it's the beginning of an iconic brand 128 00:05:48,708 --> 00:05:53,500 that will churn out 1.5 billion pieces every day, 129 00:05:54,542 --> 00:05:56,625 and become a staple of party gift bags 130 00:05:56,625 --> 00:05:59,000 and Halloween candy bowls. 131 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,125 But first, they'll have to get it out into the world. 132 00:06:03,125 --> 00:06:05,875 [intense music] 133 00:06:07,083 --> 00:06:08,333 - Try it for yourself. 134 00:06:09,583 --> 00:06:11,958 - [Erin] It's really weird to have to articulate 135 00:06:11,958 --> 00:06:13,792 how to blow a bubble. 136 00:06:15,083 --> 00:06:17,125 - Gently just blow air into it 137 00:06:17,125 --> 00:06:19,333 like you're blowing up a balloon. 138 00:06:19,333 --> 00:06:22,250 [intense music] 139 00:06:22,250 --> 00:06:23,875 - I feel like when you chew gum these days, 140 00:06:23,875 --> 00:06:25,375 it's just something that happens naturally. 141 00:06:25,375 --> 00:06:28,625 You just kind of do it, like we're used to it. 142 00:06:30,958 --> 00:06:34,042 - That's one small problem I gotta work out, 143 00:06:34,042 --> 00:06:35,083 it's a little sticky. 144 00:06:36,417 --> 00:06:38,958 A little bit of turpentine, it'll be fine. 145 00:06:38,958 --> 00:06:41,208 - [Adam] But the big fatal flaw is this, 146 00:06:41,208 --> 00:06:45,000 it basically adheres very strongly 147 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,208 to whatever it sticks on. 148 00:06:47,208 --> 00:06:52,083 So strongly in fact, it takes turpentine to remove it. 149 00:06:52,083 --> 00:06:54,875 - [Jason] Blibber-Blubber, yeah, it's chewy. 150 00:06:54,875 --> 00:06:56,458 You know you can blow little bubbles with it, 151 00:06:56,458 --> 00:06:58,792 but boy, do not mess with it, 152 00:06:58,792 --> 00:07:01,125 because it's gonna mess you up. 153 00:07:01,125 --> 00:07:03,125 [footsteps thudding] 154 00:07:03,125 --> 00:07:05,875 - [Narrator] Ignoring the concerns of his distributors, 155 00:07:05,875 --> 00:07:09,500 Fleer releases Blibber-Blubber in 1906. 156 00:07:10,375 --> 00:07:12,708 - [Erin] So Blibber-Blubber comes out 157 00:07:12,708 --> 00:07:16,042 and then almost immediately is pulled back. 158 00:07:16,042 --> 00:07:17,625 Orders are cut. 159 00:07:17,625 --> 00:07:19,667 Nobody's interested in this sticky stuff. 160 00:07:21,875 --> 00:07:23,792 - [Narrator] Over the next two decades, 161 00:07:23,792 --> 00:07:26,500 Fleer will give up on the idea of bubblegum, 162 00:07:26,500 --> 00:07:29,458 shelving Blibber-Blubber and even gum itself, 163 00:07:31,292 --> 00:07:34,042 focusing on candy. 164 00:07:34,042 --> 00:07:35,458 [intense music] 165 00:07:35,458 --> 00:07:40,500 And in 1921, Frank Fleer passes away. 166 00:07:41,375 --> 00:07:42,875 - [Adam] The man who created bubblegum 167 00:07:42,875 --> 00:07:47,083 never lived to see it become the phenomenon that it is now. 168 00:07:47,083 --> 00:07:49,250 And upon his passing, 169 00:07:49,250 --> 00:07:52,042 he bequeathed the company to his son-in-law, 170 00:07:52,042 --> 00:07:53,750 Gilbert Mustin in 1921. 171 00:07:54,458 --> 00:07:57,083 [intense music] 172 00:08:00,833 --> 00:08:03,500 - [Narrator] Five years after Fleer's death, 173 00:08:03,500 --> 00:08:06,083 business has slowed and Mustin 174 00:08:06,083 --> 00:08:08,667 is struggling to keep the company afloat. 175 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,167 Desperate for a hit, 176 00:08:12,667 --> 00:08:16,083 Mustin revisits an idea from the company's past. 177 00:08:17,542 --> 00:08:21,042 - [Erin] Even though Blibber-Blubber was a massive 178 00:08:21,042 --> 00:08:23,875 failure, it actually became part of the Fleer family lore, 179 00:08:23,875 --> 00:08:27,208 and they just couldn't let that idea die. 180 00:08:27,208 --> 00:08:31,792 They knew that the concept of bubblegum for kids had legs, 181 00:08:31,792 --> 00:08:34,125 they just had to figure out how to make it work. 182 00:08:36,208 --> 00:08:38,458 - [Justin] But try as he might, 183 00:08:38,458 --> 00:08:41,208 Mustin really can't crack the formula. 184 00:08:42,542 --> 00:08:43,792 - [Adam] Enter Walter Diemer. 185 00:08:43,792 --> 00:08:46,708 He's the young accountant at Fleer. 186 00:08:46,708 --> 00:08:49,792 - Sir, are you ready to look at the projections 187 00:08:49,792 --> 00:08:52,292 for next quarter? - Not today, Walter. 188 00:08:52,292 --> 00:08:55,833 - [Adam] Now he's privy to all of these attempts and 189 00:08:55,833 --> 00:08:58,042 experiments in trying to create bubblegum, 190 00:08:58,042 --> 00:09:01,458 because his office is essentially in the same room 191 00:09:01,458 --> 00:09:02,833 where the food lab is. 192 00:09:04,125 --> 00:09:05,750 - Still not having any luck. 193 00:09:05,750 --> 00:09:07,500 - This whole thing's a failure. 194 00:09:08,792 --> 00:09:11,875 Yeah. [paper crackling] 195 00:09:16,333 --> 00:09:17,833 - [Narrator] As the accountant, 196 00:09:17,833 --> 00:09:21,792 Diemer knows the financial struggles Fleer is facing. 197 00:09:21,792 --> 00:09:24,625 - [Jason] He's not a food scientist, he's not a chemist, 198 00:09:24,625 --> 00:09:26,708 but you know, he sees what Mustin is doing. 199 00:09:26,708 --> 00:09:30,000 He sees the experimenting, and he's intrigued, right. 200 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,667 [intense music] 201 00:09:42,375 --> 00:09:45,792 - [Narrator] After hours, Diemer experiments with solutions 202 00:09:45,792 --> 00:09:47,792 for a new bubblegum recipe. 203 00:09:49,417 --> 00:09:51,833 - [Adam] Even if he volunteered, no one would take him seriously 204 00:09:51,833 --> 00:09:53,875 because what could an accountant 205 00:09:53,875 --> 00:09:56,042 possibly know about bubblegum? 206 00:09:56,042 --> 00:09:57,708 But he knows there's something there 207 00:09:57,708 --> 00:10:00,292 and he believes he has what it takes to crack the code. 208 00:10:02,125 --> 00:10:04,875 - [Jason] Diemer, he's just a guy who's tinkering, right? 209 00:10:04,875 --> 00:10:07,042 There's ingredients, there's things around. 210 00:10:07,042 --> 00:10:09,708 And so, this is the effort of a hobbyist, right, 211 00:10:09,708 --> 00:10:11,667 a guy who is curious. 212 00:10:11,667 --> 00:10:12,833 [intense music] 213 00:10:12,833 --> 00:10:14,208 - [Narrator] He begins experimenting 214 00:10:14,208 --> 00:10:15,792 with a unique substance 215 00:10:15,792 --> 00:10:17,875 derived from the sap of a tree 216 00:10:17,875 --> 00:10:19,625 found in Southeast Asia. 217 00:10:20,542 --> 00:10:22,458 It isn't known for food, 218 00:10:22,458 --> 00:10:25,708 but for a type of rubber. 219 00:10:26,833 --> 00:10:28,917 - [Adam] He adds latex to the bubblegum base, 220 00:10:28,917 --> 00:10:32,208 and suddenly you have something stretchy, something pliable, 221 00:10:32,208 --> 00:10:35,292 and something that won't stick to you. 222 00:10:36,208 --> 00:10:38,125 - [Jason] So the accountant, right. 223 00:10:38,125 --> 00:10:40,042 It's so wild. 224 00:10:40,042 --> 00:10:42,000 He found the magic ingredient. 225 00:10:43,792 --> 00:10:45,917 - [Narrator] After weeks of experimentation, 226 00:10:47,333 --> 00:10:50,625 Diemer is ready to present his new recipe to Mustin. 227 00:10:52,750 --> 00:10:54,292 - Walter. - Sir. 228 00:10:55,292 --> 00:10:56,708 I have something to show you. 229 00:10:58,167 --> 00:11:00,333 I've been working on the bubblegum. 230 00:11:00,333 --> 00:11:02,542 [board banging] 231 00:11:02,542 --> 00:11:03,708 - You've been working on it? 232 00:11:03,708 --> 00:11:05,792 - Yes. And I think I've cracked it. 233 00:11:05,792 --> 00:11:08,667 [intense music] 234 00:11:11,583 --> 00:11:13,958 - [Jason] Mustin had to see the opportunity 235 00:11:13,958 --> 00:11:15,708 that was now in front of him, 236 00:11:15,708 --> 00:11:18,125 this thing he wasn't able to solve. 237 00:11:19,208 --> 00:11:21,375 He said, "Oh, now we're onto something. 238 00:11:21,375 --> 00:11:22,958 Now we can start cooking." 239 00:11:25,167 --> 00:11:28,042 [intense music] 240 00:11:28,042 --> 00:11:31,708 So Diemer and Mustin now have this prototype, 241 00:11:31,708 --> 00:11:34,167 you know, bubblegum, but it's still gray. 242 00:11:34,167 --> 00:11:36,083 It's like a lot of the chewing gums out there, 243 00:11:36,083 --> 00:11:37,708 and they wanna stand out, right. 244 00:11:37,708 --> 00:11:38,958 They wanna stand apart. 245 00:11:38,958 --> 00:11:40,417 - We need to have some colors. 246 00:11:42,375 --> 00:11:43,625 [banging] 247 00:11:43,625 --> 00:11:46,458 - [Beth] As humans, we eat with our eyes. 248 00:11:46,458 --> 00:11:48,625 When consumer products 249 00:11:48,625 --> 00:11:51,875 were typically given a color, 250 00:11:51,875 --> 00:11:56,250 it was a visual cue to let the consumer know 251 00:11:56,250 --> 00:11:59,042 what that product taste like, right. 252 00:11:59,042 --> 00:12:01,833 - [Narrator] So Mustin looks to see what color dyes 253 00:12:01,833 --> 00:12:03,125 they have in stock. 254 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:05,167 - All we have is pink. 255 00:12:07,458 --> 00:12:09,625 [intense music] 256 00:12:09,625 --> 00:12:11,083 Yes. 257 00:12:11,083 --> 00:12:14,708 - [Jason] So what's great about this sort of accidental 258 00:12:14,708 --> 00:12:16,833 color choice for bubblegum 259 00:12:16,833 --> 00:12:18,708 is that really in the confectionary space, 260 00:12:18,708 --> 00:12:22,375 there wasn't necessarily a flavor associated with pink. 261 00:12:22,375 --> 00:12:26,333 You know, there weren't ham lozenges out there, right? 262 00:12:26,333 --> 00:12:27,875 True to this day, 263 00:12:27,875 --> 00:12:29,542 if you think about bubblegum, you think about pink. 264 00:12:29,542 --> 00:12:31,250 But bubblegum wasn't pink 265 00:12:31,250 --> 00:12:32,917 because of some natural ingredient. 266 00:12:32,917 --> 00:12:34,958 It was just because that's the dye 267 00:12:34,958 --> 00:12:37,542 they had in the lab that day. 268 00:12:37,542 --> 00:12:40,083 - [Narrator] While they figured out the texture and color, 269 00:12:40,083 --> 00:12:42,083 there's still one major aspect 270 00:12:42,083 --> 00:12:44,750 they need to solve, flavor. 271 00:12:45,542 --> 00:12:46,958 -[Vallery] At this time, 272 00:12:46,958 --> 00:12:51,542 colors had very specific associations with flavor. 273 00:12:51,542 --> 00:12:53,667 So red was cherry, 274 00:12:53,667 --> 00:12:55,667 yellow was lemon, 275 00:12:55,667 --> 00:12:56,875 orange was orange, 276 00:12:56,875 --> 00:12:59,750 but pink didn't have any association. 277 00:12:59,750 --> 00:13:01,000 - [Narrator] To create one, 278 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,417 Mustin uses what they have on hand. 279 00:13:03,417 --> 00:13:04,875 - [Jeff] It's a concoction. 280 00:13:04,875 --> 00:13:07,417 You have pineapple, banana, cloves, 281 00:13:07,417 --> 00:13:11,125 cinnamon, wintergreen in some formulation 282 00:13:11,125 --> 00:13:14,375 that creates most of the bubblegum flavors that we know. 283 00:13:14,375 --> 00:13:16,125 - [Jason] It's really funny, when you think about it, 284 00:13:16,125 --> 00:13:18,833 nature decided what purple tastes like, right. 285 00:13:18,833 --> 00:13:20,208 It's grape. 286 00:13:20,208 --> 00:13:21,708 Nature decided what orange tastes like, 287 00:13:21,708 --> 00:13:23,167 tastes like oranges. 288 00:13:23,167 --> 00:13:25,750 Nature did not decide what pink flavor is, right. 289 00:13:25,750 --> 00:13:27,583 It was these guys at Fleer, 290 00:13:28,708 --> 00:13:30,333 and that's bubblegum, baby. 291 00:13:31,208 --> 00:13:34,333 - [Narrator] In 1928, Fleer once again prepares 292 00:13:34,333 --> 00:13:37,500 to introduce the world to bubblegum. 293 00:13:37,500 --> 00:13:39,875 [intense music] 294 00:13:39,875 --> 00:13:41,167 - [Adam] Because the bubbles it blows 295 00:13:41,167 --> 00:13:43,875 are twice the size of Blibber-Blubber, 296 00:13:43,875 --> 00:13:47,208 they name this bubblegum Dubble Bubble. 297 00:13:48,042 --> 00:13:49,458 - [Narrator] With Dubble Bubble, 298 00:13:49,458 --> 00:13:52,458 Fleer gives America their first taste of bubblegum 299 00:13:52,458 --> 00:13:54,167 as we know it, 300 00:13:54,167 --> 00:13:56,083 but they won't be alone for long. 301 00:13:57,375 --> 00:13:59,583 A whole new wealth of rivals will soon look 302 00:13:59,583 --> 00:14:03,667 to put their own unique spins on chew creation. 303 00:14:03,667 --> 00:14:04,583 [intense music] 304 00:14:11,833 --> 00:14:14,208 - [Narrator] In December of 1928, Dubble Bubble hits the 305 00:14:14,208 --> 00:14:17,042 shelves of local Philadelphia candy stores. 306 00:14:17,042 --> 00:14:19,208 Priced at just once sent a piece, 307 00:14:19,208 --> 00:14:22,792 and packaged unlike any other chewing gum. 308 00:14:22,792 --> 00:14:25,708 - Wrigley's Gum comes in sticks. 309 00:14:25,708 --> 00:14:28,000 So it's very flat. 310 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,417 It's marketed to adults. 311 00:14:30,417 --> 00:14:33,542 Dubble Bubble is totally different 312 00:14:33,542 --> 00:14:35,417 than regular chewing gum 313 00:14:35,417 --> 00:14:40,500 in size, shape, texture, and color. 314 00:14:41,375 --> 00:14:44,208 - [Jason] So the shape of Dubble Bubble 315 00:14:44,208 --> 00:14:46,542 are these little cylindrical little chunks, 316 00:14:46,542 --> 00:14:47,792 and the reason why they do that 317 00:14:47,792 --> 00:14:49,542 is they've got a taffy machine 318 00:14:49,542 --> 00:14:51,500 and that's where they feed the gum base through, 319 00:14:51,500 --> 00:14:54,500 and then they're able to chop it off in bite-size sections. 320 00:14:56,083 --> 00:14:57,958 - It's a large chew, it's a big chunk of gum. 321 00:14:57,958 --> 00:15:00,542 It's twist wrapped in a wrapper. 322 00:15:00,542 --> 00:15:03,875 - [Jason] All hard candies were twist wrapped at the time. 323 00:15:03,875 --> 00:15:04,958 They're really saying, you know what? 324 00:15:04,958 --> 00:15:06,708 This gum is for fun. 325 00:15:06,708 --> 00:15:08,042 This gum is for kids. 326 00:15:09,542 --> 00:15:12,042 - [Narrator] While most chewing gum comes in packs, 327 00:15:12,042 --> 00:15:14,917 Dubble Bubble hits stores like penny candy, 328 00:15:14,917 --> 00:15:17,333 sold one piece at a time. 329 00:15:17,333 --> 00:15:18,417 [intense music] 330 00:15:18,583 --> 00:15:20,125 - [Adam] When they are unleashed upon the market, 331 00:15:20,125 --> 00:15:21,833 they are a massive hit. 332 00:15:21,833 --> 00:15:23,208 Kids love it. 333 00:15:23,208 --> 00:15:25,875 And of course, they love the bubbles they get 334 00:15:25,875 --> 00:15:27,417 with Dubble Bubble. 335 00:15:27,417 --> 00:15:29,667 - [Narrator] Word of mouth spreads fast, 336 00:15:29,667 --> 00:15:33,542 and within months, Dubble Bubble moves beyond Philadelphia 337 00:15:33,542 --> 00:15:35,375 to become a national hit. 338 00:15:35,375 --> 00:15:36,708 - [Jason] In their first year alone, 339 00:15:36,708 --> 00:15:38,833 I think their sales are 1.5 million. 340 00:15:38,833 --> 00:15:41,292 It's like 28 million in today's numbers. 341 00:15:41,292 --> 00:15:43,625 Dubble Bubble is so successful for Fleer, 342 00:15:43,625 --> 00:15:46,333 they actually discontinue their other product line. 343 00:15:47,208 --> 00:15:48,708 - [Narrator] Fleer's breakthrough sparks 344 00:15:48,708 --> 00:15:50,583 a wave of imitators 345 00:15:50,583 --> 00:15:54,625 transforming bubblegum into a burgeoning industry. 346 00:15:54,625 --> 00:15:56,208 But their greatest competition 347 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,500 is yet to be born. 348 00:15:59,500 --> 00:16:02,042 [intense music] 349 00:16:02,042 --> 00:16:04,708 It's 1938 in Brooklyn, New York, 350 00:16:05,792 --> 00:16:07,625 and brothers Joe and Phil Shorin 351 00:16:07,625 --> 00:16:10,708 have recently inherited their father's tobacco business. 352 00:16:12,042 --> 00:16:14,125 - [Justin] So the American Leaf Tobacco Company, 353 00:16:14,125 --> 00:16:17,208 it's founded by Morris Shorin in 1890, 354 00:16:17,208 --> 00:16:19,708 and their business is to import tobacco 355 00:16:19,708 --> 00:16:21,458 into the United States. 356 00:16:21,458 --> 00:16:24,375 - [Jeff] The business begins failing Morris Shorin and his 357 00:16:24,375 --> 00:16:28,000 sons seek other opportunities in the business world. 358 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,667 They reach out to a market research company 359 00:16:30,667 --> 00:16:32,750 and just ask them what business 360 00:16:32,750 --> 00:16:35,208 would they be able to put their talents towards. 361 00:16:35,208 --> 00:16:37,750 The market company suggest chewing gum. 362 00:16:37,750 --> 00:16:39,083 They like this idea. 363 00:16:39,083 --> 00:16:40,125 Chewing gum, okay. 364 00:16:40,125 --> 00:16:41,708 And so they give it a shot. 365 00:16:41,708 --> 00:16:44,333 - [Jason] And they realize the American Leaf Tobacco Company 366 00:16:44,333 --> 00:16:46,542 name is really not indicative 367 00:16:46,542 --> 00:16:49,375 of what they're in the business of anymore. 368 00:16:49,375 --> 00:16:51,125 - What's wrong with Shorin Brothers, 369 00:16:51,125 --> 00:16:52,792 or just Shorin's? 370 00:16:52,792 --> 00:16:54,458 Wrigley's made it work. 371 00:16:54,458 --> 00:16:56,250 - Wrigley's is decades ahead of us. 372 00:16:56,250 --> 00:16:58,542 We need something that screams top of the line 373 00:16:58,542 --> 00:17:00,042 right out of the gate. 374 00:17:00,042 --> 00:17:03,542 [intense music] 375 00:17:03,542 --> 00:17:05,375 - Why not just say that? 376 00:17:05,375 --> 00:17:06,750 - Say what? 377 00:17:06,750 --> 00:17:07,667 - Top of the line. 378 00:17:09,833 --> 00:17:11,292 - It's a little old fashioned. 379 00:17:13,958 --> 00:17:18,292 What about just Topps? 380 00:17:23,417 --> 00:17:24,292 - Topps. 381 00:17:25,125 --> 00:17:26,875 [intense music] 382 00:17:26,875 --> 00:17:28,417 - [Narrator] Topps will one day 383 00:17:28,417 --> 00:17:31,542 be the biggest name in baseball cards, 384 00:17:31,542 --> 00:17:35,083 raking in over $500 million annually, 385 00:17:35,083 --> 00:17:37,542 sold in over 100 countries 386 00:17:37,542 --> 00:17:41,792 with an astonishing 70% share of the market. 387 00:17:41,792 --> 00:17:43,625 But before they get there, 388 00:17:43,625 --> 00:17:47,042 they'll put an indelible stamp on bubblegum, 389 00:17:47,042 --> 00:17:52,083 to the tune of a $700 million iconic brand. 390 00:17:53,542 --> 00:17:58,083 But in 1941, the US is drawn into a world war. 391 00:17:59,125 --> 00:18:02,458 Rationing hits and sugar disappears, 392 00:18:02,458 --> 00:18:05,083 crippling the gum industry. 393 00:18:05,083 --> 00:18:06,250 - [Jason] So what happened was now 394 00:18:06,250 --> 00:18:09,625 bubblegum production was severely limited. 395 00:18:11,208 --> 00:18:13,125 - [Adam] There was profound scarcity 396 00:18:13,125 --> 00:18:15,917 and it created a proverbial pink market 397 00:18:15,917 --> 00:18:17,125 where people were willing 398 00:18:17,125 --> 00:18:20,083 to pay exorbitant amounts of money 399 00:18:20,083 --> 00:18:22,375 just for pieces of bubblegum. 400 00:18:22,375 --> 00:18:24,375 - [Jeff] Pieces that are selling for one penny 401 00:18:24,375 --> 00:18:27,125 are now fetching upwards of a dollar a piece. 402 00:18:27,125 --> 00:18:28,750 A dollar was a lot of money in 1945. 403 00:18:32,167 --> 00:18:34,792 [intense music] 404 00:18:37,375 --> 00:18:39,667 [package thudding] 405 00:18:39,667 --> 00:18:43,708 - I just spent five bucks on six pieces of gum. 406 00:18:43,708 --> 00:18:44,750 - Was it made of gold? 407 00:18:47,708 --> 00:18:48,500 - It's pink gold. 408 00:18:50,708 --> 00:18:53,792 I'm telling you, this is what we gotta be selling. 409 00:18:55,333 --> 00:18:56,875 - We're already selling gum and we're barely turning profit. 410 00:18:56,875 --> 00:18:59,417 - We sell chewing gum, chewing gum is boring, Phil. 411 00:19:00,167 --> 00:19:01,417 We need to sell this. 412 00:19:03,250 --> 00:19:05,083 - [Jason] Bubblegum was this emerging market, 413 00:19:05,083 --> 00:19:06,792 a lot of excitement around it, 414 00:19:06,792 --> 00:19:10,042 and really the only big brand in it was Dubble Bubble. 415 00:19:10,042 --> 00:19:11,333 So they said, you know what? 416 00:19:11,333 --> 00:19:13,875 That's a territory we can probably compete in 417 00:19:13,875 --> 00:19:14,792 and maybe even grow in. 418 00:19:15,958 --> 00:19:17,250 [intense music] 419 00:19:17,250 --> 00:19:19,083 - [Narrator] There's only one problem. 420 00:19:19,083 --> 00:19:21,458 The two former tobacco company men 421 00:19:21,458 --> 00:19:23,250 don't know the first thing 422 00:19:23,250 --> 00:19:25,958 about marketing to kids. 423 00:19:25,958 --> 00:19:28,083 [intense music] 424 00:19:28,083 --> 00:19:31,792 - So what does this stuff tell us kids love? 425 00:19:33,333 --> 00:19:36,167 [intense music] 426 00:19:42,333 --> 00:19:45,375 - [Narrator] It's 1945 and the Shorin brothers 427 00:19:45,375 --> 00:19:48,292 have decided to pivot their chewing gum business 428 00:19:48,292 --> 00:19:49,708 into bubblegum. 429 00:19:49,708 --> 00:19:54,583 - So, what does this stuff tell us kids love? 430 00:19:54,583 --> 00:19:57,042 - [Jason] They're looking around at these other categories 431 00:19:57,042 --> 00:19:58,250 the kids are obsessed with. 432 00:19:58,250 --> 00:20:01,167 You know, it's toys, it's slinkies, you know, 433 00:20:01,167 --> 00:20:04,750 it's wartime play, dressing up as soldiers. 434 00:20:04,750 --> 00:20:06,208 Secret decoder rings. 435 00:20:06,208 --> 00:20:07,750 They're into comic books. 436 00:20:09,875 --> 00:20:11,583 - America. - Exactly. 437 00:20:12,500 --> 00:20:13,750 - [Adam] It's after World War II, 438 00:20:13,750 --> 00:20:16,042 patriotism is at an all time high. 439 00:20:16,042 --> 00:20:17,417 They know for the brand identity, 440 00:20:17,417 --> 00:20:19,375 we're gonna go red, white and blue 441 00:20:19,375 --> 00:20:21,875 - Toy soldiers were very popular around this time, 442 00:20:21,875 --> 00:20:24,000 and they'd be shown holding what was always the newest, 443 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,000 biggest, most powerful weapon. 444 00:20:27,333 --> 00:20:31,208 - War heroes with big, powerful weapons. 445 00:20:34,875 --> 00:20:37,708 - [Don] In World War II, that was the Bazooka. 446 00:20:41,042 --> 00:20:41,917 - Bazooka. 447 00:20:43,292 --> 00:20:44,875 [intense music] 448 00:20:44,875 --> 00:20:47,458 - [Narrator] In 1947, the Shorin brothers 449 00:20:47,458 --> 00:20:50,542 released their first bubblegum, Bazooka, 450 00:20:50,542 --> 00:20:53,875 pouring every last cent into its launch. 451 00:20:53,875 --> 00:20:56,583 - [Jason] When it first came out, it came in a long tube. 452 00:20:56,583 --> 00:20:57,958 It sort of indicated sections 453 00:20:57,958 --> 00:21:00,583 so you could break off sections of it and chew 454 00:21:00,583 --> 00:21:02,042 what was probably about the size 455 00:21:02,042 --> 00:21:03,458 of a piece of Dubble Bubble. 456 00:21:04,542 --> 00:21:06,750 - [Narrator] Topps only make a slight adjustment 457 00:21:06,750 --> 00:21:09,208 to the Dubble Bubble flavor profile, 458 00:21:09,208 --> 00:21:11,917 using less wintergreen in their formula. 459 00:21:11,917 --> 00:21:13,875 - [Jason] The flavor of Bazooka is unique. 460 00:21:13,875 --> 00:21:16,625 It's got its own notes, it's very distinctive. 461 00:21:16,625 --> 00:21:19,333 - [Adam] And there was something very unique 462 00:21:19,333 --> 00:21:22,000 inside the of a piece of Bazooka. 463 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,542 You've got your own comic book. 464 00:21:24,708 --> 00:21:26,667 You've got a comic book inside the gum. 465 00:21:27,875 --> 00:21:29,708 - [Narrator] Within just a few months, 466 00:21:29,708 --> 00:21:32,792 Bazooka expands their distribution nationally, 467 00:21:32,792 --> 00:21:37,125 only to find that initial sales are underwhelming. 468 00:21:37,125 --> 00:21:40,375 - [Jason] Maybe it was price, maybe it was size. 469 00:21:40,375 --> 00:21:42,042 But their first couple years were tough. 470 00:21:42,042 --> 00:21:45,458 They were not very successful with Bazooka out of the gate. 471 00:21:45,458 --> 00:21:47,792 - [Narrator] In an attempt to bolster sales, 472 00:21:47,792 --> 00:21:50,917 Bazooka takes a page from Dubble Bubble's book 473 00:21:50,917 --> 00:21:55,167 and introduces 1 cent, individually wrapped pieces. 474 00:21:55,167 --> 00:21:59,083 Additionally, they turn to a longstanding sales technique 475 00:21:59,083 --> 00:22:00,542 in the gum industry, 476 00:22:00,542 --> 00:22:03,917 started by Wrigley in the 1890s. 477 00:22:03,917 --> 00:22:07,958 - [Susan] Wrigley, he started by offering premiums. 478 00:22:07,958 --> 00:22:10,583 So in the early days of pedaling his gum, 479 00:22:10,583 --> 00:22:12,708 he would do things like offer, 480 00:22:12,708 --> 00:22:14,542 say something like an umbrella. 481 00:22:14,542 --> 00:22:16,375 I mean more expensive than the gum, 482 00:22:16,375 --> 00:22:17,875 just to get 'em to try the gum. 483 00:22:17,875 --> 00:22:20,375 - [Narrator] In an effort to build customer loyalty, 484 00:22:20,375 --> 00:22:22,500 the Shorin's come up with an incentive 485 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:26,417 that they can add directly to the gum package itself. 486 00:22:26,417 --> 00:22:28,167 - So with the original Bazooka, 487 00:22:28,167 --> 00:22:31,417 you got this beautiful wrapper, you got a full color comic. 488 00:22:31,417 --> 00:22:33,542 You also got a premium wrap inside 489 00:22:33,542 --> 00:22:35,208 that would advertise various prizes 490 00:22:35,208 --> 00:22:36,958 that kids could send wrappers away for. 491 00:22:36,958 --> 00:22:39,167 And these were actually quality prizes. 492 00:22:39,167 --> 00:22:41,375 You could get a bike, 493 00:22:41,375 --> 00:22:44,042 you could get a sled, you could get roller skates. 494 00:22:44,042 --> 00:22:47,375 So the prizes were of value and they were quality. 495 00:22:47,375 --> 00:22:50,167 [intense music] 496 00:22:50,167 --> 00:22:51,250 - I can't believe it. 497 00:22:51,250 --> 00:22:52,458 Another catcher's mit. 498 00:22:53,625 --> 00:22:55,625 That's the third one today. 499 00:22:55,625 --> 00:22:58,458 You know each of those is 1700 comics. 500 00:22:58,458 --> 00:22:59,625 - Kids love baseball. 501 00:23:01,167 --> 00:23:02,625 [intense music] 502 00:23:02,625 --> 00:23:04,208 - [Narrator] The strong response to their collectibles 503 00:23:04,208 --> 00:23:07,375 gets the brothers thinking about other incentives 504 00:23:07,375 --> 00:23:09,042 to keep kids coming back. 505 00:23:09,042 --> 00:23:11,917 - [Jason] The initial idea was how do we sell more gum? 506 00:23:11,917 --> 00:23:15,375 How do we get kids to be returning customers, right. 507 00:23:15,375 --> 00:23:16,875 How to make these things in a way 508 00:23:16,875 --> 00:23:19,042 that people would want to collect, right. 509 00:23:21,375 --> 00:23:22,750 - Baseball cards. 510 00:23:24,875 --> 00:23:27,958 - [Narrator] Topps isn't the first to include trading cards 511 00:23:27,958 --> 00:23:29,250 with their products. 512 00:23:29,250 --> 00:23:31,875 The practice started in the 1800s 513 00:23:31,875 --> 00:23:34,417 with a business the Shorin's knew well, 514 00:23:34,417 --> 00:23:36,375 the tobacco industry. 515 00:23:36,375 --> 00:23:39,000 - [Jason] Trading cards go back to a cigarette entrepreneur 516 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,208 who started slipping cardboard inserts 517 00:23:41,208 --> 00:23:43,667 into his cigarette packs just to make them firmer, 518 00:23:43,667 --> 00:23:45,208 and then eventually started putting 519 00:23:45,208 --> 00:23:46,917 different images and things. 520 00:23:46,917 --> 00:23:48,792 - The trading cards you used to be able to find 521 00:23:48,792 --> 00:23:52,708 in cigarette packs were really beautiful works of art. 522 00:23:52,708 --> 00:23:54,750 They would feature athletes, great leaders, 523 00:23:54,750 --> 00:23:57,708 plants, animals, medicines. 524 00:23:57,708 --> 00:24:01,708 - [Narrator] In 1951, Topps enters the baseball card market 525 00:24:01,708 --> 00:24:04,750 producing their first set, The Redbacks, 526 00:24:04,750 --> 00:24:07,458 a modest 52 card collection. 527 00:24:09,167 --> 00:24:11,792 - [Jason] When Topps got ahold of this idea, 528 00:24:11,792 --> 00:24:15,208 they really fully modified and fully modernized 529 00:24:15,208 --> 00:24:16,708 the idea of trading cards. 530 00:24:16,708 --> 00:24:18,875 When they came out with their first baseball card set, 531 00:24:18,875 --> 00:24:20,958 they standardized the sizes, 532 00:24:20,958 --> 00:24:23,917 they went out and got exclusives with baseball players. 533 00:24:23,917 --> 00:24:26,375 They put a lot of effort into the art. 534 00:24:26,375 --> 00:24:27,375 - [Jeff] This is the blueprint 535 00:24:27,375 --> 00:24:29,708 for all future card manufacturers. 536 00:24:29,708 --> 00:24:31,958 You need good stats, you need bubblegum, 537 00:24:33,167 --> 00:24:36,750 and you need high quality color photography. 538 00:24:38,208 --> 00:24:40,292 - [Narrator] By adding single baseball cards 539 00:24:40,292 --> 00:24:44,042 to their gum packages, kids would keep coming back, 540 00:24:44,042 --> 00:24:45,958 striving for a full set. 541 00:24:45,958 --> 00:24:47,750 - [Jason] And so they had kids buying baseball cards 542 00:24:47,750 --> 00:24:49,625 and trading all year round. 543 00:24:49,625 --> 00:24:51,167 And then not only that, 544 00:24:51,167 --> 00:24:53,208 when you got all the players and you got the complete set, 545 00:24:53,208 --> 00:24:54,667 it's like you were happy, 546 00:24:54,667 --> 00:24:56,583 you suddenly have all the players, all the teams. 547 00:24:56,583 --> 00:24:58,958 And it's like, wait a second, it's a new year. 548 00:24:58,958 --> 00:25:02,125 Guess what? We got a brand new set for you. 549 00:25:02,125 --> 00:25:04,000 It was ingenious. 550 00:25:04,958 --> 00:25:06,333 [intense music] 551 00:25:06,333 --> 00:25:09,292 - [Kevin] Baseball cards started as just some giveaway 552 00:25:09,292 --> 00:25:10,750 to put into gum. 553 00:25:10,750 --> 00:25:13,625 Later on that relationship switched, 554 00:25:13,625 --> 00:25:16,458 and gum became something they just put into 555 00:25:16,458 --> 00:25:18,375 a pack of trading cards. 556 00:25:18,375 --> 00:25:21,375 And then later on they got rid of the gum altogether, man, 557 00:25:21,375 --> 00:25:22,917 and it was just about the cards. 558 00:25:24,875 --> 00:25:27,833 - [Narrator] Even as the baseball card industry explodes, 559 00:25:27,833 --> 00:25:30,792 Bazooka bubblegum still lags behind Dubble Bubble. 560 00:25:30,792 --> 00:25:34,708 And Fleer now begins selling baseball cards as well. 561 00:25:34,708 --> 00:25:37,333 - [Jeff] Baseball cards were continuously outpacing 562 00:25:37,333 --> 00:25:39,375 previous sales each year, 563 00:25:39,375 --> 00:25:40,458 but they were always experimenting, 564 00:25:40,458 --> 00:25:42,833 Topps was always trying new products. 565 00:25:42,833 --> 00:25:45,708 - [Narrator] So Topps decide to try another marketing tactic 566 00:25:45,708 --> 00:25:47,542 to put their gum on top. 567 00:25:51,208 --> 00:25:54,125 - So we got the new sketches for the mascot. 568 00:25:54,125 --> 00:25:56,750 - [Jason] So they hire a guy, Wesley Morris, this cartoonist, 569 00:25:56,750 --> 00:26:00,917 they recruit him in to help them reformulate their comics. 570 00:26:03,042 --> 00:26:04,958 - [Narrator] Though comics aren't new for them, 571 00:26:04,958 --> 00:26:07,958 Joe Shorin hopes a new brand mascot 572 00:26:07,958 --> 00:26:10,000 will grab kids' attention. 573 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,333 - [Jason] You can give kids a good character to latch onto, 574 00:26:12,333 --> 00:26:15,917 a good mascot, ah, it's everything, 575 00:26:15,917 --> 00:26:19,792 because mascot marketing becomes big in the fifties, right. 576 00:26:19,792 --> 00:26:22,542 Mascot Marketing really starts to drive 577 00:26:22,542 --> 00:26:24,542 these categories of kid products. 578 00:26:24,542 --> 00:26:27,625 - [Narrator] But the mascot the artist creates for Bazooka 579 00:26:27,625 --> 00:26:30,750 has a unique unexplained feature. 580 00:26:30,750 --> 00:26:32,583 - What's with the eye patch? 581 00:26:33,375 --> 00:26:35,208 Did the kid lose an eye? 582 00:26:36,750 --> 00:26:38,208 - [Adam] A kid with an eye patch? 583 00:26:38,208 --> 00:26:41,708 Why on earth would you make a kid with an eye patch? 584 00:26:49,458 --> 00:26:52,708 - [Adam] Why on earth would you make a kid with an eye patch? 585 00:26:52,708 --> 00:26:54,375 - We did say to make him memorable. 586 00:26:56,875 --> 00:26:59,875 - [Adam] Well, because of a popular shirt ad at the time 587 00:26:59,875 --> 00:27:02,500 that featured a model with an eye patch, 588 00:27:02,500 --> 00:27:04,250 the man with the Hathaway shirt. 589 00:27:05,875 --> 00:27:08,708 - [Jeff] It took Hathaway from a relatively small company 590 00:27:08,708 --> 00:27:11,625 into the stratosphere after those ads debuted, 591 00:27:11,625 --> 00:27:14,292 and Topps appropriate this idea. 592 00:27:16,125 --> 00:27:16,875 - It's funny. 593 00:27:17,708 --> 00:27:18,875 I like it. 594 00:27:18,875 --> 00:27:21,625 What's his name? - Bazooka Joe. 595 00:27:23,417 --> 00:27:26,750 - [Jason] Bazooka Joe is a kid that gets into trouble. 596 00:27:26,750 --> 00:27:29,500 I mean, he has very short little adventures, 597 00:27:29,500 --> 00:27:33,167 and Bazooka Joe becomes the sort of magical part 598 00:27:33,167 --> 00:27:34,708 of the Bazooka alchemy 599 00:27:34,708 --> 00:27:37,042 that really makes Bazooka soar as a brand. 600 00:27:38,292 --> 00:27:40,042 - [Narrator] With the introduction of Bazooka Joe, 601 00:27:40,042 --> 00:27:43,667 sales soar, surpassing Dubble Bubbles, 602 00:27:43,667 --> 00:27:45,750 and making them number one. 603 00:27:45,750 --> 00:27:47,875 - [Adam] For kids in the fifties, 604 00:27:47,875 --> 00:27:51,500 Bazooka was the ultimate value added proposition. 605 00:27:51,500 --> 00:27:54,083 You got a piece of gum that you can blow bubbles with. 606 00:27:54,083 --> 00:27:54,958 Awesome. 607 00:27:54,958 --> 00:27:57,167 You could save up rappers 608 00:27:57,167 --> 00:27:59,583 and redeem them for cool things. 609 00:27:59,583 --> 00:28:00,875 Awesome. 610 00:28:00,875 --> 00:28:02,875 You got a free comic strip with it, 611 00:28:02,875 --> 00:28:05,417 starring a kid, double awesome. 612 00:28:06,542 --> 00:28:08,208 - [Narrator] By the late 1950s, 613 00:28:08,208 --> 00:28:10,875 kids purchased nearly half a billion pieces 614 00:28:10,875 --> 00:28:13,875 of Bazooka bubblegum each year. 615 00:28:13,875 --> 00:28:16,875 - [Kevin] Bazooka bubblegum was sold 616 00:28:16,875 --> 00:28:19,833 as freedom and independence and rebellion. 617 00:28:19,833 --> 00:28:21,958 When it had previously just been like, 618 00:28:21,958 --> 00:28:24,458 you wanna stick a gum, want some beamins. 619 00:28:24,458 --> 00:28:25,750 You know something your old man 620 00:28:25,750 --> 00:28:27,500 or your grandfather had in his pocket then. 621 00:28:27,500 --> 00:28:29,958 Suddenly gum was marketed to us 622 00:28:29,958 --> 00:28:32,167 and it became the currency of childhood. 623 00:28:32,167 --> 00:28:33,875 - [Narrator] Bazooka holds its lead 624 00:28:33,875 --> 00:28:36,417 as number one throughout the next decade, 625 00:28:36,417 --> 00:28:40,125 with Fleer's Dubble Bubble holding steady as number two. 626 00:28:42,125 --> 00:28:44,583 [intense music] 627 00:28:44,583 --> 00:28:45,958 But in the early seventies, 628 00:28:45,958 --> 00:28:48,375 a new gap in the market emerges, 629 00:28:48,375 --> 00:28:51,917 and an unlikely player will try to fill it. 630 00:28:51,917 --> 00:28:55,250 - [Adam] America had long been in love with the Life Saver. 631 00:28:55,250 --> 00:28:57,167 It was originally marketed in 1912 632 00:28:57,167 --> 00:28:59,875 as a summer heat resistant candy. 633 00:28:59,875 --> 00:29:02,125 It ultimately had gotten so popular, 634 00:29:02,125 --> 00:29:05,000 it was a billion roll a year business. 635 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,125 - [Jason] Life Savers sends their researchers 636 00:29:07,125 --> 00:29:10,042 into candy stores across America to interview kids, 637 00:29:10,042 --> 00:29:12,292 and find out what they liked and what they wanted. 638 00:29:12,292 --> 00:29:13,917 - [Narrator] Life Savers want to get into 639 00:29:13,917 --> 00:29:15,500 the bubblegum game 640 00:29:15,500 --> 00:29:18,792 and they call on their target audience for inspiration. 641 00:29:18,792 --> 00:29:21,833 - So first impressions, what do you think? 642 00:29:22,875 --> 00:29:25,125 - [Jason] Life Savers, in their research, 643 00:29:25,125 --> 00:29:26,958 they went straight to the customers and said, 644 00:29:26,958 --> 00:29:30,292 okay, what do you like about bubblegum and what's missing? 645 00:29:31,750 --> 00:29:33,625 - It hurts my jaw to chew. 646 00:29:33,625 --> 00:29:35,958 - [Brooke] Your jaw would get sore from trying to break them 647 00:29:35,958 --> 00:29:37,208 down, and everyone's wondering, 648 00:29:37,208 --> 00:29:39,417 why can't you just make a softer bubblegum? 649 00:29:41,250 --> 00:29:44,208 - [Jason] So Life Savers has their market research 650 00:29:44,208 --> 00:29:47,500 and they gave these food scientists an assignment. 651 00:29:47,500 --> 00:29:49,208 Come up with a bubblegum 652 00:29:49,208 --> 00:29:52,333 that isn't hard when you first chew it, right, 653 00:29:52,333 --> 00:29:53,708 that's gonna be soft. 654 00:29:53,708 --> 00:29:55,708 That has a lot of intense flavor 655 00:29:55,708 --> 00:29:57,792 and that can blow really big bubbles. 656 00:29:59,125 --> 00:30:00,458 - [Narrator] Unlike the early days 657 00:30:00,458 --> 00:30:02,375 of Bazooka and Dubble Bubble, 658 00:30:02,375 --> 00:30:05,375 Life Savers is an established corporation 659 00:30:05,375 --> 00:30:08,875 with all the resources to create what they're after. 660 00:30:08,875 --> 00:30:11,000 - [Jason] So they have now an assignment. 661 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,042 And you know the thing about Life Savers at the time, 662 00:30:13,042 --> 00:30:17,542 they had a really good set of confectionary scientists. 663 00:30:17,542 --> 00:30:20,708 And they came up with a product which would change 664 00:30:20,708 --> 00:30:24,083 the entire bubblegum landscape. 665 00:30:25,125 --> 00:30:26,708 - [Narrator] In 1974, 666 00:30:26,708 --> 00:30:30,333 Life Savers launches the first soft chunk bubblegum, 667 00:30:31,333 --> 00:30:32,167 Bubble Yum. 668 00:30:33,792 --> 00:30:37,042 - [Jason] It was a huge squareish chunk of gum, 669 00:30:37,042 --> 00:30:39,625 and you unwrapped it, and you popped it in your mouth, 670 00:30:39,625 --> 00:30:42,000 and it was immediately chewable. 671 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,917 - [Narrator] The flavor, often called soft and juicy, 672 00:30:44,917 --> 00:30:47,000 is original bubblegum flavor, 673 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,083 and it comes in a pack of five 674 00:30:49,083 --> 00:30:52,500 with a suggested retail price of 15 cents. 675 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:54,917 - [Vallery] They've pulled out all the stops with the 676 00:30:54,917 --> 00:30:56,750 packaging, with the marketing. 677 00:30:56,750 --> 00:30:59,125 They even have a slogan, 678 00:30:59,125 --> 00:31:03,083 "The number yum taste in bubblegum." 679 00:31:03,083 --> 00:31:05,542 - [Jason] You knew as soon as you saw those colors, 680 00:31:05,542 --> 00:31:07,125 as soon as you saw those logos, 681 00:31:07,125 --> 00:31:08,833 as soon as you saw those ads, 682 00:31:08,833 --> 00:31:12,000 you just knew, ah, this bubblegum is just fun. 683 00:31:13,208 --> 00:31:14,875 - [Narrator] Within a year of launching, 684 00:31:14,875 --> 00:31:17,500 Bubble Yum surpasses Dubble Bubble, Bazooka, 685 00:31:17,500 --> 00:31:20,375 and even Life Savers own candy rolls, 686 00:31:20,375 --> 00:31:23,625 becoming America's most popular bubblegum. 687 00:31:23,625 --> 00:31:26,458 - [Jason] The sales in the bubblegum category skyrocketed. 688 00:31:26,458 --> 00:31:29,042 So suddenly people were buying more bubblegum 689 00:31:29,042 --> 00:31:31,208 than they ever had before, 690 00:31:31,208 --> 00:31:33,208 and that was all thanks to Bubble Yum. 691 00:31:34,542 --> 00:31:38,208 - [Narrator] By 1977, bubblegum makes up one third 692 00:31:38,208 --> 00:31:41,917 of all gum sales in the United States. 693 00:31:41,917 --> 00:31:44,792 And Bubble Yum commands 27% 694 00:31:44,792 --> 00:31:48,625 of the nearly quarter billion dollar bubblegum market. 695 00:31:49,792 --> 00:31:52,417 Competitors soon take notice. 696 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,333 - [Adam] So three years after Bubble Yum 697 00:31:56,333 --> 00:31:59,542 triumphantly enters the bubblegum scene, 698 00:31:59,542 --> 00:32:03,708 Warner Lambert, makers of Dentyne and Trident, 699 00:32:03,708 --> 00:32:07,583 and Chiclets decides they want to throw their hat 700 00:32:07,583 --> 00:32:09,292 into the bubblegum ring, 701 00:32:09,292 --> 00:32:13,542 and they create another iconic bubblegum brand, 702 00:32:13,542 --> 00:32:14,458 Bubblicious. 703 00:32:16,333 --> 00:32:18,875 - [Jason] Bubblicious tried to differentiate itself 704 00:32:18,875 --> 00:32:21,125 by coming up with more creative flavors. 705 00:32:21,125 --> 00:32:22,917 They were the first soft chunk bubble gum 706 00:32:22,917 --> 00:32:24,500 to have a banana flavor. 707 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:27,458 Later on, they would come up with chocolate mint flavor. 708 00:32:27,458 --> 00:32:30,667 They came up, I think the first Cherry Cola flavor. 709 00:32:30,667 --> 00:32:35,375 - [Adam] So finally the biggest name in chewing gum 710 00:32:35,375 --> 00:32:40,417 decides they are going to join the bubble gum wars. 711 00:32:41,708 --> 00:32:44,250 Enter Wrigley with all of their gum making expertise 712 00:32:44,250 --> 00:32:46,750 and all of their marketing dollars, 713 00:32:46,750 --> 00:32:49,208 and they create the triumvirate, 714 00:32:49,208 --> 00:32:52,833 the final brand in the great bubblegum brands 715 00:32:52,833 --> 00:32:54,292 of my personal youth. 716 00:32:54,292 --> 00:32:56,875 - There's a brand new bubblegum in town, 717 00:32:56,875 --> 00:32:58,417 name Hubba Bubba. 718 00:32:58,417 --> 00:33:00,125 - [Jason] They got this guy who had done a lot of westerns 719 00:33:00,125 --> 00:33:02,083 to come in and he was the gum fighter. 720 00:33:02,083 --> 00:33:03,417 They had a great campaign with it. 721 00:33:03,417 --> 00:33:05,875 Who was the biggest bubble in the west? 722 00:33:05,875 --> 00:33:07,792 The 1970s. Wow. 723 00:33:07,792 --> 00:33:11,208 This bubblegum game was on fire, 724 00:33:11,208 --> 00:33:12,958 and there was so much money being made 725 00:33:12,958 --> 00:33:14,625 by so many people. 726 00:33:14,625 --> 00:33:16,625 - [Narrator] Despite all the competition, 727 00:33:16,625 --> 00:33:20,875 Bubble Yum manages to secure its spot as number one, 728 00:33:20,875 --> 00:33:23,500 but the king of gum isn't done yet. 729 00:33:23,500 --> 00:33:27,208 - Wrigley's realize there's a whole market 730 00:33:27,208 --> 00:33:28,875 that they're missing out on. 731 00:33:28,875 --> 00:33:30,542 - [Narrator] And something entirely new 732 00:33:30,542 --> 00:33:32,750 is about to come out of left field. 733 00:33:38,542 --> 00:33:40,375 - [Narrator] In Portland, Oregon. 734 00:33:40,375 --> 00:33:43,708 A minor league baseball player is on the verge of greatness, 735 00:33:43,708 --> 00:33:45,333 but not on the field. 736 00:33:45,333 --> 00:33:47,500 - [Jason] Rob Nelson is a baseball pitcher, 737 00:33:47,500 --> 00:33:49,375 never made it to the big leagues, 738 00:33:49,375 --> 00:33:51,750 but he was a pitcher out of Cornell, 739 00:33:51,750 --> 00:33:55,542 and he ended up landing with the Portland Mavericks. 740 00:33:55,542 --> 00:33:58,167 [intense music] 741 00:33:59,875 --> 00:34:01,500 - The bat boy on the team at the time 742 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:04,167 is a kid by the name of Todd Fields. 743 00:34:05,958 --> 00:34:09,208 - Todd, what do you have there? 744 00:34:09,208 --> 00:34:11,583 - [Adam] So Rob Nelson sees Todd Field 745 00:34:11,583 --> 00:34:15,458 reach into a pouch and pull out these dark shreds 746 00:34:15,458 --> 00:34:17,083 and put it between his cheek and gum, 747 00:34:17,083 --> 00:34:18,375 and starts chewing. 748 00:34:18,375 --> 00:34:20,000 He goes, "I know your mom, I know your sister, 749 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,250 you can't be chewing tobacco." 750 00:34:22,250 --> 00:34:24,000 - [Jason] A lot of players chewed tobacco 751 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,917 and Rob was not a tobacco fan. 752 00:34:26,917 --> 00:34:29,042 - And the bat boy is only 13-years-old. 753 00:34:29,042 --> 00:34:32,458 So he asked him, 754 00:34:32,458 --> 00:34:34,458 and he is like, no, it's just licorice. 755 00:34:37,208 --> 00:34:39,792 - Are you chewing candy to be like the players? 756 00:34:39,792 --> 00:34:40,583 - Yes, sir. 757 00:34:41,708 --> 00:34:43,417 [intense music] 758 00:34:43,417 --> 00:34:45,375 - [Vallery] Nelson saw that there was potentially 759 00:34:45,375 --> 00:34:47,458 a really great product here. 760 00:34:48,292 --> 00:34:49,542 - You're not in trouble. 761 00:34:50,542 --> 00:34:53,500 In fact, you just gave me an idea. 762 00:34:58,583 --> 00:35:01,500 Thank you for letting us use your kitchen, mam. 763 00:35:02,542 --> 00:35:05,125 - [Adam] Rob Nelson is a left-handed pitcher. 764 00:35:05,125 --> 00:35:06,542 He's not a cook, 765 00:35:06,542 --> 00:35:09,042 and doesn't understand how certain foods, 766 00:35:09,042 --> 00:35:11,083 let alone confections are made. 767 00:35:11,083 --> 00:35:12,500 - [Vallery] So Nelson, he goes out 768 00:35:12,500 --> 00:35:16,125 and he buys a make your own bubblegum kit. 769 00:35:16,125 --> 00:35:18,542 And he takes the bubblegum 770 00:35:18,542 --> 00:35:22,542 and he decides to make it look like chewing tobacco. 771 00:35:22,542 --> 00:35:24,375 - [Adam] But he's got nowhere to put it together. 772 00:35:24,375 --> 00:35:26,292 He doesn't have a kitchen. 773 00:35:26,292 --> 00:35:28,667 So he thinks about the kid that inspired all this 774 00:35:28,667 --> 00:35:30,667 and he says, "Todd, 775 00:35:30,667 --> 00:35:32,583 do you think your mom would let me come over 776 00:35:32,583 --> 00:35:35,625 and use her kitchen to make this gum?" 777 00:35:35,625 --> 00:35:37,542 And he follows the instruction, 778 00:35:37,542 --> 00:35:40,583 he's got all the emollients to make chewing gum, 779 00:35:40,583 --> 00:35:41,542 and he mixes it. 780 00:35:43,250 --> 00:35:45,417 - Let me see what we can do about the color. 781 00:35:46,542 --> 00:35:48,042 [intense music] 782 00:35:48,042 --> 00:35:50,208 [utensils clanking] 783 00:35:50,208 --> 00:35:52,917 [intense music] 784 00:35:52,917 --> 00:35:55,917 - [Brooke] Nelson's gum was brown for two reasons. 785 00:35:55,917 --> 00:35:57,625 One, it was root beer flavored, 786 00:35:57,625 --> 00:35:59,542 and two, he wanted it to look like 787 00:35:59,542 --> 00:36:01,375 the tobacco it was inspired by. 788 00:36:02,500 --> 00:36:04,708 - What do you think? - It looks great. 789 00:36:04,708 --> 00:36:07,417 [intense music] 790 00:36:08,750 --> 00:36:10,875 - [Adam] And they slice it kinda wild, 791 00:36:10,875 --> 00:36:13,125 like cranky into these strips. 792 00:36:13,125 --> 00:36:14,750 But it works. 793 00:36:14,750 --> 00:36:16,125 It works. 794 00:36:16,125 --> 00:36:17,958 And for all the kids that want to emulate 795 00:36:17,958 --> 00:36:19,917 their favorite major leaguers, 796 00:36:19,917 --> 00:36:23,792 this might be a novel entry into the bubblegum market. 797 00:36:24,750 --> 00:36:26,292 - [Narrator] With his new tobacco inspired 798 00:36:26,292 --> 00:36:27,708 bubblegum sample, 799 00:36:27,708 --> 00:36:30,792 Nelson now needs to see if he can find a partner 800 00:36:30,792 --> 00:36:31,708 to help him sell it. 801 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:37,083 [intense music] 802 00:36:37,083 --> 00:36:38,375 - [Jason] He starts pitching it around 803 00:36:38,375 --> 00:36:40,375 to different gum manufacturers, 804 00:36:40,375 --> 00:36:42,375 and you know, he gets his rejections. 805 00:36:42,375 --> 00:36:44,750 But then he lands with a gum manufacturer 806 00:36:44,750 --> 00:36:47,750 already intimately tied to baseball, 807 00:36:47,750 --> 00:36:49,083 the Wrigley family. 808 00:36:49,083 --> 00:36:50,417 Of course, Wrigley Field, 809 00:36:50,417 --> 00:36:53,208 the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Gum. 810 00:36:54,417 --> 00:36:56,208 - What did you say you call this? 811 00:36:58,917 --> 00:36:59,750 - Big League Chew. 812 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:04,625 - It's brown. 813 00:37:05,625 --> 00:37:07,333 Bubble gum is meant to be pink. 814 00:37:08,875 --> 00:37:11,458 - Well, yeah, the idea is, 815 00:37:11,458 --> 00:37:14,375 it's supposed to be like real chewing tobacco. 816 00:37:15,708 --> 00:37:18,125 - [Adam] And they open this pouch and they see these tan 817 00:37:18,125 --> 00:37:20,208 brown irregularly shredded things, 818 00:37:20,208 --> 00:37:21,708 and he doesn't know how to preserve it. 819 00:37:21,708 --> 00:37:25,500 It's not really kept in a nice chewing gum way. 820 00:37:25,500 --> 00:37:29,125 And the brown color from root beer is a bit off putting. 821 00:37:29,125 --> 00:37:31,792 [intense music] 822 00:37:37,208 --> 00:37:39,333 - With all due respect, 823 00:37:39,333 --> 00:37:40,500 it tastes pretty awful. 824 00:37:41,375 --> 00:37:44,250 [intense music] 825 00:37:53,125 --> 00:37:55,875 - [Narrator] It is 1979 and minor league baseball pitcher, 826 00:37:55,875 --> 00:37:59,208 Rob Nelson is looking for a distributor 827 00:37:59,208 --> 00:38:01,958 for his new tobacco inspired bubblegum, 828 00:38:01,958 --> 00:38:03,292 Big League Chew. 829 00:38:04,042 --> 00:38:06,667 [intense music] 830 00:38:09,542 --> 00:38:11,458 - Listen, we could sweeten the formula. 831 00:38:11,458 --> 00:38:13,333 - I'm sorry Mr. Nelson, 832 00:38:14,542 --> 00:38:16,667 but I'm afraid Wrigley's just can't sell this stuff. 833 00:38:18,167 --> 00:38:18,917 - I appreciate your time, Mr. Wrigley. 834 00:38:18,917 --> 00:38:20,292 - Well hold on now, 835 00:38:20,292 --> 00:38:21,375 where are you off to so fast? 836 00:38:21,375 --> 00:38:23,667 Please, sit please. 837 00:38:25,042 --> 00:38:29,292 Just because your gum doesn't work the way it is, 838 00:38:30,625 --> 00:38:32,833 doesn't mean you didn't just bring us a great idea. 839 00:38:32,833 --> 00:38:36,375 - Mr. Nelson, we are interested in buying your concept, 840 00:38:36,375 --> 00:38:38,000 the name too. 841 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:40,583 - Wait, so you do want Big League Chew? 842 00:38:41,792 --> 00:38:44,083 - If you'll leave the gum making part to us. 843 00:38:48,333 --> 00:38:49,667 [intense music] 844 00:38:49,667 --> 00:38:51,083 - [Vallery] The product Nelson brought to them 845 00:38:51,083 --> 00:38:52,542 was not visually appealing. 846 00:38:52,542 --> 00:38:53,875 It didn't taste good, 847 00:38:53,875 --> 00:38:57,125 but they thought the concept was genius. 848 00:38:57,125 --> 00:38:59,583 - [Narrator] Wrigley's licenses Big League Chew 849 00:38:59,583 --> 00:39:01,292 to a three year deal. 850 00:39:01,292 --> 00:39:04,250 - So using their already existing recipe 851 00:39:04,250 --> 00:39:07,208 for Hubba Bubba, soft chew bubblegum, 852 00:39:07,208 --> 00:39:09,167 they begin making the shreds 853 00:39:09,167 --> 00:39:11,042 and putting them in foil pouches, 854 00:39:11,042 --> 00:39:13,875 much like you would see the big leaguers carrying Beach Nut 855 00:39:13,875 --> 00:39:17,542 or any of the chewing tobacco that they loved. 856 00:39:17,542 --> 00:39:21,042 - [Narrator] In May of 1980, Big League Chew was released. 857 00:39:21,042 --> 00:39:24,292 The original flavor known as Outta Here Original 858 00:39:24,292 --> 00:39:26,833 is standard bubblegum flavor. 859 00:39:26,833 --> 00:39:29,792 Ground Ball Grape, Swingin' Sour Apple, 860 00:39:29,792 --> 00:39:34,042 and Wild Pitch Watermelon are introduced shortly thereafter. 861 00:39:34,042 --> 00:39:39,000 Retail prices range between 57 to 70 cents per pouch 862 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,917 with a portion advertised as the equivalent 863 00:39:41,917 --> 00:39:44,125 of 26 sticks of gum. 864 00:39:45,375 --> 00:39:47,667 - [Jason] The fun thing about Big League Chew when it launched 865 00:39:47,667 --> 00:39:49,333 is it had this foil pouch, 866 00:39:49,333 --> 00:39:51,375 which was like nothing we'd ever seen. 867 00:39:51,375 --> 00:39:52,667 We had this artwork on the front 868 00:39:52,667 --> 00:39:55,125 with this sausage nosed ball player. 869 00:39:55,125 --> 00:39:58,375 This seemed like a forbidden product for kids to have. 870 00:40:00,125 --> 00:40:01,542 - [Vallery] It's not surprising 871 00:40:01,542 --> 00:40:05,458 that if you market an adult product to children 872 00:40:05,458 --> 00:40:10,000 who want to be like their favorite baseball players, 873 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:11,542 it's gonna latch on. 874 00:40:11,542 --> 00:40:13,042 - [Adam] In its first year, 875 00:40:13,042 --> 00:40:16,333 Big League Chew garnered 8% of the bubble gum market, 876 00:40:16,333 --> 00:40:19,667 3% of total gum sales, 877 00:40:19,667 --> 00:40:23,083 and made 18 million in its first year. 878 00:40:23,083 --> 00:40:25,583 - [Narrator] Big League Chew is so successful 879 00:40:25,583 --> 00:40:27,708 that it leads the charge 880 00:40:27,708 --> 00:40:32,583 for a growing sector of the bubble gum market, novelty gums. 881 00:40:32,583 --> 00:40:34,375 - [Adam] Suddenly there was toothpaste gum, 882 00:40:34,375 --> 00:40:36,417 Ghostbusters Slimer gum, 883 00:40:36,417 --> 00:40:39,625 weird toilet gum, gum that looked like rocks 884 00:40:39,625 --> 00:40:42,375 or little pebbles, strange stuff. 885 00:40:42,375 --> 00:40:46,208 Hell, there was Mr. T Gold chain gum. 886 00:40:48,042 --> 00:40:49,917 - [Narrator] With the help of novelty gums, 887 00:40:49,917 --> 00:40:53,875 by 1993, Wrigley's secures its spot 888 00:40:53,875 --> 00:40:56,458 as the top gum manufacturer in the world, 889 00:40:57,500 --> 00:40:59,125 and the leader in bubblegum. 890 00:41:01,292 --> 00:41:03,708 Today, the total bubblegum market 891 00:41:03,708 --> 00:41:06,458 is valued at approximately $8 billion, 892 00:41:07,875 --> 00:41:12,000 and is projected to reach nearly 12 billion by 2032. 893 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:14,375 - [Jason] Bubblegum is the amusement park of food. 894 00:41:14,375 --> 00:41:17,208 Chewing gum was utilitarian, 895 00:41:17,208 --> 00:41:20,125 bubblegum was a choice, you know. 896 00:41:20,125 --> 00:41:23,708 And blowing bubbles, it had this extra action about it 897 00:41:23,708 --> 00:41:26,042 that was pure entertainment, right. 898 00:41:26,042 --> 00:41:27,833 - [Vallery] The beauty of bubblegum, 899 00:41:27,833 --> 00:41:30,500 most kids are gonna be able to save up enough money 900 00:41:30,500 --> 00:41:32,917 to go and buy a piece of bubblegum, 901 00:41:32,917 --> 00:41:35,583 and they're gonna get to enjoy it and blow bubbles, 902 00:41:35,583 --> 00:41:38,167 and it puts everyone on the same playing field. 903 00:41:39,625 --> 00:41:42,250 - [Jason] The influence of bubblegum 904 00:41:42,250 --> 00:41:43,708 can't be questioned. 905 00:41:43,708 --> 00:41:47,125 They influenced how people marketed toward kids, 906 00:41:47,125 --> 00:41:50,042 how people perceived kids as a marketplace. 907 00:41:50,750 --> 00:41:52,500 And Fleer Dubble Bubble, 908 00:41:52,500 --> 00:41:54,958 and Topps Bazooka were big parts 909 00:41:54,958 --> 00:41:56,917 of helping companies understand that. 910 00:41:59,083 --> 00:42:00,542 - [Adam] But the truth of the matter is, 911 00:42:00,542 --> 00:42:02,417 this was an inflection point in history 912 00:42:02,417 --> 00:42:03,708 and in confection history 913 00:42:03,708 --> 00:42:05,958 where gum wasn't about fresh breath, 914 00:42:05,958 --> 00:42:09,917 calming nerves or calming digestion. 915 00:42:09,917 --> 00:42:12,292 This is where gum became a candy. 916 00:42:12,292 --> 00:42:13,792 Gum became a treat. 917 00:42:13,792 --> 00:42:16,792 It became fun, celebratory, brightly colored, 918 00:42:16,792 --> 00:42:19,875 something special for kids of all ages. 919 00:42:19,875 --> 00:42:24,375 Imagine America never had bubblegum before, 920 00:42:24,375 --> 00:42:27,625 and now confection in America will never be the same again.