The gripes on this blog are carefully selected. I take brand criticism very seriously because my career is about marketing and managing products and business lines intended for mass market consumption. I don't throw out critiques carelessly. Consider that when you read my thoughts on the new "power gum" products.
Years ago, I worked at Nabisco, one of the biggest companies in the candies and gums space. I know a thing or two about gum, and gum development. I was working at Nabisco when "IceBreaker", the original power gum was launched. IceBreaker was meant to be far and away the most powerful tasting and smelling gum around. But, by today's standards, the gum is child's play. Over the last two years, I'm personally experiencing some of the downside risk of power gums.
A quick search of gum-related injuries turned up tons of complaints about "Big Red" gum. These symptoms and problems aren't limited to Big Red though. Twice in the last 18 months, I've given "5 Gum" a try, and for my patronage I experienced one of the most painful injuries of my life. I remind you, as a former collegiate and professional athlete, I've broken dozens of bones, torn cartilage and ligaments multiple times. I recently broke a tooth in half -- the sores from 5 gum were much worse.
Here's what happens. I chewed a piece of 5 Gum during a workout in early March -- I chewed it for about an hour. My tongue was going numb after the workout. I couldn't taste anything for about a week. I was totally bummed, because I knew what was coming next. Painful red sores showed up on the edge of my tongue and after several weeks, the sores receded and my taste-buds peeled over another week. For the last four weeks, taste is slowing returning to me. But some tastes are still altered.
How did I know what would follow the sores? Because the same thing happened to me just over a year ago. 5 Gum was the common denominator. I chew gum frequently -- usually after drinking coffee. I've been chewing milder gums from Starbucks, Juicy Fruit and others. I figured the flavoring of 5 Gum was the root cause of the first instance, because I felt no side effects from other gums for over a year. But, after trying the new 5 Gum flavors this March, I know that it is something about 5 Gum ingredients that is causing this issue.
IMHO, 5 Gum has a problem: There's no warnings on the labels, no disclosures about the potential for burning or sores or adverse reactions to flavorings or ingredients, which prompts the question -- what does Wrigley know about this gum? Do press and media know what's going on with 5 Gum, Big Red and other powerfully-flavored gums? If this flavoring is doing this to my tongue, what are the other harmful side effects. This looks like huge potential for an ugly set of disclosures and law suits somewhere in the future.
Summary: Something is wrong with 5 gums, and based on what I'm reading in online forums, other gums are having similar issues. I don't know exactly what it is, but the exaggerated colors and flavors should be our warning.
I think you are onto something!! That damn 5 gum just gave me the worst sores on my tongue EVER!! I've been trying to cut back on my eating, so I started chewing it instead of snacking all day, and now I'm in awful pain!! I'm pretty sure it's the gum because I've chewed it off and on for about a year, and I seem to get these painful taste buds every time!! I'll never chew it again after this!!!
Posted by: April Lee | August 25, 2010 at 11:00 PM
I definitely think something is up with Five gum as well. Back in early 2010 I got a few packs of 2 different flavors, Flare (cinnamon) and Elixir (berry/fruit). While I had no issues and enjoyed Elixir, any time I tried Flare, my tongue would end up the next day feeling like I'd rubbed it along sandpaper, sometimes with sores along either side. In the past I've been able to chew cinnamon flavored gums just fine, so I didn't know if this was an allergic reaction (I don't have any known allergies) or what, but I quit using the Flare flavor.
It's been about a year since I last tried Flare so I thought I'd give it another go, but once again my tongue is now rough feeling as well as having sores along one side.
I definitely know better than to try it any more, but I'm sad since I did enjoy the flavor. Are there any cinnamon gums out there that won't cause painful reactions like this?
Posted by: Mouser | May 05, 2011 at 12:27 AM
THER IS SUMTHINK RONG WETH 5 GUM I BOTE (RAIN) FLEVER AND LIKE A HAFAN HOUWER LATER MY CHEST STORTED 2 HERTR RILLE BAD AND IM 13 THERS SUMTHING RONG WETH THE 5 GUM CUMPUNY WE NEED 2 DO SUMTHING BE 4 SUME 1 GETS HERT
Posted by: Said Rakilam | July 09, 2011 at 06:44 AM