Bubble O' Bill is a brand of packaged ice cream currently available in Australia and New Zealand, where it is manufactured by Streets, and formerly available in the US, where it was produced by Good Humor, and the UK. Because of its novel shape, it occupies the 'fun' segment of the ice cream market [1].
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,030 kJ (250 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| - Sugars | 23 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Protein | 4.0 g |
| Potassium | 169 mg (4%) |
| Sodium | 0.04 mg (0%) |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: Streets website |
|
Contents |
A Bubble O' Bill is a moulded ice cream on a stick. Its outline resembles a cowboy, "Bill". Three flavours of ice cream, chocolate, strawberry and caramel, 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. A recent minor change to the ice-cream has compromised its balance of flavours.
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".
The Bubble O' Bill was first introduced into the US market by New Jersey company Good Humor in 1985,[2] 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.[1]
Australian musical comedy trio Tripod once performed a song about Bubble O' Bill's supposed status as a hero.[2]
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 the 1950s 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.[3]