Mindful Chewing

I'm an infrequent gum chewer. I buy a pack before boarding a plane, when needing a breath freshener, or am feeling some stress and need something to chew on.

"Mindfulness" ad is not meant for boomers.

Mars Wrigley has come to the realization that we boomers aren't the demographic that will lead a chewing-gum revival and have designed a new marketing campaign [bold added]

that jettisons typical category promises such as fresh breath or great taste.

Mars is instead promoting its Orbit and Extra gum brands through the lens of mindfulness, purporting that mastication can silence anxious thoughts, improve focus or boost confidence. “Quiet your mind mouth with Extra Gum,” one ad concludes...

commercials in other countries lean more obviously into the idea of mental wellness with surrealist images of mouths in the middle of people’s foreheads.

Surrealist images of mouths evoke a negative reaction in this consumer--is that psychologically revealing?--but these ads have no influence on my gum-purchasing decision anyway.

Having no clue to what the TikTok generation will respond to, I wish Mars Wrigley--two venerable brand names--success.