Trident burst on to the market in January last year with a £10m marketing campaign and an ambitious agenda to rejuvenate the gum category. It hasn't failed to impress.

The new entrant has so far clocked up sales of £33m, making it one of the biggest fmcg launches of last year, and has already proven a worthy contender to brand leader Wrigley, securing an 11% share of the UK gum market.

Trident almost single-handedly revived the gum category, which had been stagnating in terms of sales and NPD over the past few years. Its unusual flavour combinations, highly innovative formats and packaging and a unique product focus were all praised by the judges.

The brand had prioritised the flavour and chewing experience rather than a teeth-cleaning or breath-freshening function, striking a chord with a new generation of gum chewers, said the judge.

It was also praised for its Splash variant - a liquid-filled gum in blister packs - and Soft - a gum with a softer texture to avoid causing 'jaw fatigue'. The judges felt these lines had attracted new customers to the category.

Cadbury has retained momentum for the brand this year with strong flavour innovation and has continued to support it with high-profile campaigns. Three more flavours -Splash Apple & Apricot, Soft Spearmint and Soft Strawberry Smoothie - were launched in February backed by a £10m Mess With Your Head advertising campaign.

This month it launched two Trident sub-brands. Sweet Kicks, in chocolate and mint flavour, is positioned as the first indulgent gum while Fresh is a liquid-filled gum available in three flavours.