So, let’s play “Guess that brand?”
How many clues do you need before you can name this Great British brand?
- It was created in 1908 at 19 Granby Row, which if you don’t know, is in the centre of Manchester
- Its inventor was (John) Noel Nichols
- Noel was at least in part inspired by the Temperance Movement
- It contains the juice of grapes, raspberries and blackcurrants
- He first registered a trademark for his new brand in the medicines class, that was in 1912.
- Early claims included that it “eliminates that out-of-sorts feeling” and gives the drinker “vim & vigour”
- In 1913 it was registered as a beverage for human use, not alcoholic, not aerated and not medicated.
- It was originally available only as an herbal tonic
- Nowadays it is available in cans and bottles and as a draught soft drink in pub and as a sweet and an ice lolly.
- In the 1990s, print advertisements featuring the cartoon character Purple Ronnie were used to promote the brand
So how many clues did it take you to guess the brand? Or have you still not got in?
Well the biggest clues are in the sixth statement and the eighth.
The brand name was originally a combination of one of its benefits and what it was – “Vim Tonic” which was shortened to become VIMTO.