Mundane Mysteries: Why Are Tic Tac’s Called Tic Tac’s?

Mundane Mysteries: Why Are Tic Tac’s Called Tic Tac’s?

We’ve all been there before. Waiting in line to checkout at the grocery store perusing the tabloids and candy. Then decide, “hey I haven’t had tic tac’s in a while. Why are they called that anyway?”

Turns out back in 1970 Ferrero, the company who owns the product, wanted to change the generic name they already had which was “Refreshing Mints”. I get that. Super boring. Need something that will catch their eye in the checkout line. So instead of going with yet another stale predictable name they put their heads together to think. The light bulb moment was when they realized that the sound of the little plastic container tab opening and closing is “tic.. tac… tic… tac…”.

That’s it! meeting over “tic tac” it is!

Next time you buy some of those little mints, now you can tell the person behind you in line that fun story. I’m sure they will be impressed by your checkout line trivia knowledge.

 

Photo credit: Getty Images