Yesterday’s post on vending machine insert cards had me looking over some of my cool retail bubble gum pieces. One I recently added to my collection is a 1970’s Hip bubble gum cello pack wrapper from Leaf. Referred to as “color burst” bubble gum, it turns out its origins are a little more psychedelic…
Here’s the cello pack wrapper from 1978 that has the color burst tag:
Leaf – Hip – color burst bubble gum – cello candy package – 1977
I wasn’t sure of the exact date of this one or just what kind of gum that “Hip Bubble Gum” was. But a search through a pair of 1977 and 1978 trade magazines turned up these images of Hip display boxes, which answered both questions. I had thought that the pack might have contained multi-color gumballs, but my guess was wrong.
1977-78 Leaf Hip display box images.
Based upon those display box images, I was able to discern that the gum itself was some kind of multi-color pebble gum, or upon closer examination a multi-colored thick disc of pressed gum. It also revealed that the cello pack style I had was the exact kind that was on sale in 1977-78.
Figuring all that out was pretty satisfying, and I was ready to put a fork in my research on Leaf’s Hip bubble gum. But then, during an e-mail exchange with fellow collector Lance Laurie, he mentioned a “psychedelic bubble gum” package he found a dozen years earlier. I was curious about this package, and it turns out that what he had was an earlier version of Leaf’s Hip gum – and it was awesome.
Lance sent along the following image, so that I could include it in today’s post on the brand.
Leaf – Hip – Psychedelic bubble gum – 1960’s early 70’s – Courtesy Lance Laurie
It’s great to see what I’m guessing is the original “Hip” gum in all its psychedelic glory. The “Hip” name also makes a bit more sense, when placing it back into the era of groovy-hippie marketing.
I think it’s safe to guess that Hip didn’t last into the 80’s. As trends changed, I suspect that Hip just wasn’t hip anymore, and it faded away from store shelves. But at least we get to appreciate what they were.
And that’s everything for today’s post on this psychedelic, color-bursting bubble gum.
See you next time!
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Geez–I remember this gum! I thought I was going crazy because no one I’ve ever talked with had ever heard of it or seen it. But I remember it in stores in the 1960s (I think.) It was a thick disk made up of different colors of gum all pressed together. If only someone could unearth a clear photo of the gum itself! It was sooo cool. Thanks for the memories. 🙂
THANK YOU!! Wow – I, too, thought I was going crazy. No one, but no one other then my brother, thought that this gum ever existed. I asked friends, neighbors, searched E-bay and Google to no avail. I put the challenge to a really good friend and she just today came across your pictures. Her only clue was that the gum was called either “HIP” or “Hi”, could not recall 100%. I did recall that it came in a clear package with yellow borders and that, as I described it to all – “It was a multicolored puck of gum shaped like a “Gainsburger” (lol – remember those, too?). We, even those that did not remember the gum use to buy it and eat it whole, a mouthful of gum with syrup and well… it could be a bit sloppy if you could not keep your mouth shut, lol. Wish someone would bring this back! Thanks again for your dedication!
/Mitch
Mitch,
Thank-you for your recollection. Glad I could help solve the mystery. 🙂
-Jason
I remember this gum it was a favorite along with buns daddy bubble gum and Broadway licorice. No one I knows can remember this gum, had to buy it at the cafe in my hometown.
I bought this candy all the timr at our corner store. It wsd great and turned your mouth colors.
WOW! I thought I would never see this again I’m 55yrs old, and I’m trying find all 0f my favs. Thanks for knowing the name and posting it. All I knew was, it’s psychedelic. And Google found it. Thanks. Now I’m looking for peach cherry balls
I want a package, are there any left in existance?
Oh my Gosh finally!!!! I have looked everywhere for a trace of my once favorite gum from the corner store in the late 60’s. That version was mostly black gum with multicolored chips all pressed together. I loved it! Thank you so much please keep looking for a picture of the black/multi colored one; would LOVE to see it.
My Sister and I was talking about this gum..My dad used to bring it home for us..We loved it..I wish they would make more of it!!