Bazooka Gum has been a staple of American childhood for over 75 years. From its iconic comic featuring Bazooka Joe to the sweet taste and the ability to blow large bubbles, Bazooka Gum has been a favorite of generations. The brand has managed to maintain its iconic status through the years, with the original formula, packaging, and eyepatched Bazooka Joe still making people groan with comics full of dad jokes and head-scratching fortunes.
But how has Bazooka Gum managed to stay relevant in today’s market? Let’s explore the history of Bazooka Gum, the changes it has undergone, and how it has managed to maintain its iconic status.
The History of Bazooka Gum
Bazooka Gum was created by Topps in 1947. The gum was a bright pink square with a tough initial chew, a sweet smell, and a powerful sugary taste of fruit and cotton candy. A few years later, the company added the iconic comic featuring Bazooka Joe and his gang to the wrapper.
In its early years, Bazooka Gum took off for two reasons. First, the company hooked retailers by adding other products for them to sell at a full profit into the package. Second, Topps aggressively promoted its gum to children through advertisements in comic books, newspapers, and broadcast outlets.
From a corporate standpoint, Topps went through a variety of changes, with its candy division becoming known as Bazooka Candy Brands in 2009. Through the years, it added brands including Ring Pop and Push Pop, with Bazooka becoming one of the company’s smaller brands.
Changes Over the Years
While newer brands meet specific trends more relevant to younger candy consumers, Bazooka Candy Brands constantly works to make Bazooka Gum stay trendy. They have tried adding graffiti-style graphics to the wrappers, tucking puzzles in the wrappers instead of comics, and even adding sugar-free varieties. However, the company found that their consumers wanted the classic Bazooka Gum they had known for years. Some of the less popular changes were walked back, while a few new innovations like flavors and sugar-free gum stayed around.
Maintaining Iconic Status
Rebecca Silberfarb, vice president of marketing in the Americas for Bazooka Candy Brands, said that Bazooka has been able to maintain its iconic nature through the decades. “What people knew about it 75 years ago, or in their childhood however many years ago that was, is still true to the core of the brand..” she said. “We are a brand that brings, what we call in our company, edible entertainment.”
Today, most people who buy Bazooka are adults who enjoyed it years ago, and that nostalgia has really helped Bazooka get through the years successfully. The company has also done a lot with licensing its logo, characters, and colors, with Bazooka Joe being featured on scores of T-shirt designs, baseball caps, and accessories including golf club covers. And the iconic character is even immortalized as a LOL Surprise doll.
Long story short, Bazooka Gum has been a part of American culture for over 75 years, and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. While the gum sector’s appeal has broadened and other brands have entered the market, Bazooka’s sales are still growing. By maintaining its iconic status and staying true to its core values, Bazooka Gum has been able to stay relevant in today’s market.
