Secret meanings behind iconic brand names

By Alexis Carey

news.com.au·

15 Jun, 2018 11:00 PM3 mins to read

Ever wondered how Milo, Tim-Tams and Woolworths got their names? Photo / File

Ever wondered how everyday iconic brands like Milo, Tim-Tams, Woolworths and Dulux got their names?

News.com.au has dug into the history behind some of Australia's most famous brands, and discovered the fascinating stories behind them.

According to Queensland University of Technology retail expert Gary Mortimer, the most popular brands often have a lot of nostalgia associated with their name and products, which helps brands connect with consumers.

"Having a brand name that resonates with a target market is vitally important and often there is a lot of nostalgia attached to brands," Mortimer said.

"We find that those that are successful over a long period of time often have a story to tell — just last month David Jones took out a three-page editorial in newspapers outlining its 180-year history all the way from when it started as a drapery to what it is today.

"With big brands like Mortein with Louie the Fly and Vegemite and Aeroplane Jelly — even in their advertising today they often reflect back to their old black-and-white advertising, so there is a lot of nostalgia attached to brands which creates this sense of connection and storytelling around it."

Here's some of Australia's most-loved brands earned their monikers.

Uncle Tobys

The company was launched by Leonard and George Parsons in 1861 and originally traded as Parsons Bros.

In 1893, Uncle Tobys oats products were introduced to the market by Clifford Love and Co in Sydney — and he had his niece Nellie to thank for designing both the Uncle Tobys name and its iconic logo.

Uncle Tonys was named after a literary character in the Life of Times of Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne — in the book, Uncle Toby is a gentle and uncomplicated character.

Ugg

There's been a lot of debate about who invented the humble Ugg Boot. Photo / Supplied

Just like pavlova and lamingtons, there's a long-running dispute between Australia and New Zealand regarding which great nation invented the humble ugg boot — but where did the name come from?

Some say the word came from "fug boots", which were worn by aviators in rural Australia during World War I.

But the most common explanation is that the term ugg simply came from the word "ugly".

Milo

The choc-malt staple was developed by chemist and inventor Thomas Mayne in 1934.

The name comes from the legendary Ancient Greek athlete Milo of Croton, who was famous for his superhuman strength — including hoisting bull onto his mighty shoulders.

It makes sense, considering Milo is marketed as an energy drink and was developed during the Great Depression, when it helped a generation of malnourished kids.

Woolworths

Woolworths was founded back in 1924 by businessmen Percy Christmas, Stanley Chatterton, Cecil Scott Waine, George Creed and Ernest Williams, who wanted to build an Australian variety store.

They modelled their business off the American chain, F.W. Woolworth, and originally planned on calling their own store Wallworths Bazaar.

But apparently, they soon realised "Woolworth" hadn't been registered Down Under yet — and as legend goes, Christmas dared Williams to register it on their behalf.

He did, and the rest is history.