Cadbury Trebor Bassett is putting £10 million behind the anticipated UK launch of its chewing gum brand Trident, including TV advertising and a sampling campaign that will reach 10 million consumers.

Instead of going head-to-head with Wrigley, which has a 98% share of the UK gum market, the newcomer will target habitual chewers, which CTB said was so far, an untapped area. It said in its marketing the majority of chewing gum in the UK was aimed at young people and young families who chew gum for its breath-freshening properties. But in a study of 3,000 consumers, more than half said they chewed as a distraction and not to freshen breath.

"This side of gum is a big opportunity and it is underdeveloped at the moment," said head of marketing for pocket candy John Philipson. "Trident will drive chewing pleasure."

Splash, in strawberry & lime and vanilla & mint flavours, and Soft in peppermint and Tropical Twist flavours will launch first. Splash is a crunchy pellet with a liquid centre while Soft reportedly has a texture that's easier on the jaw and provides longer-lasting flavour than traditional products.

Trident hits shelves at the end of January and it is predicted to add £100 million to the gum category within five years. This will be driven by its pricing strategy and by bringing an estimated one million new shoppers to the category. Splash has an rsp of 50p for nine pellets and £1.35 for a three-pack. Soft is priced at 69p for a 14-piece pack and £1.86 for a multipack of three. CTB said this would raise the average spend per trip from 47p to 50p.

It would also bring category growth back after experiencing consecutive years of value decline.

A TV and outdoor poster campaign will run from the time of launch alongside web activity.