California Fruit, the first fruit-flavored
gum, was pioneered by Elkhorn, Indiana manufacturer Jonathan P. Primley,
an advertising genius who soon dubbed his Product Kiss-Me in an attempt to
capture the romance market in the early 1800s. At the time, according to
Harpers, chewing gum was "mainly a female accomplishment," the few men who
chewed gum 'supposed to do so by reason of gallantry." Kiss-Me gum gave
the boys still another reason: 'sparking." If a sweet young thing asked
for a stick of Kiss-Me, her escort could always claim she's said, "Kiss
me!" and proceed to honor her request. Other cut-ups of the day liked to
test whether the gum was really "Far Better Than a Kiss," Primley's
slogan. At any rate, the brand was so successful that Primley named his
concern the Kiss-Me Gum Company.