Japan Launches App to Check Chewing Ability by Chewing Gum... Changing Gum Market

Chewing Gum for Cognitive Ability Check and Exercise... Unique Marketing
Gum Market Recovery After COVID-19... Revival in Focus

An application (app) that can check health indicators such as masticatory ability using chewed gum has been released in Japan. Unique marketing strategies are being deployed to capture consumers' attention, including the re-release of gum with designs that were popular in the past. There is also analysis suggesting that the gum market, which had significantly contracted during the COVID-19 period, is gradually recovering.

On the 6th, Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported that food companies related to gum are implementing various marketing strategies to revive the shrinking gum market. A representative example is Lotte Japan. Since 2018, Lotte has established "Kamukoto Kenkyusho," meaning "Chewing Laboratory," to research and promote the effects of gum, and since February, they have released an app that allows users to measure their masticatory ability using gum and a smartphone.

How to use the chewing gum for measuring writing ability by Japan Lotte's 'Kamukoto Kenkyusho'. (Photo by Kamukoto Kenkyusho website)

The masticatory ability measurement is simple. First, chew a special measurement gum 60 times for one minute, place it on a measurement paper, take a photo with a smartphone, and send it to the app. The gum, which contains citric acid and coloring agents, changes color depending on chewing force and saliva secretion.

The smartphone app scores the color from 1.0 to 10.0 to evaluate masticatory ability. For example, if the score is 6.2 or below, it is rated below average, and a message saying "Be mindful of chewing regularly" appears. The app states, "Differences in chewing strength are related to health and have a considerable impact on the body, including influencing physical performance."

Lotte originally released this gum in 2004 exclusively for dental sales. Later, under the supervision of the University of Tokyo's dental school, they developed an app that analyzes image data through gum. Recently, they have been actively promoting agreements with local governments and dental associations, signing accords last month with Saitama Prefecture and Tokyo.

Instructions for Using the Literacy Check Application (App) by Lotte Kamukoto Kenkyusho in Japan. (Photo by Lotte Kamukoto Kenkyusho Homepage)

In addition, they are marketing sports gum called "Gear," which promotes the connection between exercise and chewing strength, and re-releasing gum with designs that were wildly popular in the 1990s.

Mondel?z Japan targeted the "? (datsu) mask" trend after COVID-19. They launched "Clorets Shita Clear," a gum containing aroma ingredients that reduce tongue contamination, addressing the increased importance of oral etiquette such as bad breath as people remove masks.

Mondel?z Japan's 'Clorets Cita Clear' advertisement. It promotes the product with the phrase that it cleans the tongue and eliminates bad breath. (Photo by Mondel?z Japan)

In Japan, demand for easy-to-chew jelly is rapidly increasing among younger generations, causing gum sales to gradually decline. However, it appears that demand is gradually recovering due to the timing of mask removal after COVID-19 and various corporate marketing efforts. According to Nikkei POS (point of sale) data aggregating sales from retail stores nationwide, gum sales volume in June increased by 11% compared to the same month last year. For Lotte as well, gum shipment value increased by 10% year-on-year during the same period.