Betty Crocker As A Figurative Person

Betty Crocker was a figurative character created for General Mills to help housewives get personalized expert advice about consumer product goods primarily related to cooking and general housekeeping. The iconic name was developed in 1921 by the Washburn Crosby Company and was created in honor of William Crocker, a director of the company. The name Betty was added to the name because at the time it was thought of as a cheery, all-American name. This appealed to many women during the post-war era when there was little time to spend in the kitchen. One of the goals of the Betty Crocker iconic brand name was to make cooking a less daunting experience by proving that anyone can bake easy and affordable meals. “She was an authority personified, leading a human face to food corporations bidding for the attention of female shoppers”(Avakian 29). The Betty Crocker name became a world phenomenon over the

This began the flours wars of the 1920’s when Betty Crocker was introduced as a figurative person that touched the lives of many with the “practical, thoughtful, and timely messages” (Marks 16) of cooking. The many recipe books published by General Mills captured the essence of simple, clean, easy baking that has remained timeless. The first picture cookbook “Betty Crocker Cookbook”, published in the 1950’s, became a national top best-seller. Since then, more than 250 Betty Crocker cookbooks have been published that have remained heavily used to this day. The hundreds of recipes and products promoted through these books have shown that General Mills could deliver the perfect products to the home and at the same time teach simple, nutritious ways to enjoy