Um Bongo

Um Bongo was first created in 1983,{{cite web |url= http://www.animatormag.com/video/entertaining/um-bongo-oscar-grillo/ |title=Um Bongo advert by Oscar Grillo (1983) |work=Animator Mag |year=2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}}{{cite web |url= http://www.simplyeighties.com/um-bongo-advert.php |title=Um Bongo 80s TV Ad |publisher=simplyeighties.com |year=2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}} originally in Milnthorpe, Cumbria. It was originally sold under the Libby's brand, which at the time belonged to Nestlé who had acquired Libby's fruit juices.{{cite web |url= http://www.infactcanada.ca/The%20History%20of%20Nestle.pdf |title=The History of Nestlé |work=Infact Canada |year=2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}} Nestlé licensed the Um Bongo brand (still under the Libby's name) to Gerber Foods Soft Drinks Ltd in the UK and Republic of Ireland.{{cite web |url= http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gerber-to-develop-libbys-c-juice-drink-brand-156443165.html |title=Gerber to Develop Libby's 'C' Juice Drink Brand |publisher=prnewswire.co.uk |date=29 April 1998 |access-date=9 November 2013}} In the United Kingdom, Gerber Juice Company Limited packaged the drink until 2017 {{cite web |url= http://www.gerberjuice.com/brands-we-work-with |title=Juice & Juice Drink Brand Owners that we work with |work=Gerber Juice |year=2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}} at their plant in Somerset. Gerber Foods Soft Drinks was dissolved as a company in 2017.{{cite web | url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01847732| title=GERBER FOODS SOFT DRINKS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK}}

In 1986, Libby's removed all artificial colouring, sweeteners and preservatives from Um Bongo, replacing them with natural colouring.{{Cite book |title=Dairy Industries International |volume=51 |page=11 |publisher=United Trade Press |year=1986}} Citric acid was also taken out and replaced with lemon juice. Since 2011, citric acid has again been in use.

Nestlé launched the Um Bongo brand in Portugal in 1988, running a Portuguese version of the TV advertisement, using the slogan Um Bongo, O bom sabor da selva ("Um Bongo, The great flavour of the jungle").{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7sDiAPXQws |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140510234635/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7sDiAPXQws |archive-date=2014-05-10 |url-status=dead|title=Um Bongo – o Bom Sabor da Selva |publisher=YouTube |year=2007 |access-date=9 November 2013}} Portuguese company Compal acquired the "Um Bongo" brand from Nestlé by 2003.{{cite web |url= http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/60817/nestle-sells-off-juice-squeeze |title=Nestle sells off juice in squeeze |first=Amanda |last=Richards |work=Marketing Magazine |date=20 November 1997 |access-date=9 November 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/empresas/fusoes___aquisicoes/detalhe/compal_compra_negocio_um_bongo_a_nestle.html |title=Compal compra negócio "Um Bongo" à Nestlé – Fusões & Aquisições – |first=Ana Torres |last=Pereira |work=Jornal de Negócios |date=22 November 2002 |access-date=9 November 2013 |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109060801/http://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/empresas/fusoes___aquisicoes/detalhe/compal_compra_negocio_um_bongo_a_nestle.html |archive-date=9 November 2013 |df=dmy-all }}

Compal merged with Sumol in 2009. The company launched Um Bongo 100% Fruit in 2010 and a themed toy collection named Um Bongo e o bom coração da selva ("Um Bongo and the great heart of the jungle") in 2011.{{cite web |url= https://sol.sapo.pt/inicio/Economia/Interior.aspx?content_id=28710 |title=Bongo entra no mundo dos brinquedos |first=Sara |last=Ribeiro |work=Sol |date=17 September 2011 |access-date=9 November 2013|language=pt}}

In 2013, after UK Independence Party MEP Godfrey Bloom made remarks about "Bongo Bongo Land", the Um Bongo website received a surge in traffic, despite the company stating that they had no political affiliations.{{cite web |url= http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/497529/20130807/bongo-godfrey-bloom-um-ukip.htm |title=Ukip's 'Bongo Bongo' Godfrey Bloom Fires Um Bongo Juice Nostalgia |first=Dominic |last=Gover |work=International Business Times (UK) |date=7 August 2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}}

In the late 1990s, parents complained about the amount of sugar and artificial flavourings in many children's fruit drinks,{{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/detox-the-kids-the-bogeyman-is-in-your-fridge-1112354.html |title=Detox the kids! The bogeyman is in your fridge |first=E. Jane |last=Dickson |work=The Independent |date=13 August 1999 |publisher=INM |location=London |issn=0951-9467 |oclc=185201487 |access-date=9 November 2013}} which resulted in new regulations. The Um Bongo formula was changed around 2003 or 2004 to comply with the new rules. Most of the original ingredients were removed, with the drink being re-branded as "Um Bongo-100% juice", containing only bananas, orange and pineapple. In comparison, the original also contained apple, lemon, passion fruit, mandarin, apricot, guava and mango flavours. New packaging for the product was also introduced by 2007, removing much reference to the Congo.{{cite web |url= http://www.talkingretail.com/products/product-news/um-bongo-adds-new-juice-and-smoothie-variants |title=Um Bongo adds new juice and smoothie variants |work=Talking Retail |date=18 July 2007 |access-date=9 November 2013}}

Image:Umbongoorg.jpg

From the time Libby's changed the formula, the company received many complaints. This resulted in their deciding to bring back the original Um Bongo formula in 2009. "Classic" Um Bongo was originally renamed "Um Bongo Tropical" and was also repackaged in new plastic 500 ml bottles and placed in the chilled section of supermarkets/consumer shops. Libby's set up a website along with Facebook and YouTube accounts, to help gather additional support.

In May 2011, an "Original" flavour was introduced, with a 200 ml × 3 carton available. The 100% Tropical juice version has since been discontinued and replaced with Original. An "Orange" flavour was released in 2012,{{cite web |url= http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=276548344 |title=Um Bongo Orange (1 Litre) |work=Tesco |year=2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}} and a 1-litre size was sold beginning in 2013.{{cite web |url= http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=276548436 |title=Um Bongo Tropical (1 Litre) |work=Tesco |year=2013 |access-date=9 November 2013}}

Um Bongo is particularly famous for its long running jingle of "Um Bongo, Um Bongo, they drink it in the Congo", which accompanied animated television advertisements since 1985.

The song was sung by Tony Jackson. The music and lyrics were composed by Andy Blackford. The advert itself was created by Oscar Grillo at Klacto Animations. Their earlier 1984 Kia-Ora advert established a new trend and led to them being commissioned to produce the Um Bongo spot for Leo Burnett.

Libby's have created two other types of fruit juice drinks since the 1980s.

Libby's Moonshine, which lasted until 1992, contained more domestic fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, apples, blackberries and cherries. The animated adverts contained the slogan "Moonshine, looks pretty weird but it tastes just fine".

In 1999, Um Bongo gained a sister drink called "Um Ognob",{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030205041449/http://www.umbongo.com/bongo_prod.html |url=http://www.umbongo.com/bongo_prod.html |title=Um Bongo Products |archive-date=5 February 2003 |access-date=9 November 2013}} where "Bongo" was spelled backwards. Um Ognob contained a vitamin-enriched blend of apple, banana, apricot, orange and passion fruit juice.{{cite web |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55258477.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140512030811/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55258477.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 12 May 2014 |title=Gerber Foods Soft Drinks: Tropical juice brand Um Bongo is relaunched |date=23 July 1999 |access-date=9 November 2013}} It was discontinued in 2003.

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.umbongo.com UK Official website]
• [http://www.umbongo.pt Portuguese Official website]
• [http://www.gerberjuice.com/ Gerber juice website]

Category:British brands

Category:Portuguese brands

Category:Food product brands

Category:Juice brands

Category:Products introduced in 1983