Bubblegum had always needed a bit of warming up — a few chews before it went soft enough to stretch into a bubble. Bubblicious was built to skip that step entirely, and it made the wait the whole selling point of the launch.
Built to be soft, not just chewed soft
Bubblicious launched in 1975 from Adams, the confectionery division of Warner-Lambert, the American pharmaceutical and consumer goods company that also owned Chiclets, Dentyne and Certs. The formula was engineered specifically to be extra soft from the first bite rather than after a minute of chewing, and the marketing leaned entirely on that texture claim rather than flavour.
Provoking a rival: Hubba Bubba
Bubblicious's success didn't go unanswered. Wrigley launched Hubba Bubba in 1979, going after the same soft, bubble-blowing niche Bubblicious had opened up. The two brands have effectively defined the "extra-soft bubblegum" category between them ever since, each built around the same basic promise of an easier, bigger bubble.
A brand that's changed hands more than once
Warner-Lambert's consumer and pharmaceutical businesses were absorbed into Pfizer in a 2000 merger. The Adams confectionery unit — including Bubblicious, Certs, Trident, Dentyne and Halls — was sold on to Cadbury Schweppes in 2003, becoming part of Cadbury's gum business. When Cadbury later demerged its confectionery operations, the gum portfolio moved again, eventually landing with Mondelez International after the 2012 split from Kraft Foods.
- 1975 — Adams launches Bubblicious, marketed on its extra-soft chew.
- 1979 — Wrigley launches Hubba Bubba as a direct rival.
- 2003 — Cadbury Schweppes buys the Adams confectionery business, including Bubblicious.
Find it alongside other American originals in our American candy collection.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Bubblicious?
Launched in 1975 by Adams, then part of Warner-Lambert; the brand has since passed through Cadbury and Mondelez.
What makes Bubblicious different from other bubblegum?
It was formulated to be soft straight from the wrapper, rather than needing to be chewed soft first.
Is Bubblicious the same as Hubba Bubba?
No — they're rivals. Hubba Bubba came from Wrigley in 1979, a few years after Bubblicious.