5 Gum Taps KATSEYE to Turn Chewing Into a Full Sensory Experience

5 Gum wants chewing to feel like a concert.

The Mars Wrigley brand has teamed up with global pop group KATSEYE to create a campaign that pushes the idea of chewing gum beyond taste.

The collab introduces the “5 Gum x KATSEYE Senses Collection,” a five-piece limited release designed to stimulate sight, sound, scent, touch, and taste, along with a set of live tour activations.

“5 Gum is all about creating unforgettable sensorial experiences for fans,” said Maria Urista, Marketing VP, Mars Wrigley North America.

“The 5 Gum x KATSEYE Senses Collection and five epic tour experiences invite fans to connect with both the group and the brand in an entirely new way.”

The campaign, live from October 6 to 11, rolls out in six timed drops at 12 P.M. ET daily on 5gum.com/KATSEYE.

Each day reveals a member’s personal take on one of the five senses, from glass-blown marbles inspired by their eye colors to autographed vinyl albums paired with gum-themed stickers.

For KATSEYE, the effort was about creating closeness.

“Our collab with 5 Gum gives EYEKONS an experience they’ve never felt before," the group said in a joint statement.

From custom collectibles we helped create to exclusive moments on tour, we can’t wait for our fans to get closer to us than ever.”

A Sensory Experience with KATSEYE

The hero spot starts with each KATSEYE member opening a pack of 5 Gum, chewing, and dancing to the beat of their hit song "Gabriela."

The six members are then represented by six colorful orbs that transform into the various collectibles fans can obtain through the one-of-a-kind collaboration. 

For sight, fans receive a UV-activated marble designed with each member’s iris hues.

Sound comes in the form of a signed “Beautiful Chaos” record, while scent is packaged as a room spray infused with the essence of 5 Gum.

Touch is marked by wrappers kissed by KATSEYE members, and taste brings limited-edition packs featuring each member’s favorite gum flavor.

The campaign doesn’t stop online.

5 Gum is also joining KATSEYE on five stops of their sold-out U.S. “Beautiful Chaos” tour, where fans can access exclusive gum packs and live sensory surprises.

These on-site activations establish the gum brand as both a sponsor and a participant in fans’ shared emotional engagement with the music.

Lessons From 5 Gum x KATSEYE

5 Gum’s collab with KATSEYE is a lesson on how to create a multi-sensory brand experience. 

• Turning abstract product promises into physical experiences deepens the connection with the audience.
• Partnering with artists taps into existing fanbases that products alone can’t always attain.
• Pairing limited collectibles with live activations helps merge digital hype with real-world memory.

Other brands have ventured into this space, too.

Coca-Cola, for example, tied its “Creations” line to limited drops and artist collabs to generate exclusivity.

The test for 5 Gum will be whether its push into music culture lasts beyond the tour dates and collectibles.

Mars, the parent company behind 5 Gum, reported $54.6 billion in global sales in 2024.

Our Take: Can Gum Be More Than Flavor?

When I first saw the KATSEYE collab, I thought it was a gimmick.

Gum as a marble, gum as perfume?

But then it clicked: gum can also be about what you feel when you chew it.

The pop group tie-in makes the metaphor literal, and maybe that’s why it works.

If I were sitting in an agency seat, I’d see this as proof that turning sensory cues into collectibles creates memory value.

And honestly, I like when a brand doesn’t just tell me “what it is” but makes me chew on what it feels like.

In other news, McDonald’s recently relaunched its MONOPOLY game in digital form to drive app engagement with younger audiences.