Orbit gum will be rebranded as Extra from January

Wrigley has unveiled plans to incorporate Orbit into its Extra portfolio from January, alongside launching two new soft-chew flavours.

Extra will be redesigned and the transition will be supported by a £15m marketing campaign. Wrigley hopes the move will strengthen their range by putting Orbit under a brand that they have supported more.

Sue Cobbledick, Wrigley oral care marketing manager, said: “2014 was an incredibly successful year for Extra. Bringing Orbit under the Extra umbrella and strengthening our soft-chew offering will pave the way for even further growth.”

The change will be communicated on packs and by in-store PoS. New Extra Peppermint and Spearmint will initially carry the message: “The new name for Orbit”.

New Strawberry and Bubblegum soft–chew flavours will be also launched into the Extra range. Designed to attract new younger people to the category, the release will be supported by a 16-week long TV advertising campaign focussing on oral healthcare.

Wrigley will also make 5,000 new LED Counter top units available to retailers. The units were found to boost sales by an average of 16% in trials and are designed to accommodate the new developments.