Dubble Bubble is an American brand of fruit-flavored bubble gum, typically recognized by its pink color. It holds the distinction of being the world's first commercially successful bubble gum, invented in 1928 by Walter Diemer, an accountant at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia. The creation of Dubble Bubble was somewhat accidental. Frank Fleer, the company's founder, had previously attempted to create a bubble gum called "Blibber Blubber" in 1906, but it proved too sticky and easily broke, leading to its commercial failure. Walter Diemer, in his spare time, experimented with Fleer's gum base and stumbled upon a unique recipe that was less sticky and more pliable, perfect for blowing bubbles. The original Dubble Bubble gum was pink because the factory only had pink food coloring available at the time, a reason why many bubble gums remain pink today. To test its appeal, 100 pieces were wrapped and sold for a penny each at a local candy store, selling out on the first day. The company then marketed it as "Dubble Bubble," and it became a huge success, with sales surpassing $1.5 million in its first year. Initially, each piece of Dubble Bubble included a color comic strip called "Fleer Funnies," featuring characters Dub and Bub, who were introduced in 1930. These characters were later replaced by Pud and his pals in 1950.
