Altoids
These “Curiously Strong” peppermint lozenges in the metal boxes were introduced in 19th century London not as breath fresheners, but as a remedy for indigestion. One 1920s advertisement run by the manufacturer, Smith & Company, made it clear that anyone venturing down to dinner without Altoids at the ready was courting gastric disaster: “Altoids act as an antidote to poisons in the stomach. One or two taken after meals will stop any poisonous fermentation.” Later ads drove home the point with jokes about the dismal indigestibility of British food.
Altoids were originally marketed through pharmacies, and to pump up the medicinal angle, Smith & Co. tacked the scientific-sounding “oid” suffix (from the Greek meaning “in the form of”) onto their product. (Apparently quite taken with the idea, Smith also at the time marketed remedies called Benoids, Zenoids, Cyphoids and Notoids.)
The “Alt” in Altoids is said by the manufacturer to derive from the Latin word for “change,” but a more logical source would be the Latin “altus,” or “high,” making “Altoid” equivalent to “the highest or best oid.” The suffix “oid” seems to be passé in pharmacological circles today, having been supplanted by the meaningless “ac” of Prozac and Zantac and the “il” of Elavil and Paxil.
Altoids are still made in Britain and were introduced in the U.S. in 1918, although their current popularity is due largely to the company’s quirky (”Nice Altoids!”) ad campaign launched in 1995. The distinctive Altoids tins, now issued as limited-series collectibles, were introduced in the 1920s. Prior to then, the mints were sold in small, presumably very fragrant, cardboard boxes.
Jeep
It would be hard to think of a vehicle more quintessentially American — tough, perhaps a little rough, but ready for anything — than the Jeep, now manufactured by Daimler Chrysler.
The history of the Jeep brand is well-known, from its origins on the battlefields of World War II, where Jeeps served as all-purpose four-wheel drive transport vehicles, to the refined suburban SUVs of today, but the name “Jeep” itself has long been a subject of etymological contention.
Some theories trace “Jeep” to the vehicle’s supposed military designation “G.P.,” standing for “General Purpose.” Unfortunately, the US military never designated any vehicle “G.P.” Interestingly, however, a larger truck which preceded the Jeep in light transport duty was known among soldiers as the “Peep.”
The true origin of “Jeep” seems to lie in another bit of classic Americana — the “Popeye” comic strip. In March 1936, Popeye creator Elzie C. Segar introduced a strange new character in the strip, more of an animal, actually, about the size of a dog but walking upright and equipped with all sorts of mysterious powers, including telepathy and invisibility. The critter was called Eugene the Jeep, probably because the only sound it could make was a cry of “Jeep! Jeep!”
But Eugene the Jeep could do just about anything he wanted to in the Popeye strip, so it made sense when soldiers encountered the new all-purpose do-anything vehicle in the Army, the successor to the “Peep,” that they would dub it “the Jeep.”
Saab
Mazda has sold a lot of cars with its catchy “zoom-zoom” jingle, but a case could be made that the motto really belongs to Saab, a car company that was zooming long before it made its first automobile.
Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget was formed in 1937 as Sweden’s national manufacturer of military aircraft. After World War II, company engineers realized that the expertise in design they had acquired in building combat aircraft would translate well to the building of automobiles, and launched a secret car project in 1945. In 1947, they presented their first prototype in public, a highly advanced auto design that featured front-wheel drive, a safety cage surrounding its passengers, and an aerodynamic design based on the shape of an aircraft wing. The Model 92 was a hit with the public when it was released two years later, and the world discovered the Saab brand, an acronym formed from Svenska Aeroplan AktieBolaget.
More than 20,000 Model 92s were built over the next seven years, and Saab has since become famous for pioneering engineering, safety and comfort. Saab also still makes aircraft, including high-performance military and commercial jets.