Colombian superstar J Balvin has lent his look to Bon Bon Bum, the iconic strawberry lollipop-with-gum-centre made by Medellín-based confectioner Colombina. The special edition is the first truly global launch in the brand's history: 55 million units headed to 15 countries, including Colombia, the United States, Spain, Peru, Guatemala, Ecuador and Venezuela.
The candy itself stays classic — same red strawberry centre, which happens to be Balvin's favourite flavour. What changes is the packaging: a yellow wrapper and stick, a colour the singer has leaned on throughout his career, plus his signature smiling face and rays engraved right on the lollipop.
The campaign hangs on a phrase Colombians will find instantly familiar: "toca chupar" — literally, "you have to suck." It's a nod to the very real process of working through the hard candy to reach the gum, but it doubles as a message about persistence. Balvin's own story fits neatly: before the sold-out shows and global hits, he was in the United States painting houses and working odd jobs while trying to get a break in music. The campaign revisits those years under Colombina's "Siente tu BUM" platform, aimed at younger consumers figuring out what drives them.
It kicked off with a yellow mural in Bogotá bearing just the phrase and no artist name — a small piece of street art worth seeking out if you're in the capital this season.
The collaboration is part of a bigger playbook. Bon Bon Bum sells roughly two billion units a year across more than 70 countries and dominates its category in much of Latin America, with a 78 percent share in Colombia and distribution reaching over 80 percent of the country. It has form with celebrity tie-ups: a Karol G edition for her 2023 Mañana Será Bonito Fest in Medellín, a 2025 flavour swap with soda brand Manzana Postobón, an esports team venture, a youth football cup, and an ambassador deal with Colombian-Spanish motorcycle racer David Alonso.
For travellers, this is a fun one. Bon Bon Bum is one of those ubiquitous, nostalgic Colombian things you'll spot in every corner shop — picking up the yellow J Balvin edition is a cheap, very local souvenir. The Bogotá mural adds a small scavenger-hunt element to a visit, and the Karol G connection gives Medellín fans another reason to explore the city that birthed both reggaeton stars. Colombia's pop-culture export wave is easy to taste, literally, for the price of a lollipop.
