Snickers was named after the Mars family's horse — and became a billion-dollar brand

In 1930, the Mars Candy Factory in Chicago launched a new chocolate bar filled with nougat, caramel, and peanuts. The company was founded by Frank Mars, who had been making candy since 1902, and run with his son Forrest Mars Sr. The new bar needed a name. The family chose the name of their favorite horse: Snickers.

The Snickers bar was an immediate success. It was priced at 5 cents, positioned as a hearty snack that satisfied hunger, and advertised with the tagline 'Packed with peanuts, Snickers satisfies.' Within a decade, Snickers was one of the best-selling candy bars in the United States, competing directly with Hershey's and Nestlé.

Snickers became the flagship product of Mars Inc., which grew into one of the largest privately held companies in the world. The bar was sold in over 200 countries and advertised in the Super Bowl and other major events. By 2023, Snickers was a multi-billion-dollar brand, with annual global sales exceeding $2 billion.

The name that was never a deliberate branding decision — it was simply the name of a horse — became one of the most valuable confectionery trademarks in history. The horse that gave Snickers its name has been forgotten, but the brand lives on as a reminder that the best brand names sometimes come from the most unexpected places.