- Bubble O' Bill
Bubble O' Bill is a brand of packaged
ice cream currently available in Australia, where it is manufactured by Streets, and formerly available in the US, where it was produced byGood Humor , and the UK. Because of its novel shape, it occupies the 'fun' segment of the ice cream market [ [http://www.c-store.com.au/magazine/article_view.php?id=95 Trying harder to tempt the cooling consumer] - Australian Convenience Store News, Sep/Oct 2006] .Composition
A Bubble O' Bill is a moulded
ice cream on a stick. Its outline resembles acowboy , "Bill". Three flavours ofice cream ,chocolate ,strawberry andcaramel , are used to give detail to Bill's face, including his mouth, eyes and hat. The hat also features a hole, designed to represent a gunshot. The reverse of the ice cream is coated with a layer of milk chocolate.However, unlike his other features, the cowboy's nose is made up of a ball of
bubblegum . This is the reason for the "Bubble" part of the ice cream's name. The gumball varies in colour and would once bear printed "wild west " sayings, such as, "Go for your guns" and, "It's a hoe-down". However, it is reputed to be of poor quality compared to other gum.Cultural importance
The Bubble O' Bill was first introduced into the US market by
New Jersey companyGood Humor in1985 , [Lacter, M. "The Hot New Ice Cream Craze", "The San Francisco Chronicle", June 19, 1985. ] but achieved particular success in Australia, where it continues to be available. The Bubble O' Bill is popular with Australian children because of its unique shape and free bubblegum. However, adults who once enjoyed the ice cream continue to comment on its value for money, as it contained three flavours of ice cream, chocolate and bubblegum. [http://community.livejournal.com/talkin_snack/9047.html]Australian musical comedy trio Tripod once performed a song about Bubble O' Bill's supposed status as a hero. [http://mosh.server101.com/vb/archive/index.php?t-35.html]
Name
The name "Bubble O' Bill" is a pun which refers to the US Old West figure,
Buffalo Bill , and the bubblegum which accompanies the ice cream. However, it is not clear how the name "Bubble O' Bill" as used by Streets relates to the1950's toy of the same name manufactured in the United States. The toy was shaped like a cowboy hat and allowed the user to blow bubbles. [http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1954/03/13/1954_03_13_024_TNY_CARDS_000243349]References
External links
* [http://www.unilever.com.au/ourbrands/foods/streets_products/default.asp Unilever Australasia Streets Product Range including Bubble O' Bill]
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