Hubba Bubba
Encyclopedia
Hubba Bubba is a brand of bubble gum originally produced by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, in the United States
in 1979 but more recently produced in countries around the world. The bubble gum got its name by the phrase "Hubba Hubba" that World War II soldiers used to express approval. The main gimmick
used to promote the gum is that Hubba Bubba is less sticky than other brands of bubble gum and so burst bubbles are easier to peel from your skin. The first portions of Hubba Bubba were produced in the traditional bubble gum flavor often referred to as Original, but different flavors of gum have been produced around the world. Many, but not all, of these flavors are based on fruit
. Hubba Bubba products also include many flavors of soda, bubble gum, and squeeze pouches.
. At the end of each commercial, the Gum Fighter declared, "Big bubbles, no troubles," followed by a jocular response from Western film veteran Dub Taylor
. This was a reference to Hubba Bubba being less sticky than other brands.
The original bubble-gum flavor has been discontinued for many years in the United Kingdom, with only fruit based flavors available. As of 2007, flavors available in the UK
included strawberry
, orange
and apple
, and cola
in some areas. Flavors available in Australia
include cherry
, cola
, peach
, strawberry
, lime
, pineapple
, apple
, orange
, grape
and watermelon
. As of 2004, flavors available in Croatia
included lime
, berry
, cherry
and generic fruit
. Flavors available in Germany
included cherry
and cola
. Flavors available in Norway include orange
, apple
, strawberry
, cola
and licorice. Flavors available in Canada
included strawberry
, grape
, orange
and blue raspberry
. Other flavors seen over the years in various countries include lemon
, cream soda
, tropical, salty liquorice, and chocolate strawberry.
At first, Hubba Bubba was only available in chunks, typically being sold in packets of five chunks, but packets of four chunks have been seen on sale in Croatia
. More recently, it has been produced as shredded pieces (see Big League Chew
), rolls of bubble gum tape
in the UK (tapes of 1.8 meter strips of mixed flavors), plastic jugs of crystals, boxes of tiny gumballs
and stuffed with candy
.
The Hubba Bubba brand was discontinued in the U.S.
in the early 1990s, but returned in 2004. In the U.S., commercials use the same stop-motion style used in the Chevron
commercials and Chicken Run
, as the commercials are produced by Aardman. In Canada, commercials use cartoon characters named Hubba and Bubba. It was also used in the closing credits
sequence on the popular YTV game show Uh Oh!.
As of 2007, Hubba Bubba is available in its original flavor called "outrageous original" in the U.S. Other flavors are "Seriously Strawberry," "Cool Cola," "Crazy Cherry," "Bubbly Berry," "Oasis Orange," "Cheeky Black Cherry" and "Fancy Fruit." Hubba Bubba is constantly creating new products, with its latest product, Mystery Max and Mystery Tape, being introduced in 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1979 but more recently produced in countries around the world. The bubble gum got its name by the phrase "Hubba Hubba" that World War II soldiers used to express approval. The main gimmick
Gimmick
In marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries. However, the special feature is typically thought to be of little relevance or use. Thus, a gimmick is a special feature for the sake of having a special feature...
used to promote the gum is that Hubba Bubba is less sticky than other brands of bubble gum and so burst bubbles are easier to peel from your skin. The first portions of Hubba Bubba were produced in the traditional bubble gum flavor often referred to as Original, but different flavors of gum have been produced around the world. Many, but not all, of these flavors are based on fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
. Hubba Bubba products also include many flavors of soda, bubble gum, and squeeze pouches.
Product description
Before its launch, Hubba Bubba had been referred to as "Stagecoach" during product development and early manufacturing at the now-defunct Wrigley plant in Santa Cruz, California. The earliest series of TV commercials for Hubba Bubba that aired in the United States were set in a Wild West town and featured a character known as the Gumfighter, played by actor Don CollierDon Collier
Donald Collier is an American radio personality and a former actor, particularly known for his role in television westerns during the 1960s. He played U.S. Marshal Will Foreman in the 1960-1962 NBC series Outlaws, with Barton MacLane , Jock Gaynor , and Bruce Yarnell...
. At the end of each commercial, the Gum Fighter declared, "Big bubbles, no troubles," followed by a jocular response from Western film veteran Dub Taylor
Dub Taylor
Walter Clarence Taylor, Jr. , better known as Dub Taylor, was an American actor who worked extensively in Westerns, but also in comedy from the 1940s into the 1990s.-Early life:...
. This was a reference to Hubba Bubba being less sticky than other brands.
The original bubble-gum flavor has been discontinued for many years in the United Kingdom, with only fruit based flavors available. As of 2007, flavors available in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
included strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
and apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
, and cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
in some areas. Flavors available in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
include cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
, cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
, peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
, strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
, pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
, orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
and watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
. As of 2004, flavors available in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
included lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
, berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
, cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
and generic fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
. Flavors available in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
included cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
and cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
. Flavors available in Norway include orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
, strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
and licorice. Flavors available in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
included strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
, orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
and blue raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
. Other flavors seen over the years in various countries include lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
, cream soda
Cream soda
Cream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink, often flavored with vanilla.-History and development:A recipe for cream soda—written by E.M. Sheldon and published in Michigan Farmer in 1852—called for water, cream of tartar, Epsom salts, sugar, tartaric acid, egg, and milk, to be mixed together, then...
, tropical, salty liquorice, and chocolate strawberry.
At first, Hubba Bubba was only available in chunks, typically being sold in packets of five chunks, but packets of four chunks have been seen on sale in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. More recently, it has been produced as shredded pieces (see Big League Chew
Big League Chew
Big League Chew is a brand of bubble gum that is shredded and packaged in an aluminum foil pouch. It was created by Portland Mavericks left-handed pitcher Rob Nelson, and pitched to the Wrigley Company by former New York Yankee All-Star Jim Bouton, a Maverick teammate of Nelson's, as a fun...
), rolls of bubble gum tape
Bubble Tape
Bubble Tape is a brand of bubble gum produced by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. It experienced its greatest popularity in the early 1990s due to its unique packaging and direct marketing to preteen children...
in the UK (tapes of 1.8 meter strips of mixed flavors), plastic jugs of crystals, boxes of tiny gumballs
Bubblegum
Bubblegum is a type of elastic chewing gum, designed to be blown out of the mouth as a bubble.-History:In 1928, Walter Diemer, an accountant for the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia, was experimenting with new gum recipes. One recipe was found to be less sticky than regular chewing gum,...
and stuffed with candy
Candy
Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...
.
The Hubba Bubba brand was discontinued in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the early 1990s, but returned in 2004. In the U.S., commercials use the same stop-motion style used in the Chevron
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
commercials and Chicken Run
Chicken Run
Chicken Run is a 2000 British stop-motion animation film made by the Aardman Animations studios, the production studio of the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit films...
, as the commercials are produced by Aardman. In Canada, commercials use cartoon characters named Hubba and Bubba. It was also used in the closing credits
Closing credits
Closing credits or end credits are added at the end of a motion picture, television program, or video game to list the cast and crew involved in the production. They usually appear as a list of names in small type, which either flip very quickly from page to page, or move smoothly across the...
sequence on the popular YTV game show Uh Oh!.
As of 2007, Hubba Bubba is available in its original flavor called "outrageous original" in the U.S. Other flavors are "Seriously Strawberry," "Cool Cola," "Crazy Cherry," "Bubbly Berry," "Oasis Orange," "Cheeky Black Cherry" and "Fancy Fruit." Hubba Bubba is constantly creating new products, with its latest product, Mystery Max and Mystery Tape, being introduced in 2010.