Throwback Thursday: Who invented Chappies bubblegum?
The cherished South African classic, Chappies, has an interesting history.
Many South Africans will tell you they fondly remember the classic Chappies bubblegum.
It was the most humble bubblegum that stood the test of time, especially in terms of creating nostalgia. Buying a Chappie didn't just come with the excitement of knowing you would have a chewy explosion of flavour; it also came with learning some general knowledge.
The 'Did You Know' section that included general facts made Chappies much more desirable.
The history behind this iconic brand, which has been around for more than 75 years, can be "traced back to a talented marketer from Johannesburg, Arthur Ginsberg, who worked at the Chapelat-Humphries confectionery factory. Ginsberg lived in Troyeville, Johannesburg, a suburb near the Chapelat Sweets factory known for its diverse range of confectionery—from premium chocolates to affordable toffees." (Business Tech)
Read more: Throwback Thursday to Durban's The Wheel
The brand's history stems from Frank Humphries from London in the 1900s, a middle-class man who got into toffee-making after his father passed away and had to find a job to help support his family.
But the man behind the Chappies gum idea was Arthur Ginsberg. After graduating from high school in the 1930s, he found a job as a cost accountant at Chapelat-Humphries. He worked there during the day while he studied towards a BCom Degree in the evenings.
After Chapelat-Humphries lost their biggest client, OK Bazaars, in the 1940s, they were left in a bind. But it was Ginsberg that found a way out for them. He noticed that Wicks bubblegum was selling at a penny and thought creating a gum that sold two for a penny was a good idea.
They began experimenting and came to create Chappies; the name was a play on Chapelet.
Check out a Chappies SA Facebook page post where they revealed their limited edition Creme Soda flavour.
"Launched in the late 1940s, the gum initially came in five flavours: lemon, orange, strawberry, cherry, and pineapple – all wrapped in a distinctive yellow wrapper with red and blue stripes." (Business Tech)
Ginsberg, a believer in advertising to promote products, wanted to make Chappies appealing to kids. He came up with the idea of including the 'Did You Know' questions on the wrappers. Initially, the questions came from the "Three Wise Men (Eric Rosenthal, Arthur Blexley and Dennis Glauber), the name of a popular quiz programme on Springbok Radio."
Later, the facts came from Wits University academics, leaving them with 5,000 to 6,000 facts in the early years.
Besides becoming a leader in the market, the brand grew in popularity and earned itself a spot in the Sunday Times, where it became a weekly cartoon by cartoonist Bob Connolly. Interestingly enough, the chipmunk that we know and love only came after this and was added to distinguish any substitutes in the market from the real Chappies.
"By the late 1970s, the brand had spread to Zambia, the Congo area, and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and held a local market share of 90%. Once the five flavours were established in the market, others were introduced: spearmint, peppermint, herbal, and silver fruit (a mix of the five flavours)." (Business Tech)
The brand's success comes from its love for innovation and intelligent marketing. In addition to being a market leader, Chappies even became the generic term for bubblegum.
Chappies SA currently hosts a Did You Know Challenge; check it out below, courtesy of Facebook.
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Image Courtesy of Facebook