Presidents Mint
What’s in a Name?
Nowadays companies invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in trying to find that perfect brand name. They hire top notch brand consultancy firms, embark upon extensive market research and spend many, many hours deciding whether to adopt an acronym, evocative handle, neologism or simply a descriptive word as their brand name. Sometimes this process can take months to conclude; other times the answer is just a Eureka! moment away. Below is a list of some of the world’s most popular confectionery brands, together with the folkore how they so came to be called.
Baby Ruth – Contrary to what some believe Baby Ruth according to the Curtiss Candy Company (the manufacturer at the time) were not named after the famous baseball player but as a tribute to President Grover Cleveland’s daughter, Ruth Cleveland.
Violet Crumble – Inventor Abel Hoadley wanted to call his new bar just Crumble, but learned that it was not possible to protect the name with a trademark. He thought of his wife (Susannah Ann née Barrett) and her favourite flower, the violet, and registered the name Violet Crumble, using a purple wrapper with a small flower logo. It was an instant success.
Milk Duds – According to the manufacturer, the word “Milk” in the name refers to the large amount of milk in the product; the use of “dud” came about because the original aim of having a perfectly round piece was found to be impossible.
Bassett’s Licorice Allsorts – In 1899, Charlie Thompson, a sales representative, supposedly dropped a tray of samples he was showing a client, mixing up the various sweets. He scrambled to re-arrange them, and the client was intrigued by the new ‘all-sorts’ creation.
Butterfinger – A public contest was held to choose the name of this chocolate bar. The name chosen is a slang term used to describe a clumsy sportsman who inexplicably drops the ball.
Milo Bar – The name derives from the famous Greek athlete Milo of Crotona, after his legendary strength.
Oh Henry! – According to legend, Oh Henry! was originally named after a boy who frequented the Williamson company, flirting with the girls who made the candy. The name is also said to be a homage to American writer, O. Henry.
Hershey Kisses – it is widely believed that this product was named after the sound and motion of the chocolate being deposited during the manufacturing process.
Kit Kat – This name is believed to have come from the Kit-Kat Club, an eighteenth-century conservative Whig circle in England.
Junior Mints – The name of this product is a pun on Sally Benson’s Junior Miss, a collection short stories written by her for The New Yorker, which were adapted by Jerome Chodorov and Joseph Fields into a successful play. Directed by Moss Hart, Junior Miss ran on Broadway from 1941 to 1943. According to one past official company history, when James Welch developed and launched Junior Mints in 1949, he named the candy after his favorite Broadway show.
About the Author
Spencer Samaroo, Managing Director, Moo-Lolly-Bar
Australia’s most trusted online supplier of specialist and bulk confectionery.
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