Cheek This Out: The Chewing Gum That Could Save a Life
Two years ago, adam&eveDDB New York had an idea, a “shockingly simple” one. Perhaps joining the stem cell registry could be as straightforward as chewing a piece of gum.
Fast forward to 1st August 2025, and that initial idea made its debut at Citi Field during the New York Mets vs. San Francisco Giants game – ‘Hero Gum’ – the result of science, creativity, manufacturing and legal, working in sync to launch a category-changing initiative.
Gift of Life Marrow Registry is no stranger to pioneering sampling techniques. The non-profit introduced cheek swabs for tissue collecting back in 2001, but realised that certain communities and demographics were still unlikely to commit to becoming donors, and since the pandemic, people had begun to associate swabs with uncomfortable testing kits. Looking for a less invasive way to collect DNA samples, adam&eveDDB New York’s chewing gum idea offered a welcome solution.
A lengthy testing process by Labcorp followed, determining that chewing gum could be used to extract the tissue typing needed to join the registry. Lastly, Wrigley’s DOUBLEMINT came on board as a brand partner to bring ‘Hero Gum’ to life.
An example of work that makes a real difference to people’s lives, the initiative was driven by a desire to remove barriers to donor registration, making the process more fun and engaging - especially to a younger audience, who are notably lacking from registers.
To find out more about the creation of ‘Hero Gum’, how it was received, and how the initiative will continue to live on, LBB’s Abi Lightfoot spoke with Marti Freund, chief operations officer, Gift of Life Marrow Registry, Alan Perlman, executive director, adam&eveDDB New York, Mussashi Shintaku, creative director, adam&eveDDB New York, and Dr. Brian Caveney, chief medical & scientific officer, Labcorp.
LBB> This initiative was two years in the making. Can you share more about the journey from the initial idea to the distribution of Hero Gum at Citi Field on August 1st?
Alan> Hero Gum started as a shockingly simple idea: could we make joining the marrow registry as easy and familiar as chewing gum? Turning that spark into reality meant collaborating across science, brand, and creative, partnering with Labcorp to validate the gum-based DNA method and with DOUBLEMINT to use a product people would actually want to engage with. It took a couple of years to test and validate the idea and develop the storytelling. Launching also with an in-person activation at Citi Field on August 1st was both the culmination of that journey and the beginning of a much bigger one. We are excited to see what will be in store for the next two years!
LBB> The launch film reframes something often seen as quite ugly – used chewing gum – into a potentially lifesaving tool. How did you originally land upon the idea of seeing used gum as something more than trash, and was it hard to convince others to believe in the idea?
Mussashi> It was really important for this client to shift the perception around bone marrow donation. There’s so much misinformation out there, especially among younger audiences, that many people don’t even consider registering. So, the main goal was to show how easy the process actually is.
Using gum as a tool to register made everything feel more casual and approachable. It makes you wonder why you haven’t joined the registry already, since it’s that easy.
Gift of Life loved the idea from the very beginning! For context, they were the pioneers of the cheek swab method, so embracing another simple, groundbreaking approach felt like a natural next step for them.
LBB> The press release states, “At its core, this campaign is about broadening awareness and saving more lives.” Marti, how did Gift of Life identify the gaps in engagement around donor registration?
Marti> Young people, 18-30, are the ones most often requested by transplant centres as donors, so our challenge is always in how to engage them. During the pandemic everyone began to associate swabs with COVID and painful sinuses! We’ve used swabs since 2001 for tissue typing to determine matches, but we wanted a way of collecting samples that would be fun and appeal to young people in a new way. One of our colleagues at adam&eveDDB found an article about 6,000-year-old human DNA being extracted from pieces of birch bark gum that ancient people chewed, and we became incredibly excited! We reached out to our testing partner, Labcorp, to run verification tests on chewing gum – could we extract the tissue typing needed for people to join the registry? Months of testing later, they came back with a big “Yes!” We were thrilled when Wrigley’s DOUBLEMINT – a timeless and familiar gum – agreed to pitch in for this campaign.
LBB> And why was Hero Gum the solution to tap into those unengaged audiences/communities?
Marti> Gum appeals to everyone: people who love sports and people who love videogames, people of all ages, and people from every cultural background and ethnicity. Gum is fun – it doesn’t have the “medical processing” stigma that swabs have, so it makes joining the registry more light-hearted and appealing. People who are put off by the swabs are happy to spend a few minutes chewing a stick of gum as they sign up. It’s more playful and upbeat! And it should be – they’re volunteering to give someone a second chance at life, and what could be more hopeful than that?
LBB> Why was DOUBLEMINT® the right partner to bring Hero Gum to life?
Alan> DOUBLEMINT brings a sense of familiarity as a household name, which was exactly the tone we wanted to strike when asking people to engage with something as serious as donor registration. The ever-present brand is rooted in everyday moments, which I think made the perfect foil to something often intimidating.
LBB> Brian, can you share more about the process from chewing to testing? What are the steps involved and how long does the process take?
Brian> The ‘Hero Gum’ campaign is a groundbreaking initiative that makes joining the Gift of Life marrow donor registry as easy – and as familiar – as chewing a piece of gum. Here’s how the process works:
Chew the Gum: Participants chew a specially chosen piece of Hero Gum for about five minutes. This simple act collects DNA-rich cheek cells in a non-invasive, painless way.
Seal and Send: After chewing, the gum is placed into a secure collection packet and mailed to Labcorp’s DNA Identification laboratory for analysis.
Lab Testing: At Labcorp, we extract DNA from the cells left on the gum. Our scientists then perform Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) typing, which is the genetic matching process used to identify potential stem cell or bone marrow donors.
Lab Testing: At Labcorp, we extract DNA from the cells left on the gum. Our scientists then perform next-generation sequencing on the extracted DNA to determine the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) profile of the potential donor. A person’s HLA type is the key genetic factor used to identify potential stem cell or bone marrow donors.
Registry Enrolment: Once the HLA typing is complete, the individual’s profile is added to the secure Gift of Life Marrow Registry. If a match is found in the future, that person could be called upon to donate and potentially save a life.
The entire process – from chewing to being added to the registry – can take just a few weeks. It’s fast, safe and designed to remove barriers to donor registration, especially among younger and more diverse populations. At Labcorp, we’re proud to provide the scientific backbone for this innovative campaign. It’s a powerful example of how science and creativity can come together to make a real difference in people’s lives.
LBB> The initiative centers around three simple steps: “Chew. Match. Cure.” Avoiding overly-scientific language and instead highlighting how easy the process of becoming a donor can be. Why was this approach the right one to take?
Alan> Generating potential donor sign-ups is never easy. People automatically get nervous and come up with every reason not to sign up. If we went with a serious tone, using scientific language, we would be making it that much harder on ourselves to be successful. The process of becoming a potential donor in the registry is not hard, or invasive, and we wanted people to know how simple and easy it is. There are people out there whose lives depend on a donor match, and we wanted to do everything we could to help them find that match.
LBB> How did fans respond to the distribution of Hero Gum kits at Citi Field? Do you have any measure of how many people got involved on the day?
Alan> There was a great buzz at the ballpark on Friday night, as it was perfect weather for enjoying a ballgame and the day after the MLB trade deadline, so fans were ready to go. Our event table was in a prime location next to the Shea Bridge behind centre field where many fans pass through to get food or go to the Kids Zone. We had hundreds of fans stop by the table, generating the sign-ups and awareness we were hoping for. So, many people confirmed what we ourselves felt as we developed the campaign – they were directly related to someone who has battled cancer and the chance to make a difference in someone’s life was a special opportunity they did not expect to come across at a Mets game. Many were amazed at how simple it was to sign up as a potential donor, just by chewing gum for a few minutes. Personally, this was such a rewarding experience to finally see Hero Gum come to life and the excitement it created amongst the fans.
LBB> The initiative interacts across multiple consumer touchpoints, including film, digital, and social. How did you set about creating a bold yet cohesive brand identity that resonates across platforms, and positions Hero Gum as more than a ‘regular’ gum?
Alan> The design and storytelling elements across multiple platforms highlight the innovation and impact, positioning Hero Gum as a captivating, meaningful, game-changing product – not just regular gum. This creative approach ensures the campaign resonates with younger, diverse audiences by making donor registration accessible, fun, and inspiring. Our collaborative effort with our partners at Labcorp and DOUBLEMINT also helped to add the level of authenticity that we knew would speak loudly to consumers.
LBB> What are the core aims of this initiative, and how will you measure its success in achieving them?
Alan> Hero Gum is about removing barriers to donor registration, making it easier and relevant, especially for younger, more diverse communities. Success will be measured by both the number of new registrants and the diversity of the donor base over time. But equally important is whether we’ve created a conversational shift. Changing how people think about stem cell donation. If we’ve made it feel personal, accessible, and perhaps even joyful, we’ll know we’re doing something right. The method of collection process has not changed since Gift of Life pioneered using the cheek swab in 2001 and it’s about time we gave consumers a new, more fun way to become registered. Who better than Gift of Life to create an innovative approach yet again?
LBB> This initiative is the first of its kind. What are the main challenges in bringing something like this to life – were there any unexpected challenges or hurdles?
Alan> Bringing a biotech medical innovation into a consumer-friendly, mass-distributed format is extremely complex. The gum had to be scientific, which meant aligning creative, legal, scientific, and manufacturing efforts in perfect sync.
One unexpected hurdle was designing a product and package that felt warm and human without losing medical credibility. We had to earn people’s trust in a space that’s usually intimidating, and that took care and precision. I’d say too that the marketing industry is not one that takes its time often, but in this case, it was imperative that we let our partners at Labcorp test the gum and process for as long as they needed to. It wasn’t a hurdle per se, but being patient when you have an incredible idea that can actually make a difference was something everyone involved had to adjust to.
LBB> Lastly, what are you most proud of following the launch of Hero Gum?
Alan> We’re proud that Hero Gum isn’t just a campaign; it’s a functional product that could literally help save lives. It’s an idea that respects the emotional weight of blood cancer while offering a moment of doing something so simple and yet taking control of your health. Seeing people respond to something so innovative, personal, and hopeful is incredibly rewarding. And for many of us who’ve been personally touched by cancer, this project isn’t just a piece of work we are proud of, it’s something deeply personal.
Our collective goal is to continue to expand and push the campaign from here. Gift of Life is getting calls daily from the global registry community and we’ve received multiple reach-outs from companies interested in partnering moving forward. Every little bit will make a positive difference in saving lives, and we’re all in!
We hope people will continue to follow the campaign and aid in sign-ups at giftoflife.org/herogum.
