This month marked the 100^th anniversary of The Oreo. Brian Palmer discussed the longevity of the delightful treat:

• The Oreo was not the first sandwich cookie on the market. Sunshine Baking had been selling Hydroxes for a couple of years before Oreos hit the market.
• However the parent company behind Oreo had significantly more marketing power, and was able to advertise its sandwich cookie more effectively.
• But why has the Oreo survived so long while other cookies from the same company haven’t? Some argue it’s because of the unique name. Others say that it’s because, just like eggs, there are numerous ways to consume the treat. Still others argue that it’s because it’s challenging to perfectly disassemble the cookie, enticing consumers to repeatedly try and thus eat more cookies.
• In 1982 ten cents of every dollar spent on cookies were spent on Oreos.
• The name of the parent company of Oreo, “Nabisco” is actually a shortening of National Biscuit Company

To read what “Oreo” means, why the visual design of the Oreo might have mattered, and why Nabisco had a troubling time penetrating the Jewish market click here.

Source: Slate