thesis statement of wrigley's chewing gum

How Wrigley Chewed Its Way to Gum Greatness

William Wrigley, Jr. started off as a soap salesman and became a prodigy of consumerism. He sold Americans chewing gum with claims of health benefits.

Quick! Name a gum manufacturer. Chances are you chose Wrigley, a gum behemoth that’s been around since the 1890s. But how did the company go from baking powder purveyor to the world’s largest gum manufacturer? As Daniel Robinson explains, it had a little help from some made-up—and quintessentially American—ailments.

Robinson tracks the company’s marketing history as it grew into a gum powerhouse. Its strength, he argues, was in its position at the intersection between business and popular culture. William Wrigley, Jr., the company’s founder, was a soap salesman and a kind of child prodigy of consumerism. At just 13 years of age, he made a name for himself peddling soap for his father throughout New England, and eventually found himself in Chicago pitching rubber stamps, newspapers, and soap. This varied experience—especially in the rubber stamp industry—taught him about the power of advertising in a rapidly changing mass media marketplace.

Because he was a traveling “drummer,” writes Robinson, Wrigley adopted a role of itinerant mystery, on the fringes of acceptable society. That near-mythical presence prepared him well for his future in advertising.

And what a future. Wrigley originally turned to chewing gum as a way to bring attention to his premium baking powder, which began to surpass his own soap sales in the early 1890s. He’d include gum along with the baking powder as a kind of cheap, compact, compelling premium.

Wrigley may not have come to gum first, but he brought a salesman’s savvy to the product. He knew that in order to get gum to consumers, he’d have to hook dealers. Soon, gum itself was his main attraction alongside free perks like display cases or coffee grinders that sweetened the sale for retailers. “The focus on retailers, not consumers, reflected Wrigley’s experience as a drummer,” writes Robinson. But though his gum showed promise, its rise was nearly ruined by misfortunes like a burnt-down factory and huge losses in advertising, which was expensive.

That changed in 1907, when a financial panic suddenly made advertising rates drop. Wrigley moved in for the kill, expanding his ad reach exponentially. Soon, his spearmint gum was the bestselling gum in the world. He kept product moving with promises of two things we might not see as particularly gum-related—claims of physical and mental health.

Gum, Wrigley argued, could soothe not only nervous stomachs but stressed-out minds, making the product more patent medicine than candy. Despite popular perceptions that chewing gum was rude, Wrigley prevailed, convincing Americans that they were stressed and sick and providing them with a stick of respite. It worked—and if you carry gum in your purse or pocket today, there’s a chance you do so thanks to Wrigley’s tireless hawking.

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How Wrigley Chewed Its Way to Gum Greatness

Quick! Name a gum manufacturer. Chances are you chose Wrigley, a gum behemoth that’s been around since the 1890s. But how did the company go from baking powder purveyor to the world’s largest gum manufacturer? As Daniel Robinson explains, it had a little help from some made-up—and quintessentially American—ailments.

Robinson tracks the company’s marketing history as it grew into a gum powerhouse. Its strength, he argues, was in its position at the intersection between business and popular culture. William Wrigley, Jr., the company’s founder, was a soap salesman and a kind of child prodigy of consumerism. At just 13 years of age, he made a name for himself peddling soap for his father throughout New England, and eventually found himself in Chicago pitching rubber stamps, newspapers, and soap. This varied experience—especially in the rubber stamp industry—taught him about the power of advertising in a rapidly changing mass media marketplace.

Because he was a traveling “drummer,” writes Robinson, Wrigley adopted a role of itinerant mystery, on the fringes of acceptable society. That near-mythical presence prepared him well for his future in advertising.

And what a future. Wrigley originally turned to chewing gum as a way to bring attention to his premium baking powder, which began to surpass his own soap sales in the early 1890s. He’d include gum along with the baking powder as a kind of cheap, compact, compelling premium.

Wrigley may not have come to gum first, but he brought a salesman’s savvy to the product.

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Janet Starr Hull PhD, CN

Alternative Health and Holistic Nutrition

How Wrigley’s® Makes Gum

July 29, 2019 By Janet Hull PhD, CN

Have you ever wondered how chewing gum is made ?

I think it’s interesting, especially when you realize how much it has changed over the decades; a stick of chewing gum has morphed into a purely corporate entity today.

Once upon a time, gum used to be healthy for your gums and teeth – when it was organic, that is .

Chewing exercises your gums and makes them stronger, which   in turn , supports healthy teeth.

Today, according to their corporate marketing , when the Wrigley Company makes a stick of chewing gum, it strives for these three main characteristics:

• a smooth, even chew
• a delicious, long-lasting flavor
• dependable, uniform quality

STEP ONE: QUALITY ASSURANCE

All ingredients and wrapping materials are inspected when they arrive at the factories. Before any shipment is accepted, samples are taken and tested in modern quality assurance laboratories.

STEP TWO: GRINDING

Manufacturing takes place in spotless air-conditioned rooms and is closely monitored to meet the company’s high standards of quality. The process begins with the grinding of base materials.

STEP THREE: FILTERING

Next, the base is melted and purified through high-speed centrifuges and filter machines.

Then, when still hot , the base goes to the mixers, each of which can hold up to one ton of ingredients.

STEP FOUR: MIXING

After the gum base is poured into the mixer, sweeteners and flavors are added at just the right moment and in just the right amounts .

The ingredients are then mixed slowly for the exact amount of time required by the formula. At this point, the gum looks like stiff bread dough.

STEP FIVE: ROLLING

Out from the mixers, the gum is sent through a series of rollers that form it into a thin, wide ribbon.

Each pair of rollers is set closer together than the previous pair, gradually reducing the thickness of the gum.

A light coating of finely powdered sugar or chemical sugar substitute is added to keep the gum from sticking and to enhance the flavor.

STEP SIX: SCORING

The continuous ribbon of gum is then scored in a pattern of single sticks.

STEP SEVEN: CONDITIONING

The gum is allowed to cool. The temperature and humidity are carefully controlled to make sure the finished gum will stay fresh on store shelves for an extended period of time.

STEP EIGHT: WRAPPING

The packaging materials are vital in protecting the freshness of Wrigley’s gum.

In one continuous process, the wrapping machine receives and wraps the sticks, applies the outer wrapper, and seals the ends of each package.

Most of the wrapping machines were designed and built by Wrigley engineers and machinists, and each is made up of approximately 6,000 moving parts.

STEP NINE: PACKING

The packages are automatically packed into boxes or clear plastic bags that move on conveyor belts for final inspection.

Boxes are wrapped with a clear covering and both boxes and bags are packed into shipping cases.

Wrigley’s gum is then shipped to hundreds of thousands of stores and other retail outlets all over the world.  

Thanks to the Wrigley Company for this detailed explanation. 

I think I’d rather chew an old-fashioned organic gum, though.  And definitely not one with sugar-free chemicals in the mix.

_____________

If you want to learn more about the diet sweeteners, Join my Private Inner Circle. I have written all about the sugar alcohols in my books on the diet sweeteners.

Gain access to all of my online programs, ongoing support, monthly Q&A, and more by joining my Private Inner Circle Membership Program . I look forward to supporting you on your journey to alternative health and wellness.

Disclaimer:  This article is for informational purposes only, and is educational in nature. The FDA may not have evaluated some of the statements.  This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding supplements or making any changes to your dietary program.

Before taking vitamins, consult your doctor; pre-existing medical conditions or medications you are taking can affect how your body responds to multivitamins.

About Janet Hull PhD, CN

Janet Starr Hull, PhD, CN has been working with clients in the holistic health field since 1995. Using natural medicine to cure herself from a diagnosis of Graves’ disease caused by aspartame, Dr. Hull began researching the toxic causes of disease. Today, she is one of the world’s leading experts in environmental toxicology and holistic health and nutrition. Dr. Hull is the first researcher to publicly expose the dangers of aspartame. She has been writing her weekly email newsletter since 2002 covering a variety of holistic health and alternative medicine articles . Connect with Dr. Hull on Facebook , and Google Plus .

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What is the story behind Wrigley chewing gum?

Robinson chronicles the marketing journey of the gum giant as it expanded. He contends that its advantage stemmed from its location at the nexus of popular culture and business. The company's founder, William Wrigley, Jr., was a soap salesman and something of a consumerist kid prodigy. He began making a name for himself at the age of 13 by selling soap for his father all over New England. Eventually, he found himself in Chicago, making sales pitches for soap, newspapers, and rubber stamps. His diverse experience, particularly in the rubber stamp sector, taught him the value of advertising in a mass media landscape that is undergoing fast change.

As a traveling "drummer," Robinson claims that Wrigley took on the image of an itinerant mystic who lived on the periphery of socially acceptable behavior. He was well-prepared for his career in advertising by that almost legendary presence.

What a bright future it is. When his premium baking powder started to outsell his own soap in the early 1890s, Wrigley first turned to chewing gum to draw attention to it. He would package gum as a sort of low-cost, portable, attractive premium with the baking powder.

Wrigley may not have invented gum, but he gave the product a salesman's knowledge. He was aware that he would need to hook dealers in order to distribute gum to customers. Before long, the gum itself became his main draw, accompanied by complimentary gifts like coffee grinders or display cases that helped retailers close more deals. Robinson claims that Wrigley's background as a drummer was reflected in the emphasis placed on retailers rather than customers. Even though his gum had potential, unfortunate events like a factory fire and significant advertising losses almost put an end to its success.

That all changed in 1907 when advertising rates abruptly dropped due to a financial panic. Wrigley moved in for the kill, doubling the reach of his advertisement. His spearmint gum quickly became the most popular gum worldwide. He promised claims of physical and mental health, two things we might not think of as particularly related to gum, but they kept the product moving.

Gummi could calm anxious minds as well as tense stomachs, according to Wrigley, making it more of a patent medicine than a confection. Wrigley won out by persuading Americans that they were anxious and ill and giving them a stick of relief, despite the widespread belief that chewing gum was impolite. It worked, and there's a good chance that you still have gum in your pocket or handbag as a result of Wrigley's persistent marketing.

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FDA to investigate the effects of caffeinated chewing gum

• By Samantha Stainburn

Wrigley’s Alert Energy Caffeinated Gum

Concerned by the arrival on store shelves this week of a new caffeinated chewing gum from Mars Inc. Wrigley, the US Food and Drug Administration has announced it will investigate the effects foods with added caffeine have on children.

Wrigley’s new gum, called Alert Energy, is the first widely distributed caffeinated gum. One piece contains the same amount of caffeine as half a cup of coffee or a 16-ounce soda.

More from GlobalPost: Wrigley to sell caffeinated chewing gum

“FDA is taking a fresh look at the potential impact that the totality of new and easy sources of caffeine may have on health, particularly vulnerable populations such as children and youth, and if necessary, will take appropriate action,” Michael Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said in a statement .

While the federal regulator approved adding caffeine to colas in the 1950s, the current fad for adding caffeine to other foods is "beyond anything FDA envisioned," Taylor said.

"It is disturbing," Taylor told the Associated Press . "We're concerned about whether they have been adequately evaluated."

The FDA is also investigating caffeinated energy drinks from companies like Monster Beverage Corp. that consumers claim have caused troubling side effects and even death, Bloomberg News reported.

More from GlobalPost: Teen deaths linked to Monster Energy drinks in new report

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Chewing gum has been linked to better diets – but it’s no way to improve your health

Professor in Biological Psychology, Lancaster University

Disclosure statement

Sandra-Ilona Sunram-Lea received funding from UKRI, JDRF, Horizon and industry.

Lancaster University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK.

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The relationship between chewing gum – both the sugary and the non-sugary kind – and whether chewing gum might prevent conditions like gum disease, bone loss around teeth, and caries, was studied in research published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association in early 2024.

The researchers used data from people who were enrolled in a large population-based study between 2013 and 2019. In addition to reporting on their oral health, participants were also asked questions about their diet, weight and waist circumference – the size of their waistline.

Analysis of the data showed no relationship between chewing gum and oral health.

However, out of the of 15,178 participants in the study, 2.4% reported to chew gum on a regular basis. Gum chewers appeared to have a healthier diet, including a lower intake of added sugars compared to those who don’t chew gum.

So, should we all be rushing out to buy gum to chew ourselves to better health?

Chewing away at obesity?

The answer is no and here’s the reason why.

The study doesn’t actually say that chewing gum leads to better dietary choices. All the data tells us is that some of the participants who chew gum also happen to consume fewer refined sugars and have a healthier diet. The research does not find any causality between chewing gum and improved health.

There could be a number of reasons why the researchers found this relationship. For example, it might be that people who try and have a healthy diet might also be keen to keep their teeth healthy and follow the widespread advice that chewing sugar free gum is good for teeth. Or, it might simply be that they like to have fresh breath. Your guess is as good as mine.

In the study, however, gum chewers did not eat less, were no less likely to be overweight or did not have a slimmer waistline. So, no relationship was found between the amount of food consumed, weight and whether or not people chewed gum.

Fixes for long-term health

The overconsumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks, foods and processed foods is, unfortunately , very common . Increased consumption of sugar has led to a sharp rise in the number of people who are overweight or obese and those who have type 2 diabetes .

In addition to the health risks associated with these conditions – and the cost of treating them – they can have a significant impact on quality of life.

The standard medical advice for obesity is to get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy diet – especially one low in saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and sugar.

Read more: Tackling social isolation could be more effective than healthy eating for obesity

This “eat less, move more” approach to obesity treatment has been criticised for being simplistic, overlooking the social and biological factors that can contribute to weight problems. Even so, even this most basic advice – to eat a healthy diet and increase exercise – proves difficult for many.

As anyone who’s attempted to kick a habit or to stick to a new year’s resolution past January will know, changes to our lifestyle, including diet, are often tough to implement and even trickier to maintain. Seemingly easy, accessible options for weight control like chewing gum, or other social media fads like drinking apple cider vinegar or olive oil , are always welcome and newsworthy, then.

In order to claim that chewing gum affects the way we eat – healthier food choices and consumption of less sugary foods – would require a trial where a group of participants are instructed to chew gum and have their food choices and intake compared to another non-gum chewing group.

These studies have actually been conducted, but the reason chewing gum hasn’t been included in any health and nutritional advice is that the results of these studies did not provide strong evidence that chewing gum affects what and how much we eat.

So, I am afraid, chewing gum won’t help you make the right choices when it comes to food. It’s back to us making the difficult decisions, and governments and the food industry promoting healthy food choices; and making sure that healthy food is affordable to us all.

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