BBH Singapore’s ‘Unthinkables!’: The Chewing Gum That Breaks No Laws But All the Rules

By The Malketeer

When BBH Singapore set out to mark the city-state’s 60th birthday, they could’ve played it safe — a nostalgic film, a patriotic anthem, or perhaps a Merlion plushie.

Instead, they chose to chew on the unthinkable.

Unthinkables!, Singapore’s first technically legal chewing gum, is more than a cheeky wink at the country’s infamous gum ban. It’s a clever, calculated act of creative rebellion.

This candy isn’t illegal because it isn’t gum. It’s a water-soluble, hyper-chewy sweet engineered to look, taste, and feel like chewing gum — minus the banned gum base.

And that’s the brilliance of it.

Creativity That Disobeys Without Offending

Singapore’s 1992 chewing gum ban is both urban legend and living law. The fines are real — from S$500 up to S$100,000.

Most brands wouldn’t dare touch the topic. But BBH not only touched it — they chewed it up and spat it out. Ethically, of course.

In partnership with Irene Chan, sugarcrafter and founder of Oni Cupcakes, BBH created Unthinkables! after testing more than 60 prototypes.

Every batch was a study in flavour, elasticity, and chew.

The result? A product that thrills the mouth and tickles the brain.

But this isn’t just a novelty treat or PR stunt.

A Showcase Disguised as Sweet Rebellion

Each chew comes with a QR code — a portal into BBH Singapore’s unapologetically unthinkable portfolio.

Scan it and you might find Heinekicks, the beer-turned-footwear campaign. Or Trapped, the horror film that sold travel insurance.

This isn’t candy. It’s a canvas.

“It’s unthinkable to launch chewing gum in Singapore,” says Sascha Kuntze, Chief Creative Officer at BBH Singapore.

“Just like it was unthinkable to design a puffer jacket for the tropics to launch an extra-refreshing beer. But that’s the point. Creativity lets us solve problems by making the impossible possible.”

Unthinkables! is not just a product — it’s proof. A playful, provocative showcase of what happens when cultural insight meets legal finesse.

Turning Legal Limits Into Launchpads

What others see as barriers, BBH sees as springboards.

The gum ban isn’t just a law. It’s part of Singapore’s cultural identity — a quirk turned calling card.

Rather than dodge it, BBH embraced it. They took the ban and made it their brief: create the impossible, legally.

And in doing so, they sparked something far bigger than laughs.

Unthinkables! has become a conversation starter. Not just about gum — but about boldness in brand storytelling.

It’s proof that brave ideas don’t need to shout. They just need to chew through the noise — with wit, charm, and cultural intelligence.

What Can Marketers Learn From This?

• Constraints fuel creativity. BBH thrived because of the ban, not in spite of it.
• Root it in truth. This campaign resonates because it taps into a uniquely Singaporean paradox — pride and policing.
• Blend physical and digital. QR codes turned this sweet into a gateway. Not gimmicky — just smart.
• Make it snackable. What better way to own the attention economy than by going straight to the mouth?

Why This Matters Beyond Singapore

Unthinkables! isn’t just a local lark. It’s a Southeast Asian case study in smart, subversive creativity.

It proves that in even the most regulated markets, bold storytelling is possible — if it’s sharp, respectful, and deeply relevant.

In a world drowning in safe ideas and template-driven campaigns, a fake gum might just be the most authentic thing we’ve seen all year.