Every brand has a story to tell of how they came into inception. But some stories simply stand out from the others. Here are some of the lesser-known stories of some of the biggest brands from around the world:
A game of blackjack saved FedEx
FedEx wasn’t always as successful as it is now. The initial years of the company saw it struggling to meet its basic expenses. At one point in time, around 1970, it almost looked they won’t be able to meet their financial commitments at all. And then one lucky day, while waiting for a flight, the founder of the company Fred Smith instinctively hoped on a flight to Las Vegas and his luck in a game of gambling made him won $27,000. That game of blackjack turned the future of the company for better.
Coca-Cola wouldn’t have existed without American prohibition
John Pemberton originally created Coca-Cola, the world famous beverage. John was an injured Confederate Colonel who wanted a substitute for his addiction to morphine. He named it French Wine Coca, a tonic for nerves. When the prohibition legislation was passed in Atlanta in the year 1886, he had to redo his formula to make a non-alcoholic version of his tonic. This he named Coca-Cola, the drink world knows and loves.
The McDonald’s logo is based on the shape of the stores
After Coca-Cola, McDonald’s logo is the most widely recognized logo in the world. But it is a fact that the logo was inspired by the store architecture, which had two golden arches on either side. The idea behind the design was to enable people to recognize the outlet even from a distance and this is true even now.
The Nike sign isn’t a tick
Nike was renamed from Blue Ribbon Sports after Nike, the winged Greek goddess of victory. The famous check mark is actually not a check mark, but a representation of the goddess wings and speed.
The Apple logo isn’t a tribute to Alan Turring
It is believed that Steve Job’s favorite fruit was apple and which is why the first computer was named after his favorite McIntosh Apple and it formed the first version of the Apple logo.
A teenager with a cycle and $100 founded UPS
With borrowed $100 from a friend and a cycle, 19-year-old James Casey founded United Parcel Service. He served as the president, CEO and Chairman of the company and today it is the world’s largest package delivering company.
Virgin got its name because its founders were exactly that: virgins!
During a brainstorming session for naming the company someone suggested ‘virgin’, the reason being they were all just starting out and were virgins as far as running a business was concerned. This is how the company got its name.
