- Paperback: 210 pages
- Publisher: Fireside (15 Nov 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0743257979
- ISBN-13: 978-0743257978
- Product Dimensions: 17.9 x 12.8 x 1.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,100,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Ever wondered what the Ms in M&Ms stand for? If Scotch tape was invented in Scotland? Why a cereal that contains neither grapes nor nuts is called Grape Nuts? Who thought Gap was a good name for a clothing store? From the Adidas we wear to the Volkswagens we drive, the daily lives of Americans are dominated by the manufacturers' trademarks that adorn nearly everything we own. Food, clothes, cars, household furnishings, even cell phones are all chosen by brand name. Yet many of these trademarks and product names pose mysteries. But not when Evan Morris, creator of the award-winning The Word Detective website, is on the case! In From Altoids to Zima he reveals the fascinating, often wacky stories behind 125 brand names. Organized by product categories -- food and drink; clothing; technology, toys, and assorted bright ideas; cars; and drugs and cosmetics -- the story of each product is told with Morris's trademark wit and humor, complete with sidebars that highlight brand names that have become "genericized" (aspirin); a "What Were They Thinking?" honor roll of strange and often disastrous product names (Edsel); what happens when good brand names go bad (Kool-Aid after the Jonestown mass suicide); and debunked urban legends (the combination of Pop Rocks and soda that was rumored to be lethal).
Inside This Book
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Henderson William Brand had a tough audience. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Henderson William Brand had a tough audience. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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4 reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
From Altoids to Zima: The Surprising Stories Behind 125 Famous Brand Names
13 Aug 2005
Format:Paperback
Great trivia book. My family has taken this book to work and treated co-workers to interesting tidbits of information that surprised people who have used different brands in the book and didn't know how the products were named or invented. Great fun.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Fun, easy reading, enjoyable
10 Feb 2008
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was a fun and informative book that provided some interesting insights into the stories behind the many brand names we come across in our everyday lives. I read this on my Kindle and it was the perfect book for reading on the Kindle. I could read about a few brands, go back to reading something else and revisit this without skipping beat. It's a fun and enjoyable book and I highly recommend it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A Fun and Informative Read!
19 April 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I received this book as a gift and enjoyed it so much that I gave 3 of them to family members for Christmas gifts last year. Lots of interesting information and a quick and easy read.
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