Bazooka Rebrands Candy for New Generation

NEW YORK -- Bazooka Candy Brands, a division of The Topps Co., is looking to rebrand its classic candy products such as Ring Pop and Push Pop with the guidance of a new marketing team, according to an AdAge report. This follows the company's late November announcement that it was changing the logo and packaging of its flagship Bazooka bubble gum.

"What we are trying to do is define what kids love about each of our brands at a more emotional level than just a product benefit," Scott Utke, marketing director for Bazooka's non-gum brands, told the news outlet.

This week, Bazooka debuted a new TV ad campaign for Push Pop that combines live action footage with computer-generated imagery, according to the report. Ads will air on networks with high child viewership, including Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. The ad for Push Pop will highlight the product's durability and "the fact that it can keep up with your fast-paced and active lifestyle and also that it can be capped and saved for later," Utke said.

New variations on existing candy, such as Ring Pop Gummies, will also launch this year.

In the past, Bazooka primarily focused on lollipops, but the company sees a "huge opportunity" to extend its brands into adjacent categories, according to Utke.

Although some nostalgic fans were disappointed that Bazooka gum will no longer come wrapped in its signature comic strips, the company tried to recreate the sense of fun they provided, Utke noted. Puzzles and simple activities will replace the comics.

A new ad campaign for Bazooka gum will kick off later in 2013, according to the report.

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