Orbit (gum) facts for kids
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Orbit, also known as Extra in the United Kingdom and Freedent in Europe, is a popular brand of sugar-free chewing gum. It's made by the Wrigley Company. In the United States, where it was brought back in 2001, it's sold in cardboard boxes with 14 pieces wrapped individually. In the UK, where it first launched in 1899, it was originally sold as a long stick of gum. Later, it changed to the same packaging as in the US.
Orbit White, which comes in blister packs with 20 pieces, was released in 2001. It was made to compete with other whitening gums like Trident White from Cadbury Adams.
Contents
The Story of Orbit Gum
Orbit gum first appeared way back in 1899. It was launched in 1944 in the United States by Wrigley. This happened because ingredients for making gum were limited during World War II. After the war ended, Wrigley's main gum brands like Juicy Fruit, Wrigley's Spearmint, and Doublemint returned to the US market. Because of this, Orbit gum was stopped.
The gum was brought back 30 years later in 1976. It was first introduced in Germany, Switzerland, and The Netherlands. This was a big moment because it was the first time a sugar-free gum was sold under the Wrigley name. Later, Orbit gum was introduced in many other countries. These included Canada, Australia, the UK, Norway, Poland, Israel, and Serbia.
Orbit gum returned to American stores in the late 1970s. However, it was taken off the shelves in the 1980s due to concerns about one of its ingredients. The gum was then relaunched in the US in 2001.
Today, Orbit gum is sold in the UK as Wrigleys Extra. It is sold alongside the 'real' Extra gum, which has a hard shell.
How Orbit Gum is Advertised
The advertising campaign for Orbit in the US featured a character called the Orbit Girl. She had a British accent and often appeared in "dirty" or awkward situations. She always wore all white, a scarf, and a big smile. Vanessa Branch played the Orbit Girl from 2001 to 2010. After her, Farris Patton took over the role from 2010 through 2014.
In 2014, Orbit changed its marketing approach to be more global. They stopped using the Orbit Girl. A new commercial with Sarah Silverman started their new campaign: "Eat. Drink. Chew Orbit." This campaign wanted to show how chewing gum can be helpful after eating and drinking.
In the UK and Ireland, the Orbit name was changed to Extra in 2015. It still came in the same 14-piece package. In 2019, this change also happened in Germany.
Types of Orbit Gum
Orbit Flavors
- Peppermint
- Bubblegum
- Spearmint
- Eucalyptus
- Mint
- Bubblemint
- Wintermint
- Winterfresh
- Sweetmint
- Freeze Mint
- Citrusmint
- Apple Remix
- Tropical Remix
- Strawberry Remix
- Wildberry Remix
- Peppermint DoublePak
- Spearmint DoublePak
- Citrus Remix
- Melon Remix
- Crystal Mint
- Lemon Lime
- Mint Mojito
- Maui Melon Mint
- Positively Pomegranate
- Raspberry Mint
- Fabulous Fruitini
- Strawberry Mint
- Lime Melon
- Piña Colada
- Orange Cardamom
- Mixed Fruit
- Coca-Cola
- Blueberry
- Raspberry Pomegranate
- Raw Mango
Orbit White Flavors
Orbit White was launched in 2002. It is a sugar-free pellet gum and a special version of Orbit gum. It comes in blister packs with 12 pieces. It was created to compete with Trident White gum from Cadbury Adams in 2001.
- Bubblemint
- Mint
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Wintermint
Orbit for Kids Flavors
- Bubblegum
- Strawberry and Banana
- Grapes
Excel Mist in Canada had "micro-bursts." These were small polka dot chips inside the gum stick. They had a different flavor from the rest of the gum. The "micro-bursts" were meant to make a "hydrating sensation," as claimed on the box. Orbit stopped making the Orbit Mist line in 2013.
- Peppermint Spray
- Watermelon Spring
- Mango Surf
See also
In Spanish: Orbit para niños
