Chewing gum "Love is ...": history of appearance and interesting facts (6 photos)

Who doesn't know this chewing gum? You didn't have to look for it - it found you on the counter of any store or kiosk. And even now it doesn't seem like an impossible quest to get it.





Love Is... chewing gum was extremely popular and became a cult among children and teenagers of the 1990s and 2000s. She is known not so much for her taste as for her romantic inserts, which feature cute drawings with the explanation that "Love is..."



History of appearance

Kim and Roberto Casali, whose love inspired the appearance chewing gum



Idea and author: Love Is... chewing gum was inspired by a series of comics by New Zealand artist Kim Grove (later Kim Casali), who worked in an advertising agency in Los Angeles. In 1967, Kim began drawing cute sketches about love for her future husband Roberto Casali. Later, these drawings gained popularity and began to be published in newspapers around the world.

Comics become a brand: In the 1970s, "Love Is..." comics were printed in dozens of countries. Even then, texts from the comics began to appear on various products, including postcards and souvenirs.

The emergence of chewing gum: The idea of ​​using popular illustrations in chewing gum appeared in the 1980s. Chewing gum production began in factories in Turkey and Italy. Each piece of gum was wrapped in paper with a comic strip about love, which made the product unique.

The death of Kim Casali's lover: After Roberto's death in 1976, Kim stopped creating comics, transferring the rights to Bill Asprey, who continued their development.

Interesting facts



Illustrations: After Kim Casali's death in 1997, her son Stefano Casali became the owner of the rights to the brand. Modern comics are created by professional artists who maintain the style of the original.

Original characters: In the first comics, the heroes were depicted without clothes, which changed with the advent of color versions.

Symbolism and development: The characters go through various stages of relationships, including parenthood and loss, reflecting real-life situations. As they develop, fun details appear: pets, such as a dog named "Samson" and cats, which add an element of everyday life.

Popularity in post-Soviet countries: In the 1990s, Love Is... chewing gum was especially popular in the former Soviet Union, becoming a symbol of romance among teenagers. And just among lovers of "bubble gum")

Collecting inserts: For many, collecting inserts has become a real hobby. They were an item of exchange and even sometimes used as "currency" in school games. There are eight series of Love is inserts (containing sub-series). Each series includes various wrappers in the amount of approximately 100-120 pieces. And, of course, among them there are the rarest examples, representing a certain value for connoisseurs. So, perhaps, you have a multi-million asset stored somewhere in a distant box;))

Variety of flavors: Since its appearance, the gum has been released with many flavors, including strawberry, orange, lemon, cola, watermelon and others. The gum combines two fruit flavors, symbolizing the "love of two fruits".

Messages of love: Each insert contained a phrase beginning with the words "Love Is..." (for example, "Love is... knowing what makes them smile"), which made it special and gave warm emotions to buyers.

Translation for sales locations: The Love is inserts are localized for each country. This is because the comics and their messages are adapted to cultural and linguistic features. Different translations and interpretations may be used in different countries to make them more understandable and attractive to the local audience.

New life for the brand: In the 2000s, chewing gum returned to fashion several times, sometimes in new formats and packaging, remaining a symbol of romance and nostalgia.



example of Arabic localization

Love Is... gum has become something more than just a sweet treat. It's a reminder of the importance of small gestures of love and warmth in relationships that has made her iconic.