If you weren’t around in the 1970′s, you might think that Bub’s Daddy is a strange name for bubble gum. If you were around then, you’ll likely recognize it as a colorful mainstay from the candy shelves of memory.
Produced by Donruss, the earliest dated evidence of Bub’s Daddy I can find is a 1971 trade ad. Trademark evidence points to Bub’s Daddy having a 1967 or 1968 release.
[Note: Trademark info for Bub's Daddy shows a filing date of 2/2/1967 and a registration date of 1/30/1968. Interestingly, the trademark shows as being renewed in 1988 and appears to currently be held by the Hershey Company.]
Donruss - Bub's Daddy bubble gum trade ad - 1971
I’ve speculated that Bowman’s BUB bubble gum could have been a predecessor to Bub’s Daddy, but this would appear to not be the case. I can find no linkages between the brands or Bowman and Donruss.
Bowman - BUB bubble gum wrapper - 1950's - Courtesy Dan Goodsell
Bub’s Daddy was a popular product throughout the 1970′s and into the 1980′s, but if it lasted past that decade, I’ve found no proof of it.
Produced as a long cylindrical stick of gum, Bub’s Daddy made for a sharp package design. Unlike the softer gums that would follow, Bub’s Daddy took some work to start, so a stick could last a while.
Due to the kind of the plastic used, over time Bub’s Daddy wrappers tend to become brittle and easily damaged. This has made surviving examples difficult to find. Even so, a few full watermelon Bub’s Daddy display boxes have made their way to collectors, providing an ample source of at least one flavor wrapper.
Bub's Daddy Watermelon 10-cent display box - mid 70's - Courtesy Dan Goodsell
Bub's Daddy gum photo - Courtesy Tom Edler
Originally sold in five different flavors, one more would later be added to make it six. Those first packs sported a printed-on 5-cent price, but would transition to 10-cents, before removing pricing from the wrappers entirely.
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Apple - 5-cent bubble gum pack wrapper - early 1970's
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Apple - 10-cent bubble gum pack wrapper - 1970's - Courtesy Dan Goodsell
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Apple un-priced pack wrapper partial - 1977 - Courtesy Dan Goodsell
My assumption with Bub’s Daddy wrappers is that the 5-cent packs came first, followed by the 10-cent variety, finally concluding with non-priced packages. However, the cherry wrappers I’ve found make me question that.
The 5-cent variety has an all pink/red color scheme, while the 10-cent pack goes for a dramatically different yellow and crimson, leaving a non-priced package with the original colors. I’d be surprised to see the packaging color scheme change, only to change back. So I’m uncertain on precisely how the packaging evolved.
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Cherry - 5-cent bubble gum pack wrapper - 1970's
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Cherry - 10-cent bubble gum pack wrapper - 1970's - Courtesy Dan Goodsell
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Cherry - no-price bubble gum pack wrapper - 1970's - courtesy Dan Goodsell
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Grape - 5-cent bubble gum pack wrapper - 1970's
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Grape bubble gum pack wrapper partial - 1977 - courtesy Dan Goodsell
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Red Hot - 5-cent bubble gum pack wrapper - 1970's
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Red Hot - gum pack wrappers - 1975 and 1978 - courtesy Dan Goodsell
Donruss - Bub's Daddy Bubble Gum - Watermelon - candy gum package - 1970's
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Watermelon bubble gum 7-8 oz pack wrapper partial - 1977 - courtesy Dan Goodsell
The one flavor extension I’ve found evidence of is this fruit wrapper:
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Fruit- 10-cent bubble gum pack wrapper - 1977 - courtesy Dan Goodsell
The classic Bub’s Daddy design lasted until 1978 or 1979, when it was given an updated look that would seem to have carried it to the end of its run:
Bub's Daddy late-run wrapper partials - 1979-1984 - courtesy Dan Goodsell
Also coming from these later years of the brand is this display box top:
Donruss - Bub's Daddy - Grape 15-cent bubble gum display box lid - 1979 - courtesy Dan Goodsell
Donruss became a part of the Leaf company in 1984, and at least for a time after that Bub’s Daddy continued to be produced.
Though no longer around, I’m told that Donruss used this exact formula for their other big gum product Super Bubble.
Donruss - Super Bubble 2-cent bubble gum wrapper - 1970's
Super Bubble is still produced, so if you’re looking to recapture part of that Bub’s Daddy experience, or you’re curious as to what I’ve been talking about today, track some down.
Wrapping up today with a great image from at 1984 Leaf Brands trade ad. [This was during a time when Leaf had merged with or acquired Switzer-Clark, Jolly Rancher, and Donruss - becoming one of the largest candy companies in the country.] This image presents a fun gathering of these divergent brands:
Leaf - Bub's Daddy and more - trade ad - 1984
Bubs Daddy was another favorite, again because you could make it last so long. Apple was my favorite. I can still taste it.
I’ve submitted an inquiry with Hershey to find out whether they do hold the patent. Similarly, I’ve been looking for Bubs Daddy since the 80′s and ran across a woman from MD, while in FL this past week who was also trying to track it down. With such a widespread following, whoever holds the patent has an instant market with all of us. My grandfather used to buy this for my sister and me in the local general store in Wilson Creek, WA. We used to beg for it to be our Christmas gift. I loved the Red Hot version and completely forgot about it until reading this. Maybe we will all get lucky and someone will be smart enough to relaunch it!
It’s on the market as super bubble, they bought the recipe from Hershey
Tis was so interesting to me. I loved that gum growing up and recently tried to find it in a nostalgic candy store -with no avail, unfortunately. Guess I’ll have to try the super bubble. Thanks for the history.
My friends and I would buy all the flavors of this gum.Watermelon,Green Apple,Cherry…At the Old Country Store in Union Park,Fl. all the time.The best soft gum ever..I wish we all could buy it again.The memories back then were so awesome.I went to Union Park Jr.High in Orlando,Florida and those times were special!
I recently bought a watermelon gum that reminded me so much of the flavor of Bub’s Daddy. It brought back some sweet memories!
Here’s a link to the web site so you can see what I’m referring to. It is called “Prism”
http://www.wrigley.com/global/brands/5-gum.aspx
I agree! I tried the Prism flavor of 5 gum just the other day and the first taste took me back to Bubs Daddy. So similar. But after you chew the 5 gum for awhile the taste changes a bit. Not quite the same.
I wish they would bring Bubs Daddy back – would love to share this childhood memory with my kids.
Choco-lite bars and Marathon bars too.
Marathon Bars….they last a good looooooong time!!!They were my favorite candy bar. I recall they had a ruler on the back of the package so you knew it was as long as they claimed it was. If we could only go back for a day or two….
My mom absolutely hated it when I had a mouth full of apple bubs daddy. I swear she could smell it a block it away and would start with the “What is that smell?”.. Ahh.. the joy of being a kid and making your mom crazy.
That is to funny, my mom said the same thing. Apple was my favorite flavor. Wish I was a kid again. Memories like this are never forgotten.
So true. Just reading these comments nearly brought tears to my eyes. My friends parents and my parents hated those things, but as kids we loved em’. They would always tell us our teeth would fall out if we kept chewing those things. How wrong they were…I lost my teeth playing hockey. The joke is on you Mom!!! Such fantastic and wonderful memories. I will always cherish them.
I wish someone would get one of the companies to make it again they would be a instant hit at any price……
I loved Bub’s Daddy water melon and grape! I so miss them!!!!
Grape and apple was my favorite. My girlfriends and I would try to get the whole piece in our mouth. It was impossible to do but fun trying. I’d give anything for the candy store where I lived as a child to reopen so I could get penny cookies and bubs daddy!!
the corner sweet shop in cranford, NJ had the best bubs daddy in 1967. pleez sell it again………..timmy claire sold it.
the penny shop in cranford NJ sold bubs daddy and the blue satellite gum balls as well in 1968 near the train station.
I absolutely LOVED reading these comments. I could still taste the gum the second I saw those wrappers. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. I was in elementary and jr. high in the 1970′s, and the memories are great. In elementary school when it was someones b-day, they would always bring in two boxes or so of Bubs Daddy’s to share with the class. I clearly recall riding our bikes up to the Tom Thumb store in our neighborhood to buy Bubs Daddy’s and Marathon Candy Bars. It was a much simpler time back then. Just wonderful, wonderful, memories that I will cherish forever.
I agree with you , Kurt. I remember the
Bub’b Daddy like it was yesterday. My older
cousin and I liked it; I particulary remember
the green apple. I loved it. I also miss the
Charms pops in lemon and lime. Those have gone by the wayside as well. Wouldn’t it be
great to go back for a day? I miss my grandmas and everything then. Childhood for
me was great. My mother and I reminisce
all the time about how it was then. It will
never be the same again.