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'''Betty Crocker''' is a [[brand name]] and [[trademark]] of [[Fortune 500|American Fortune 500 corporation]] [[General Mills]]. The name was first developed by the Washburn Crosby Company in 1921 as a way to give a personalized response to consumer product questions. The name Betty was selected because it was viewed as a cheery, all-American name. It was paired with the last name Crocker, in honor of William Crocker, a Washburn Crosby Company director.
'''Betty Crocker''' is a [[brand name]] and [[trademark]] of [[Fortune 500|American Fortune 500 corporation]] [[General Mills]]. The name was first developed by the Washburn Crosby Company in 1921 as a way to give a personalized response to consumer product questions. The name Betty was selected because it was viewed as a cheery, all-American name. It was paired with the last name Crocker, in honor of William Crocker, a Washburn Crosby Company director.


==Founding ==
[[Marjorie Husted]] was the creator of Betty Crocker. She was a home economist and businesswoman under whose supervision the image of Betty Crocker became an icon for General Mills. In 1921, Washburn Crosby merged with five or more other milling companies to form General Mills.


In 1924, Betty acquired a voice with the debut of “The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air” on one station in Minneapolis. It was the country’s first radio cooking show, and Agnes White was selected to portray Betty Crocker. The show proved popular, and eventually was carried nationally on NBC Radio, with Agnes as Betty. Over the next two decades, Agnes would anonymously portray Betty Crocker on the air and at cooking schools.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vchistory.org/people/agnes-white-tizard-betty-crocker/|title=Agnes White Tizard: Betty Crocker|accessdate=14 January 2014}}</ref>

In 1929, Betty Crocker [[coupon]]s were introduced. Inserted in bags of [[flour]], they could be used to reduce the cost of [[Oneida Limited]] [[cutlery|flatware]]. By 1932, this scheme had become so popular that General Mills began to offer an entire set of flatware; the pattern was called "Friendship" (later renamed "Medality"). In 1937 the coupons were printed on the outside of packages, copy on which told purchasers to "save and redeem for big savings on fine kitchen and home accessories in our [[mail-order catalog|catalog]]".

==Cookbook publications ==
From 1930, General Mills issued softbound recipe books, including in 1933 ''Betty Crocker's 101 Delicious [[Bisquick]] Creations, As Made and Served by Well-Known Gracious Hostesses, Famous Chefs, Distinguished Epicures and Smart Luminaries of Movieland.''{{citation needed|date = January 2012}}

1941-1945: Betty Crocker Cook Book of All-Purpose Baking. (published as an aid to wartime considerations in cooking).<ref>{{cite web|last=Jarvits|first=Janet|title=Betty Crocker Edition History|url=http://www.cookbookjj.com/college/betty_crocker.htm|publisher=General Mills}}</ref>

In 1950, the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook was published. It was written by Agnes White Tizard, a nutritionist and a member of [[Alpha Delta Pi]] sorority.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alphadeltapi.org/contentmanager/page.asp?webpageid=622|title=Accomplished Alpha Delta Pi Members in Education and Science|accessdate=26 February 2011}}</ref>

In 2005, the 10th edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook was published, as well as a [[Spanish language|Spanish]]/[[English language|English]] bilingual book that collects some of the more common recipes for Spanish-speaking readers looking to cook American-style food. An 11th edition, in ring-binder format, appeared in 2011. At least 17 other Betty Crocker recipe collections were also in print in 2015. Recipes and collections are also available digitally.

==Media ==
''Betty Crocker'' programs first appeared on radio on local stations in 1924. The first network ''Betty Crocker'' broadcast was on [[NBC]] in 1926. The show remained on network radio until 1953; most of the time the program was on NBC or [[CBS]], but it was on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from 1947 to 1953.<ref name="dunningota">Dunning, John. (1998). ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio''. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. P. 82.</ref>

In 1949, actress [[Adelaide Hawley Cumming]] became Betty Crocker for many years. She appeared for several years on ''[[The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show]]'', and even had her own TV show. She also appeared in the [[CBS]] network's first color commercial, in which she baked a "mystery fruit cake". Hawley continued to portray Betty Crocker until 1964.{{citation needed|date = January 2012}}

A portrait of Betty Crocker first appeared in 1936. It subtly changed over the years, but always accommodated General Mills' cultural perception of the American homemaker: knowledgeable and caring. The current image of Betty Crocker, according to the corporation, is actually a combination of 75 real-life women of diverse backgrounds and ages.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Betty Crocker Portraits|url=http://www.bettycrocker.com/tips/aboutthekitchens/portraits|publisher=General Mills|accessdate=7 January 2013}}</ref> These portraits were always painted, with no real person ever having posed as a model.{{citation needed|date = January 2012}}

In 1945, [[''Fortune'']] magazine named Betty Crocker the second most popular American woman; [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] was named first.{{citation needed|date = January 2012}}

In 1949, Granger Crocker sent a post card to J. W. Schucak about Betty being crowned "best cook" in her town.{{citation needed|date = January 2012}}


==Legacy ==
The [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]] suburb of [[Golden Valley, Minnesota]] (where General Mills is headquartered) has a street named after her: Betty Crocker Drive.{{citation needed|date = January 2012}}

There are a number of Betty Crocker-branded products, such as plastic food containers and measuring cups, and a line of small appliances like popcorn poppers and sandwich makers with the Betty Crocker brand name.

In 2006, the Betty Crocker Catalog went out of business with all of its inventory on sale. Points were redeemable until December 15, 2006. A new online store was launched in April 2007 but discontinued sometime thereafter.

== Products==
* Bac-Os
* [[Betty Crocker Cookbook]]
* Betty Crocker baking mixes
* Betty Crocker canned frosting
* Bowl Appetit shelf-stable entrees
* Betty Crocker Soda Licious (discontinued)
* Cake and dessert decorating products
* [[Dunkaroos|Dunk-a-roos]]
*Fruit by the Foot
* Fruit Gushers<ref name="product catalogue">[http://www.generalmills.com/Home/Brands/Baking_Products/Betty_Crocker/Brand%20Product%20List%20Page.aspx Betty Crocker product list], General Mills</ref>
* [[Hamburger Helper]] and related products
* Potato Buds instant [[mashed potatoes]]
* Suddenly Salad mixes
* 'Shake and make' pancake mix
* Warm Delights microwavable desserts

== See also ==
* [[Betty Crocker Kitchens]]
* [[Betty Bossi]]
* ''[[Homestuck]]'', a webcomic which features Betty Crocker as a major villain

== References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite web |title=Who Was Betty Crocker?|author=Tori Avey |url=http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/who-was-betty-crocker/ |date=February 15, 2013 |publisher=[[PBS]] Food |accessdate=}}
* Dunning, John. ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio.'' Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-507678-8
* Marks, Susan. (2007) ''Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America's First Lady of Food'' University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-5018-7 (popular book.)
* Crocker, Betty. ''Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book''. New York: McGraw–Hill and General Mills, 1950 (first edition of the "Big Red" cookbook.)
* Gray, James. ''Business without Boundary: The Story of General Mills''. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1954 (scholarly history of General Mills, including the invention of Crocker.)
* Shapiro, Laura. "Is She Real?" In ''Something from the Oven: Reinventing Dinner in 1950s America'', 169–209. New York: Viking, 2004 (chapter on Betty Crocker in a popular book with footnotes.)

==External links==
* [http://www.bettycrocker.com/ Betty Crocker official website]
* [http://www.bettycrocker.com/products Betty Crocker products]
* [http://www.cookbkjj.com/college/betty_crocker.htm ''Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book''] edition history: changing portrait-style images of Betty Crocker since 1936
* {{Citation | url = http://chnm.gmu.edu/sidelights/who-was-betty-crocker/ | title = Who was Betty Crocker | publisher = GMU}}
* {{Citation | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080308040953/http://www.findingbettycrocker.com/ | archivedate = 2008-03-08 | url = http://www.findingbettycrocker.com/ | title = Finding Betty Crocker | first = Susan | last = Marks}} (dead link)
* {{Citation | url = http://www.ilovethefingerlakes.com/history/famous-people-cumming.htm | title = Biography | first = Adelaide | last = Fish Hawley Cumming | publisher = I love the Fingerlakes}}.


{{General Mills}}
{{General Mills}}

Revision as of 16:12, 26 March 2015

File:Betty Crocker official logo.svg
Betty Crocker logo used until 2003
File:ProdPack-Betty-Crocker-Brownies-Small.jpg
A box of Fudge Brownie mix

Betty Crocker is a brand name and trademark of American Fortune 500 corporation General Mills. The name was first developed by the Washburn Crosby Company in 1921 as a way to give a personalized response to consumer product questions. The name Betty was selected because it was viewed as a cheery, all-American name. It was paired with the last name Crocker, in honor of William Crocker, a Washburn Crosby Company director.

Founding

Marjorie Husted was the creator of Betty Crocker. She was a home economist and businesswoman under whose supervision the image of Betty Crocker became an icon for General Mills. In 1921, Washburn Crosby merged with five or more other milling companies to form General Mills.

In 1924, Betty acquired a voice with the debut of “The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air” on one station in Minneapolis. It was the country’s first radio cooking show, and Agnes White was selected to portray Betty Crocker. The show proved popular, and eventually was carried nationally on NBC Radio, with Agnes as Betty. Over the next two decades, Agnes would anonymously portray Betty Crocker on the air and at cooking schools.[1]

In 1929, Betty Crocker coupons were introduced. Inserted in bags of flour, they could be used to reduce the cost of Oneida Limited flatware. By 1932, this scheme had become so popular that General Mills began to offer an entire set of flatware; the pattern was called "Friendship" (later renamed "Medality"). In 1937 the coupons were printed on the outside of packages, copy on which told purchasers to "save and redeem for big savings on fine kitchen and home accessories in our catalog".

Cookbook publications

From 1930, General Mills issued softbound recipe books, including in 1933 Betty Crocker's 101 Delicious Bisquick Creations, As Made and Served by Well-Known Gracious Hostesses, Famous Chefs, Distinguished Epicures and Smart Luminaries of Movieland.[citation needed]

1941-1945: Betty Crocker Cook Book of All-Purpose Baking. (published as an aid to wartime considerations in cooking).[2]

In 1950, the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook was published. It was written by Agnes White Tizard, a nutritionist and a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.[3]

In 2005, the 10th edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook was published, as well as a Spanish/English bilingual book that collects some of the more common recipes for Spanish-speaking readers looking to cook American-style food. An 11th edition, in ring-binder format, appeared in 2011. At least 17 other Betty Crocker recipe collections were also in print in 2015. Recipes and collections are also available digitally.

Media

Betty Crocker programs first appeared on radio on local stations in 1924. The first network Betty Crocker broadcast was on NBC in 1926. The show remained on network radio until 1953; most of the time the program was on NBC or CBS, but it was on ABC from 1947 to 1953.[4]

In 1949, actress Adelaide Hawley Cumming became Betty Crocker for many years. She appeared for several years on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, and even had her own TV show. She also appeared in the CBS network's first color commercial, in which she baked a "mystery fruit cake". Hawley continued to portray Betty Crocker until 1964.[citation needed]

A portrait of Betty Crocker first appeared in 1936. It subtly changed over the years, but always accommodated General Mills' cultural perception of the American homemaker: knowledgeable and caring. The current image of Betty Crocker, according to the corporation, is actually a combination of 75 real-life women of diverse backgrounds and ages.[5] These portraits were always painted, with no real person ever having posed as a model.[citation needed]

In 1945, ''Fortune'' magazine named Betty Crocker the second most popular American woman; Eleanor Roosevelt was named first.[citation needed]

In 1949, Granger Crocker sent a post card to J. W. Schucak about Betty being crowned "best cook" in her town.[citation needed]


Legacy

The Minneapolis suburb of Golden Valley, Minnesota (where General Mills is headquartered) has a street named after her: Betty Crocker Drive.[citation needed]

There are a number of Betty Crocker-branded products, such as plastic food containers and measuring cups, and a line of small appliances like popcorn poppers and sandwich makers with the Betty Crocker brand name.

In 2006, the Betty Crocker Catalog went out of business with all of its inventory on sale. Points were redeemable until December 15, 2006. A new online store was launched in April 2007 but discontinued sometime thereafter.

Products

  • Bac-Os
  • Betty Crocker Cookbook
  • Betty Crocker baking mixes
  • Betty Crocker canned frosting
  • Bowl Appetit shelf-stable entrees
  • Betty Crocker Soda Licious (discontinued)
  • Cake and dessert decorating products
  • Dunk-a-roos
  • Fruit by the Foot
  • Fruit Gushers[6]
  • Hamburger Helper and related products
  • Potato Buds instant mashed potatoes
  • Suddenly Salad mixes
  • 'Shake and make' pancake mix
  • Warm Delights microwavable desserts

See also

References

  1. ^ "Agnes White Tizard: Betty Crocker". Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  2. ^ Jarvits, Janet. "Betty Crocker Edition History". General Mills.
  3. ^ "Accomplished Alpha Delta Pi Members in Education and Science". Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  4. ^ Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. P. 82.
  5. ^ "The Betty Crocker Portraits". General Mills. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  6. ^ Betty Crocker product list, General Mills

Sources

  • Tori Avey (February 15, 2013). "Who Was Betty Crocker?". PBS Food.
  • Dunning, John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-507678-8
  • Marks, Susan. (2007) Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America's First Lady of Food University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-5018-7 (popular book.)
  • Crocker, Betty. Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book. New York: McGraw–Hill and General Mills, 1950 (first edition of the "Big Red" cookbook.)
  • Gray, James. Business without Boundary: The Story of General Mills. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1954 (scholarly history of General Mills, including the invention of Crocker.)
  • Shapiro, Laura. "Is She Real?" In Something from the Oven: Reinventing Dinner in 1950s America, 169–209. New York: Viking, 2004 (chapter on Betty Crocker in a popular book with footnotes.)
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