77. GUM
College roommates Colin Metcalf and Kevin Grady stuck together even as they embarked on separate careers: Grady was the original design director of the “Truth” campaign at Arnold Worldwide, and Metcalf cofounded Resfest. But throughout their successes they often spoke about collaborating on something special. “We wanted to create content,” says Grady. “We wanted to make our own brand.”

Out popped GUM. Smacking of G.I. Joe action figures and Saturday morning cereal, the 2-pound box packs a 184-page ’zine, activity book, and trading cards with equal parts pop culture celebration and social commentary. “We wanted to discuss things that were interesting to us, not fluff,” says Metcalf. Substantive interviews with Ray Bradbury, Nancy Sinatra, and Interpol, and a ViewMaster reel of photographs by Rudy VanderLans are tucked within the gumball dispenser, which, due to an incredible partnership with Puma, retails for about $25.

As the name denotes, GUM2 is the second piece from the duo (the original GUM is highly collectible), who have found themselves with a loyal fan base demanding another installment. Metcalf and Grady don’t know exactly when the next GUM will drop. “I like to use the analogy of a band recording a new album,” says Metcalf. In the meantime, the two designers held a series of wellattended events, including a Mister Rogers tribute in New York and the GumBall in Hollywood, proving that their sweet dream has bubbled into something much, much bigger. Alissa Walker