Bubble O' Bill
Bubble O' Bill is a brand of packaged ice confection currently in Australia and New Zealand, manufactured under Unilever's Streets brand, and formerly available in the United States and United Kingdom under sister brands Good Humor and Wall's respectively.[1]
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
---|---|
Energy | 1,030 kJ (250 kcal) |
28 g | |
Sugars | 23 g |
13 g | |
4.0 g | |
Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
Potassium | 4% 169 mg |
Sodium | 0% 0.04 mg |
| |
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: Streets website |
Its name a pun on Old West figure Buffalo Bill, the ice cream resembles a cowboy, distinctive for having a gumball in place of a nose.
Composition
The Bubble O' Bill is a moulded ice cream on a stick, resembling a cowboy with a large hat, "Bill". Three flavours of ice cream are used to form the details of a Bubble O' Bill, strawberry for the face, caramel moustache details, and a chocolate hat, with a hole resembling a gunshot. The reverse of the ice cream is coated with a layer of milk chocolate.
In the place of a nose, a gumball is used, giving the product its name. While its packaging depicts the Bubble O' Bill character with a pink nose, and most marketing shows the product with a green gumball,[2] a variety of colours can be found. The gumball also formerly featured printed "wild west" sayings, such as "Go for your guns" and, "It's a hoe-down".
History
The Bubble O' Bill was first introduced into the US market in 1985 by New Jersey company Good Humor,[3] but achieved particular success in Australia, where it continues to be available, popular for its unique shape and bubblegum nose.
For a period of time, a similar product depicting popular television character Agro with a bubblegum nose was produced by Pauls.[4]
Popular culture
Australian musical comedy trio Tripod have performed a song suggesting Bubble O' Bill's possible hero status.[5]
References
- Trying harder to tempt the cooling consumer Archived 22 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine - Australian Convenience Store News, Sep/Oct 2006
- "Streets unveils new ads from campaign featuring cheeky Gaytime and Bubble O'Bill ad - mUmBRELLA". mUmBRELLA. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- Lacter, M. "The Hot New Ice Cream Craze", The San Francisco Chronicle, 19 June 1985.
- "ALF and Agro Ice Creams". Toltoys Kid. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- "Releases". 3pod.com.au. Retrieved 7 February 2016.