Famous Logos: Part VII – Chupa Chups

This is the story of Enric Bernat, a Catalan football enthusiast who put a lollipop on a stick – and the rest is history.

The famous Catalan lollipop was born in 1958 when the company’s founder, Enric Bernat, had the idea of placing a lollipop on a stick. He affectionately called it “Goal” (Gol in Spanish), imagining the candy as a football and the mouth as the goal net. Despite Spain’s deep love for football, the concept didn’t gain much traction. To rescue his product, Bernat hired an advertising agency that rebranded it as Chupa Chups. The name was derived from the Spanish word chupar, meaning to suck. However, the brand still needed a proper identity.

In 1969, Bernat shared his concern with a friend—none other than Salvador Dalí. The eccentric artist insisted that his design should not be placed on the side of the lollipop wrapper but on the top, ensuring it was always fully visible. This strategic placement proved to be a success, becoming one of the most enduring brand concepts in history. Even today, over four billion Chupa Chups are sold worldwide, with the logo remaining unchanged.

By the 1990s, Chupa Chups had reached 164 countries, making it one of the most globally recognised lollipop brands.

The first major advertising campaign carried the slogan “És rodó i dura molt, Chupa Chups,” which translates rather plainly from Catalan to “It’s round and lasts a long time.” In the 1980s, the brand launched an anti-smoking campaign with the slogan “Smoke Chupa Chups instead!” Today, the company continues its playful stance on smoking with the campaign “Stop smoking, start sucking!”, featuring parody packaging resembling cigarette packs. Some EU packages even include the obligatory black-and-white warning labels with the humorous phrase “Sucking does not kill!” Over the years, the brand has also used celebrities, including Madonna, to promote its products.

Today, Chupa Chups is owned by the Italian-Dutch multinational Perfetti Van Melle, which also houses brands like Mentos, Smint, and Fruitella.

Fun Fact: The Lucky Number Seven

The original Chupa Chups flavours included strawberry, orange, lemon, strawberry & cream, chocolate & cream, and mint—a total of seven. Of these, strawberry and strawberry & cream remain the most popular to this day! 🍓🍭