Wrigley's New Chewing Gum Packs a Dose of Caffeine

     Wrigley's is part of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. company, which is the largest gum company in the world.  The article states that they have a new gum, Alert,  coming out in April 2013.  This gum will be caffeine infused.  Their target audience are 25 years and older.  The concept and thought process behind this creation was to produce a "portable energy product that will let consumers control their caffeine consumption."  Just like the energy drinks that are out in the market Wrigley's too is receiving back lash against the gum for it's safety when used bykids and teenagers.  To combat this criticism Wrigley's has created a new brand and packaging for the Alert product line so it cannot be connected to the brands that the kids and teenagers are familiar with.  Wrigley's has decided to venture into this because the gum industry has been falling in popularity since 2010 and the caffeine infused products are so popular.
     Energy drinks and fancy coffees are all the rage so why not continue on that caffeine high and add caffeine gum into the mix.  I personally dislike energy drinks because I know they are extremely bad for you.  I had a few red bulls years ago and I hated the effect.  I could feel my heart beating so fast and there was nothing I could do.  I know Wrigley's is trying to be innovative and fill a niche but I think they could do this in another way. They could update their packaging or create new flavors.   I am sure Alert will be successful because so many people rely on their caffeine fix and gum is such a portable and easy product to keep with you.  Also, I know Wrigley's is branding Alert different than the other gums but it is still candy in the eyes of kids so I am sure they will receive more backlash once the gum hits shelves from parents and consumer groups.

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