Do You Remember The Words To The Big Red Jingle?
Even if you aren't a big cinnamon supporter, you might have hummed Wrigley's catchy number for Big Red gum a time or two. The uplifting tune, which advertises one of the top-ranked chewing gums by rewarding fresh breath with plenty of smooching, appealed to many romantics over the years.
The classic commercials, shared on YouTube, first debuted on the cusp of the 1980s and ran for an impressive stretch through most of the '90s. Peter Cofield, a successful commercial lyricist, was the creative genius behind the famous ditty. As noted by The New York Times, Cofield, who passed away in 2010, was an exceptional musician who is responsible for the musical flair in many renowned commercials, including for Pepsi and Gillette. Woman's Day, which lists the ad among "The All-Time Catchiest Commercials," reports that it was almost broadcast into the current millennium, airing until 1998.
The ad's near two decades of airtime help explain why its lyrics are imprinted in so many minds. With a few variations, the cheerful commercials always proclaim that "Big Red freshness lasts right through it, your fresh breath goes on and on while you chew it." Ring any bells?
Big Red's jingle is still a hit more than 40 years later
Gum-making guru William Wrigley Jr., who was originally a soap salesman, started gifting chewing gum to his loyal customers in 1892 and soon went into gum-making full-time (via Snack History). The entrepreneur released Big Red in the 1970s, according to the Los Angeles Times, and the iconic jingle came a few years later.
Big Red soon became well known for its catchy commercials. Even after all of these years, many people still can't get enough of the jingle. Multiple other renditions have been made, including Ne-Yo's cover from 2008 (via YouTube). Verizon also appealed to '80s and '90s nostalgia when recreating the signature tune in a 2010 wireless coverage commercial (via YouTube).
Wrigley toyed with a few different campaigns for Big Red over the years, but none stuck like "A Little Longer." Before the celebration of fresh breath kisses, cowboys peddled Big Red by serenading salivating viewers (per YouTube) and pledging that the gum's zingy bite "makes your mouth come alive."
Prolific candy company Mars bought the family-owned Wrigley business in 2008, reports The Guardian. According to those new owners, now known as Mars Wrigley, the one and only Big Red has been the top-selling cinnamon gum since 1987. Those catchy commercials just might have something to do with it.
Do you remember all the words?