Bubble Up

Bubble Up is an American soft drink brand best known for its lemon-lime flavor and the advertising phrase “Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime.” The brand originated in 1919, when Sweet Valley Products Co. of Sandusky, Ohio, first used the Bubble Up name for a grape-juice product. The company filed for a Bubble-Up trademark on August 13, 1919, and the registration was issued on April 12, 1921. That original grape-juice application did not define the brand’s lasting identity: the name saw little or no meaningful use between 1922 and 1937 and was later relaunched as a carbonated lemon-lime beverage. LeRoy O. Schneeburger, then associated with Whistle-Vess Beverage Co. in St. Louis, acquired the United States trademark registration in 1937 and registered the mark in his own name in 1938. He introduced Bubble Up as a lemon-lime soft drink, establishing the flavor profile that became central to the brand. A Bubble-Up company was subsequently organized in St. Louis, where the product was franchised to bottlers around the United States. This franchise-bottling structure allowed Bubble Up to reach consumers through independent regional beverage operators rather than through a single national manufacturing network. The company remained in St. Louis until approximately 1953, when the business was located in Peoria, Illinois, under the ownership of O-So Grape Co. By 1959, the brand was associated with the registered phrase “Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime,” a concise positioning statement that emphasized the drink’s citrus character. Bubble Up advertising also promoted a sugar-free variant during the 1960s, using radio copy and a jingle built around the idea that sugar-free Bubble Up had “pizzazz.” The brand’s presence in popular culture during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s included appearances in films, television advertising, and references in popular music. During the early-to-mid-1960s, Bubble Up operations were based in Los Angeles. The company later experienced financial difficulty and filed for bankruptcy in 1970. In 1973, I.C. Industries of Chicago acquired Bubble Up and combined it with its recently acquired Dad’s Root Beer Co. and Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers. I.C. Industries attempted to revive the brand and introduced a newly trademarked Bubble Up logo in 1979. In 1987, Bubble Up was sold together with Dad’s Root Beer Co. to the Monarch Co. of Atlanta. The brands remained headquartered in Chicago at that stage and were supported by a network of approximately 240 franchised bottlers, according to the referenced historical account. Hedinger Brands LLC, based in Jasper, Indiana, acquired Bubble Up in 2007. The brand is now manufactured by Dad’s Root Beer Company, LLC, while Hedinger Brands owns the brand for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Monarch Beverage Company of Atlanta is identified as the manufacturer or marketer for international markets, particularly in Asia and Africa. Internationally listed variants have included lemon-lime soda, diet lemon-lime soda, bitter lemon, ginger ale, tonic water, soda water, and mojito-style soda. Bubble Up therefore occupies a niche position in the broader soft drink market: it is a heritage citrus brand with a long franchise-bottling history, a recognizable slogan, and continued availability through specialty, regional, and international beverage channels rather than the scale of the largest global soda companies.

Bubble Up traces its name to Sweet Valley Products Co. of Sandusky, Ohio, which first used it in 1919 for a grape-juice product. The company filed a Bubble-Up trademark application on August 13 of that year, and the mark was registered on April 12, 1921. The name was largely inactive from 1922 until 1937, when LeRoy O. Schneeburger of St. Louis acquired the United States registration. Schneeburger, who was president of Whistle-Vess Beverage Co., changed the product’s commercial identity by introducing Bubble Up as a lemon-lime soft drink. The brand did not return to its original grape-juice positioning. A Bubble-Up company was formed in St. Louis, and the beverage was distributed through a nationwide network of franchise bottlers. The company continued operating from St. Louis until roughly 1953. It was then based in Peoria, Illinois, under O-So Grape Co. ownership. The phrase “Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime” was registered by Bubble Corporation on April 10, 1959, and became the brand’s best-known advertising expression. During the 1960s, Bubble Up also promoted a sugar-free product through radio advertising and a memorable jingle. Around the early-to-middle part of that decade, the company was located in Los Angeles. The business later deteriorated financially and entered bankruptcy in 1970. I.C. Industries of Chicago acquired Bubble Up in 1973, adding it to a beverage portfolio that also included Dad’s Root Beer Co. and Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers. I.C. Industries attempted to rebuild the brand and registered a new logo in 1979. In 1987, Bubble Up and Dad’s Root Beer were sold to the Monarch Co. of Atlanta. The brands continued to be managed from Chicago and were supported by roughly 240 franchised bottlers. Hedinger Brands LLC acquired Bubble Up in 2007. The brand is identified as being manufactured by Dad’s Root Beer Company, LLC and owned by Hedinger Brands for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Monarch Beverage Company of Atlanta is identified as responsible for international markets, especially in Asia and Africa. The documented international portfolio has included Bubble Up Lemon-Lime, Diet Lemon-Lime, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale, Tonic Water, Soda Water, and Mojito variants. Bubble Up’s cultural visibility has exceeded its current scale as a beverage business. The product appeared in the 1965 film The Family Jewels and was visible in the 1977 film Oh, God!, while a Bubble Up television commercial featured the young David Caruso in 1980. The brand was also referenced in songs associated with Merle Haggard and Hank Williams Jr. Its advertising signage appeared in the diner sequence at the beginning of the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night. These references, together with the citrus slogan and long history of regional bottling, give Bubble Up the character of a surviving American heritage soda brand.

• 2007

  Acquisition by Hedinger Brands

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  Hedinger Brands LLC purchased Bubble Up.

• 1987

  Sale to Monarch

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  Bubble Up was sold with Dad’s Root Beer Co. to the Monarch Co. of Atlanta.

• 1979

  New Bubble Up logo

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  A new Bubble Up logo was trademarked as part of an attempted brand revival.

• 1973

  Acquisition by I.C. Industries

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  I.C. Industries acquired Bubble Up and added it to its beverage portfolio.

• 1970

  Bankruptcy filing

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  The company filed for bankruptcy after financial difficulties during the 1960s.

• 1959

  “Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime” trademarked

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  Bubble Corporation registered the phrase that became the brand’s signature advertising line.

• 1953

  Operations moved to Peoria

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  The Bubble Up company was located in Peoria, Illinois, under O-So Grape Co. ownership.

• 1937

  Lemon-lime relaunch

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  LeRoy O. Schneeburger acquired the United States registration and reintroduced Bubble Up as a lemon-lime soft drink.

• 1921

  Bubble-Up trademark registered

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  The trademark filed in 1919 was registered on April 12, 1921.

• 1919

  First use of the Bubble Up name

  [1]Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org

  Sweet Valley Products Co. of Sandusky, Ohio, used Bubble Up for a grape-juice product and filed a trademark application.

A heritage citrus soft drink brand centered on a refreshing lemon-lime taste and the enduring “Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime” identity.

• Lemon-lime soft drink · 1937

  Bubble Up Lemon-Lime

  The core Bubble Up product is a carbonated lemon-lime soft drink. It was established as the brand’s defining product when the name was relaunched in 1937, replacing the earlier association with grape juice. Its citrus profile is reflected in the “Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime” slogan.

• Diet lemon-lime soft drink

  Bubble Up Diet Lemon-Lime

  The diet version extends the brand’s lemon-lime positioning to a reduced-sugar or sugar-free format. Sugar-free Bubble Up was promoted in radio advertising during the 1960s, although detailed current formulation and distribution information is not specified in the reference material.

• Bitter lemon soft drink

  Bubble Up Bitter Lemon

  Bitter Lemon is listed among the brand’s international variants. It expands Bubble Up beyond the standard sweet lemon-lime profile into a more bitter citrus beverage category.

• Ginger ale

  Bubble Up Ginger Ale

  Bubble Up Ginger Ale is identified as an international-market variant. The available source confirms the product name but does not provide launch timing, formulation details, or current market coverage.

• Tonic water

  Bubble Up Tonic Water

  Tonic water is included in the brand’s documented international range. The reference material does not specify whether the product remains broadly distributed or identify individual markets beyond the general international description.

• Soda water

  Bubble Up Soda Water

  Bubble Up Soda Water is another international-market offering associated with the brand. No additional product specifications or launch date are provided in the available source.

• Mojito-style carbonated beverage

  Bubble Up Mojito

  The Bubble Up Mojito variant is listed among products for international markets. The source does not state its exact ingredients, launch date, or current availability.

• 1979Logo revival

  United States

  I.C. Industries trademarked a new Bubble Up logo while attempting to revive the brand after acquiring it in 1973.

  Outcome. The source confirms the identity refresh but does not provide measurable results.

  Source
• 1960Sugar-free Bubble Up radio advertising

  United States

  During the 1960s, radio advertising promoted sugar-free Bubble Up with a jingle emphasizing the product’s “pizzazz.”

  Outcome. The campaign is documented as part of the brand’s period advertising history; audience or sales outcomes are not reported.

  Source
• 1959Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime

  United States

  Bubble Corporation registered the phrase “Kiss of Lemon—Kiss of Lime,” creating the brand’s most recognizable citrus-oriented advertising identity.

  Outcome. The slogan became closely associated with Bubble Up in later advertising and popular references.

  Source

• 2007

  Acquisition by Hedinger BrandsM&A

  Background

  Bubble Up had previously been owned by Monarch following the 1987 transaction.

  Action taken

  Hedinger Brands LLC purchased Bubble Up.

  Aftermath

  Hedinger Brands became the identified owner for the United States, Canada, and Mexico, while Dad’s Root Beer Company, LLC manufactures the brand for those markets.

  Source

• 1987

  Sale of Bubble Up to MonarchM&A

  Background

  Bubble Up was operated alongside Dad’s Root Beer after the I.C. Industries acquisition.

  Action taken

  Bubble Up and Dad’s Root Beer Co. were sold to the Monarch Co. of Atlanta.

  Aftermath

  The brands continued to be supported from Chicago through a large network of franchised bottlers.

  Source

• 1973

  Acquisition by I.C. IndustriesM&A

  Background

  I.C. Industries had recently acquired Dad’s Root Beer Co. and Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers and sought to rebuild Bubble Up.

  Action taken

  I.C. Industries purchased Bubble Up and managed it alongside its other beverage businesses.

  Aftermath

  The company pursued a brand revival, including a new logo trademarked in 1979.

  Source

• 1970

  Bankruptcy filingOther

  Background

  The company encountered financial difficulties after operating in different locations and through a franchise-bottling network.

  Action taken

  The company filed for bankruptcy.

  Aftermath

  Bubble Up was subsequently acquired by I.C. Industries in 1973.

  Source

• 1937

  Repositioning from grape juice to lemon-lime sodaProduct launch

  Background

  The Bubble Up name had been largely unused since the early 1920s and had originally been associated with grape juice.

  Action taken

  LeRoy O. Schneeburger acquired the United States registration and relaunched Bubble Up as a lemon-lime carbonated beverage.

  Aftermath

  The lemon-lime formulation became the enduring identity of the brand.

  Source

1. 1Bubble Upen.wikipedia.org