Company History
In 1938, four brothers, Abram, Ira, Philip and Joseph Shorin, founded The Topps
Company, Inc., a company that went on to become the world's best known manufacturer
of bubble gum and trading cards with products sold in 40 countries.
Their original concept was to market a product with strong consumer appeal that
could carry a brand name and be consumable. They began by marketing single pieces
of conventional chewing gum. Priced at one-cent each, these became popular "change-makers"
on store counters throughout the country.
The company name, "Topps," evolved from the Shorins' goal of making
it "tops" in the field, with the extra "P" added for distinctive
identity. During World War II, the company's defense-minded slogan, "Don't Talk
Chum, Chew Topps Gum," became a catchphrase among American soldiers and civilians
working in defense plants.
BAZOOKA BUBBLE GUM
It was after the war ended that Topps developed its bubble gum product. Originally
offered in a five-cent size, it took its name from the shape of the humorous musical
instrument which entertainer Bob Burns had fashioned from two gas pipes and a funnel
in the 1930s. (This contraption also gave its name to the armor-piercing weapon developed
during the war).
Bazooka, with its distinctive name, taste, and red, white and blue logo and packaging,
soon became a familiar part of Americana. As a matter of fact, a psychological study
of tastes and smells that bring back memories found that one of the most frequently
identified items was Bazooka Bubble Gum.
Another familiar aspect of Bazooka is the popular series of Bazooka Joe comics,
first introduced in 1953 to add extra interest for youngsters through a distinctive
comic character who would be identified with the product. Bazooka Joe's eye patch
was added by the Topps Creative Department for extra distinctiveness.
In addition to reading the comics, thousands of youngsters each year send in for
the premiums that are offered on these comics.
BASEBALL CARDS
Topps has been synonymous with baseball cards since 1951.
Actually, the first baseball cards were issued in the 1880s, some 20 years before
the American League was organized in 1901. The early baseball cards were included
with cigarettes, and they dominated the trading card field through the early part
of the 20th century.
In 1933, bubble gum came on the market and with it a new type of picture card
of heavy cardboard, averaging 2 1/2 by three inches in size. These were quite popular
until their production was halted by World War II.
Topps entered the baseball card field in the post-World War II period with its
first series in 1951. The series consisted of two individual sets of 52 cards each.
They were designed so that each set of 52 could be used to play a game of baseball.
The following year saw the introduction of the baseball cards which have become
the prototype for all of the Topps cards issued since -- a larger card that included
statistics, personal information, team emblems and color pictures of the players.
OTHER PRODUCTS
In addition to Bazooka Bubble Gum and sports cards, Topps produces a wide variety
of gum, candy, cards, albums and stickers.
Bazooka itself is now available in a wide variety of flavors and forms, including
Original, Grape, Cherry and the Berries flavors, as well as Soft Bazooka, Sugarless
Bazooka and Squeeze Bazooka in a toothpaste-like tube with the familiar red, white
and blue Bazooka design.
Popular gum and candy products introduced by Topps include Thumb Fun, a lollipop
that fits over a youngster's thumb, the Juice Bubble Gum line, offering orange, grape
and other juice-flavored gum nuggets in miniature juice containers like those in
a supermarket, and gum and candy characters molded in the shape of popular movie
and TV characters.
Topps "editorial" cards and stickers began with Hopalong Cassidy, Davey
Crockett and Elvis Presley in the 1950s. Subsequent series included the Beatles,
Star Trek, Star Wars, E.T. and Michael Jackson. More recent hits have been Jurassic
Park, Star Wars Galaxy, Batman Animated, Dracula, Home Alone II and Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles.
From time to time, the company has also created products parodying popular fads
and recognized products. These products have included Nasty Valentines, Wacky Packages
and Garbage Pail Kids.
Among Topps' publications is Topps Comics, which include Dracula, Jurassic Park
and Ray Bradbury Comics.
Topps was acquired in a leveraged buyout acquisition by a group led by Forstmann
Little & Co. and Topps management in 1984. The company became publicly-held in
1987.
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