Here’s a polished English translation of the Chinese title: **”Extra Gum Teams Up with Taoda Youth Collective to Inspire Young Artisans to Create Freely”**

Jingdezhen, JiangxiJune 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From June 17 to June 20, 2026, the 2026 Extra × Taoda Youth Free Entrepreneurship Fair, exclusively sponsored by Extra, a gum brand under Mars, grandly opened at Zhushan East Market in Jingdezhen. This marks the first collaboration between Extra and the Taoda Youth Fair, bringing the brand philosophy of “Chew Your Way to a Free and Easy State” into the intersection of ceramic artistry and youth entrepreneurship — using two pieces of gum to accompany every young person skilled in craftsmanship and bold in exploration, enabling them to focus on creation and freely pursue their dreams.

Jingdezhen Ceramic University is currently the only multi-disciplinary undergraduate university in China named after ceramics and characterized by ceramics, serving as a key hub for ceramic talent cultivation and skill inheritance. The “Taoda Youth Fair,” initiated by graduates of Jingdezhen Ceramic University and rooted in the millennium-old porcelain capital of Jingdezhen, is a cultural and creative market. It now hosts over 500 young vendors and attracts more than 15,000 visitors during holidays, making it one of the most popular youth entrepreneurship platforms among students in Jingdezhen. This Free Entrepreneurship Fair continues the market’s signature youthful vitality and spirit of originality, providing a one-stop stage for young artisans and current students to showcase, exchange, and practice, fueling the ongoing burst of creative energy and entrepreneurial passion in the porcelain capital.

At the event, young creators from Jingdezhen Ceramic University used clay as their medium and crafted with heart, showcasing contemporary interpretations of traditional craftsmanship through every stroke, glaze, and form. The Free Pottery Throwing Competition and Free Clay Sculpture Competition became focal points of the event, testing technical skills, concentration, and mental composure. During the timed creation sessions, young artisans focused intently and performed steadily. Extra accompanied them throughout, helping everyone “take a moment for two pieces” to enter the competition with a free and easy state of mind.

For young students, the pressures of academics and creation often accumulate imperceptibly. For this reason, ceramic creation, with its unique healing qualities, has gradually become a preferred way for young people to relax and clear their minds — immersing themselves allows them to set aside distractions and naturally enter a focused flow state. Chewing gum, on the other hand, offers a lighter, more accessible way to regulate. In moments of mental clutter and physical tension, a gentle chew can soothe emotions and restore a sense of calm and ease.

The positive effects of chewing gum on mood and focus are supported by solid scientific research: multiple studies show that the act of chewing can reduce cortisol levels in the body^[1], regulate alpha brain waves associated with tension^[2], thereby helping to alleviate stress; it can also enhance blood supply and oxygen levels in relevant brain regions^[3], significantly boosting concentration and mental agility.

In this event, Extra deeply integrated into the market scene as a “Free and Easy Companion,” setting up interactive experience zones and educational areas. It presented the physiological mechanisms of chewing gum in a lighthearted and engaging graphic format, allowing every vendor, student, and visitor to understand the real benefits of “chewing a piece” during their market stroll.

Ceramic creation requires stable emotions, sustained focus, and a calm rhythm, and what gum provides is precisely this kind of readily available, simple, and effective state support.

Through this collaboration with the Taoda Youth Fair, Extra aims to step into the real scenarios of youth creation and growth, building genuine emotional connections with every striving young person, becoming their go-to “Free and Easy Companion” in moments needing focus and calm. In the future, Extra will continue to enter more real-life scenarios of youth development, accompanying them as they chew their way to a free and easy state.