Big Red (gum) facts for kids
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| Type | Chewing gum |
|---|---|
| Owner | Mars Wrigley division of Mars, Incorporated |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1975 |
| Tagline | "Long lasting fresh breath" |
Big Red is a popular chewing gum known for its strong cinnamon flavor. The William Wrigley Jr. Company first introduced this gum in 1975. Today, it is owned by Mars Wrigley, a part of Mars, Incorporated.
Big Red gum has been sold in many countries around the world. It was available in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the late 1990s. Many visitors from these countries still buy Big Red as a souvenir when they visit the United States.
The gum also came out in Australia in the 1980s. It was later brought back in 2004 and again in 2007. You can also find Big Red in places like Mexico, Belgium, Norway, and New Zealand. Interestingly, the gum sold in Germany, Norway, and Poland is white, not red. Big Red is known for its warm, spicy taste. In 2003, Wrigley's added artificial sweeteners like aspartame to the gum in the United States.
The "Big Red" Song
Big Red gum became famous for its catchy commercial song. This jingle was called "Kiss a Little Longer." It was used in commercials from 1979 until 1998. Peter Cofield from Sunday Productions in New York City wrote the song. Ryan Devereaux was the singer.
Many of the commercials showed couples kissing for a long time in romantic places. Often, one person would have to rush off to catch their ride. This funny idea was even made fun of on TV shows like Saturday Night Live. In 2008, the singer Ne-Yo helped update the classic jingle. Later, in 2010, Verizon Wireless used the old jingle for their own TV ads. They used it because their company is sometimes called "Big Red."
Sports Sponsorships
Big Red gum has also been involved in sports. Along with other Wrigley's gum products, Big Red sponsored a NASCAR racing team. This team was called Chip Ganassi Racing. Big Red also sponsored the race car number 42, driven by Juan Pablo Montoya, from 2007 to 2008.
