Here's How Wonder Bread Got Its Name
There's no shortage of white bread in the world, but few have the same brand recognition as Wonder Bread. After all, who among us doesn't have Proust-like recollections of peanut butter and jelly spread between two pieces of soft, pearly white Wonder Bread?
But how exactly did Wonder Bread become Wonder Bread? According to ABC News, the infamous bread was first sold in 1921 and went by the name Taggart Baking Company. At the time, the concept of sliced bread was still a bit of a novelty, with many people worried that a pre-cut loaf would dry out quicker. Wonder Bread soon proved them wrong when it became one of the first sliced breads on the market in the 1930s.
According to ABC News, despite the company's growing success, Wonder Bread didn't get its name until Taggart executive, Elmer Cline, found himself at a hot air balloon race with a friend and commented on just how in "wonder" he was of the balloons.
The legacy of Wonder Bread
Sticky Branding further delves into the lore of Elmer Cline and his novel idea for Wonder Bread's packaging. While you may have thought the yellow, blue, and red shapes on the package were simply colorful circles or balls, they are actually directly linked to Cline's fascination with hot air balloons. The company further created marketing campaigns in the form of giant Wonder Bread blimps that were even featured at New York and Chicago's world fairs.
More than just the name and the iconic packaging, Wonder Bread also played a key role in the famous phrase: "The best thing since sliced bread." As Sticky Branding details, Wonder Bread put out an ad campaign to quell any uncertainty people had to this new product, stating Wonder Bread was the "greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped." This was later transformed into the saying we all know today.