Edward E. Beeman, an Ohio physician, invented Beemans Gum. According to Beeman, the gum was prepared with pepsin to aid digestion. The product used to contain pepsin; however, this component is no longer in the recipe. Candies and gum items were usually manufactured with medical reasons in mind when these products were initially introduced.
When the first chewing gum hit the market in 1898, the Beemans Gum brand was acquired by the American Chicle firm. Chicle gum, which is more closely similar to chewing gum today, was initially imported to the United States to become an alternate supply of rubber.
Chicle's gum products were far more successful, and the brand has since become synonymous with gum.
Beemans was taken off the market in 1978 when declining sales forced the product's then-owner, Warner-Lambert, to discontinue manufacture. A nostalgia campaign was launched, and the gum was reinstated on the shelves of US grocery shops and supermarkets alongside Clove Gum and Black Jack Gum brands, all of which are historic chewing gums. When sales compel the production of more conventional gums, new batches of all of them are produced at the same time.
One of the reasons that this gum was brought back to market was that pilots had traditionally chosen Beemans for their gum of choice. Any gum will help equalize the ears during a flight. However, many pilots swore by this product over the others on the market, and this was a big push behind reviving the Beemans product for periodic sale.
The essential branding and look of Clove and Black Jack Gum haven't hurt their popularity. The original Beemans packaging featured a pig, but Beeman's name and photo were added afterward. Modern packaging features a simplified design. Today, the gum comes in a white sleeve with a black logo and a red "chewing gum" banner. It's simple but effective.
Beemans, Clove, and Black Jack gum are created when sales run out. It's not stocked year-round and is prepared in limited batches and distributed after completion. Cadbury Adams sponsors Beemans and other nostalgic gums like Black Jack and Clove.
The gum is manufactured in Morocco today and must be returned to the US for sale. Gerrit J Verburg Co sells these gum items in the US, although others do so elsewhere. Gerrit J Verburg is one of America's leading confectionery importers and has exclusive US sales rights. The US version is as close to the original as feasible without utilizing the same recipe. All the flavor nuances are there, but the formula is different.
Popular Culture References for Beemans Gum
Beeman's gum appears in movies and TV shows. The Right Stuff, Hot Shots!, and The Rocketeer reference it. Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull feature it. The gum wrapper is highly distinctive, which makes it an excellent choice for movies and TV.
The 80s ad campaigns with many gorgeous women prancing around also made this gum product accessible to people watching other TV series. A Beeman's commercial may have aired during a show that mentioned the gum. The gum was only sometimes sold in limited batches.
Beeman's gum was initially connected with health and medicine. This may sound unusual to current consumers, yet it was common in the 19th century. Such products were always used for healthcare then.
Chuck Yeager chewed this gum before every flight for luck. This was the first time a famous person backed a treatment, and it had a lasting impression on consumers. The first time the product was associated with pure happiness.
Helia Mohammadi
Social Media Specialist
Adicator Digital Marketing Agency
Comments