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Wrigley's is supporting X-Cite's launch with an £8m campaign by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. TV advertising is due to break in June with the strapline 'The unexpected thrill', which aims to convey its intense flavour.

X-Cite is being positioned as a cross between a mint and a chewing gum and comes in two variants, a powerful peppermint called Rush, and Delight, a sweet mint.

A spokeswoman said the product was its biggest innovation since the launch of Airwaves in 1997.

Wrigley's dominates the UK gum market with around 98% market share and enjoys 50% of worldwide gum sales. Other brands in its portfolio include Xtra, which alone currently accounts for 40% of its sales, Orbit, Hubba Bubba, and the original Wrigley's Spearmint, Doublemint and Juicy Fruit lines. The firm's UK sales rose 8% last year.

All the brands will be supported by TV advertising over the coming 12 months. AMV BBDO creates ads for all the brands except Xtra, which is handled by Brayleino.

MediaCom battled it out with Starcom Motive after a pitch that also involved BBJ, OMD and the incumbent, Mediaedge:CIA. MediaCom's appointment ends CIA's 15-year hold on the media account. Wrigley's has denied that the agency's merger with Mediaedge - which handles media for the fledgling chewing gum business of Colgate Palmolive - triggered the review.

Proximity London is understood to have won the online marketing account for the launch of X-Cite.