The tragic love story hidden behind the cute pictures on “Love is...” gum

The “Love is...” chewing gum is remembered by millions for the small pictures inside. The boy and girl characters in these drawings were not just a commercial idea, but were born from the love between Kim Casali and her husband Roberto.

In the late 1960s, Kim used to draw small pictures on napkins for Roberto. They featured short, simple thoughts about love and the two characters. Over time, these sketches turned into “Love is...” comics and became famous in various countries.

However, there is a tragic side to this story. In 1975, Roberto was diagnosed with terminal cancer. To spend more time with her husband, Kim entrusted the drawing of the comics to another artist.

Roberto passed away at the age of 31. He and Kim had previously preserved his genetic material. As a result, a year and a half after Roberto's death, Kim gave birth to a son. This event shocked many people at the time.

Kim Casali died at the age of 55. But the “Love is...” characters she created lived on. Later, the Intergum company popularized them through chewing gum, and these characters became one of the most well-known symbols of love.