Airheads Gum - Watermelon

Airheads Gum Watermelon: Background & Overview

Airheads Gum Watermelon is a chewing gum from Perfetti Van Melle, the Italian-Dutch candy giant behind the beloved Airheads taffy brand. The gum carries the same bold, artificial-watermelon energy as the candy, but with a clever twist: tiny micro candy pieces are baked right into each piece, giving you little bursts of extra flavor as you chew. It’s soft (more on that later), fruity, and very much built for people who already love Airheads.

You can find it at most major US retailers & online, typically in small wallet-style packs. If you liked the candy growing up, you’ll recognize the vibe immediately.

A Brief History of Airheads

Airheads launched in 1986 in Erlanger, Kentucky, through the US division of Van Melle. The brand is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, which is either making you feel nostalgic or very old, depending on when you were born.

The name has a fun origin story. Marketing director Steve Bruner wanted something kids would instantly connect with, so he went straight to the source and asked his sons what they’d call a friend who did something silly. “Airhead” rose to the top. (Candy Favorites)

In the early days, Airheads came in exactly one flavor: red. Not cherry, not strawberry — just good old red. They priced it at 25 cents when most taffy sold for a dime, but made the bars bigger to justify it. Smart move. By the time they expanded to more flavors, the brand was already a lunchbox staple.

The gum line came later as a natural extension of all those fruity flavors. Watermelon is one of the flagship varieties, and for a good reason: it’s arguably the flavor most associated with the Airheads brand alongside the legendary White Mystery.

Our Airheads Watermelon Gum Review

Our members of the Bubble Bunch put Airheads Gum Watermelon to the test, and the first thing they noticed was how soft it is. Not in a terrible way, but very soft. One tester called the texture “just right” while another said simply “too soft.” Split verdict, but even the fan of the texture noted it.

That softness, by the way, has a consequence for bubble-blowing. Our testers got a softball-sized bubble and a ping-pong-ball-sized bubble, respectively. That’s on the smaller side. But this is a chewing gum, not a bubble gum, so we’re grading accordingly.

Where Airheads Gum Watermelon absolutely earns its keep is flavor. Both testers gave it a 5 out of 5 on taste, which is a perfect score and a rare one. The watermelon flavor is bold and true, and the micro candy pieces deliver an extra kick right when you think the flavor is starting to fade. One tester described it simply: “Yum!” The other didn’t leave a comment, but their 5/5 taste score said everything.

Magician Justin Flom reveals how they get the flavor crystals in there!

Flavor lasted 10 to 17 minutes depending on the tester. The packaging is nice…it’s a small, slim wallet design that fits nicely in a pocket.

If you want a gum that nails flavor and has a genuinely fun gimmick, this delivers. Just don’t expect it to be your go-to bubble-blower.

Bonus: Airheads on Camera

Airheads’ early ads were wonderfully weird. The “head inflation” spots from the early 2000s became something of a cult classic among kids who grew up watching Nickelodeon. Here’s a compilation worth a watch: