His name will not even sound familiar to the youngest of the place -unless they are staunch followers of Álex de la Iglesia-, but just by mentioning the word mirinda there are many Spaniards who will let out a sigh of nostalgia. And we should specify more: peninsular Spaniards, since the mythical and iconic refreshing drink still alive and kicking in many countries, and can also be purchased in the Canary Islands. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
At a time when Spain finally seemed to be recovering from the enormous post-war crisis and was opening up to the world, at least in appearance, the food industry helped to change the mood with a whole arsenal of our processed products that They brought us a little closer to the American dream that came to us through television and cinema. In addition to ice creams, desserts, cookies, candies and snacks, soft drinks had an almost virgin market to occupy.
It was the decade of 1960 and one of the most popular drinks that dazzled the youngest especially was Mirinda, a soft drink presented in two flavors that would compete in the following decades with others such as Kas, Fanta, Crush or Konga, to win over the consumer less friendly to the cola flavors. until one fine day he left our country never to return never ever, except for import exceptions in specialized stores or the aforementioned Canarian community.
A soft drink in Esperanto invented in Spain
No one knows for now who shaped the original recipe of the Mirinda, since there has been no record of it in any preserved source. We do know that he was a spanish invention, or that is deduced from the analysis of the patent registry. It is in Spain where it is mentioned for the first time in the world, and nothing proves otherwise.
Some media assume that an anonymous entrepreneur devised the original drink sometime in the mid-20th century, and it would be this mysterious hero who gave it its immortal name of Mirinda. Again, a very romantic story but one that we must deny Well, as the expert and historian affirms Ana Vega Perez de Arluceaeverything leads to indicate that its author was none other than the company PepsiCowhich continues to own the brand.
The American company arrived in Spain willing to be the eternal rival of Coca-Cola, registering its own name and logo at the end of 1956. And in January of the following year, in 1957, the company registered the ‘Mirinda’ logo as two brands commercial, one to designate “syrups and concentrates thereof for use in the manufacture of non-alcoholic carbonated beverages” and another for non-alcoholic carbonated beverages.
“Mirinda” is an adjective in Esperanto that means amazing, magnificent, stupendous, fantastic…
In this document, the design that would become a worldwide icon is already evident, with the green colors of the letters superimposed on the white background. And what does it mean mirinda? It’s nothing more than a adjective that in Esperanto It can be translated as superb, splendid, marvelous, magnificent, phenomenal, grandiose… terms that exude positive energy and a bit of a lack of modesty. Why Esperanto? It is a mystery, perhaps simply because of the universal and unifying character that has this international planned language
Demonstrating that a professional company knows how to do things on time and in the correct order to succeed, PepsiCo would not launch Mirinda yet. But ownership of what, they hoped, had to be ensured. it was going to be a success in the Spanish market capable of competing with the tough rivals that were emerging at the time. And they weren’t entirely wrong.
Unknown Mirinda T-shirt Adult/child EGB eighties 80’s Retro (L, Peach)
Ford Transit box car, Mirinda , 2000, Model Car, Ready-made, Minichamps 1:43
From the golden years to sacrificial death
The first units of Mirinda went on the market when PepsiCo returned to register a new brand with that name, this time referring to the textual word and not to the logo, framed in the group of non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, in the year 1959under patent number 344,475.
The soft drink arrived in stores packaged in small glass bottles and then it would also adapt to the tin and plastic format. There was Mirinda of orangethe one considered genuine and original, and also of lemon, just like the competition did with the aforementioned Fanta de Coca-Cola or Trinaranjus. In addition, in 1965 a reference of Mirinda tonicagain in parallel with its rivals, advertised both for direct consumption and for use in cocktails and various mixes.
the decades of 1960 and 1970 were the golden age Mirinda, the most popular refreshing drink, especially among children, since even cola drinks used to have a somewhat older or already adolescent audience. It was also the bet of those who were looking for something modern compared to the boring soft drinks and the siphon, which even then was seen as something older. In addition, the company did not hesitate to take advantage of the pull of powerful advertising campaigns and marketing.
In addition to brand new television commercialsmany of them starring a mischievous girl known as ‘La Chica Mirinda’ (“I’m orange, I’m Miriiiinda“), PepsiCo sponsored sporting events, held advertisements in newspapers and children’s magazines, launched various gifts and products brands including music records and sticker albums, even appearing on sponsored comics with characters of the stature of Mortadelo and Filemón. Pure Spanish pop culture.
those happy days they would come to an end with the 1990s, which brought so many changes to Spanish society. PepsiCo, in its eagerness to compete with Coca-Cola, took over the brand and Kas parent company in 1992. The soft drink company, founded by the brothers José María and Luis Knörr Elorza in Vitoria in 1956, had been another of Mirinda’s great rivals, widespread especially in northern Spain.
The American multinational found itself with the small dilemma of having two different brands of citrus soft drinks in its catalogue, something unsustainable for their business plans, if they wanted to attack Fanta hard. In those years it was considered that Kas already had his best positioned name among consumers and it was more profitable to maintain said banner. There was no room for Mirinda.
Mirinda 0.33 liters 24 cans
Disappeared in Spain, rejuvenated in the world
In mainland Spain many still cry with nostalgia when remembering those children’s birthday parties with mirindas on the table between nutella sandwiches, midnights and cookie cakes, but we must take comfort in the idea that our iconic drink continues to enjoy relative good health abroad.
In addition to being found in the Canary Islands, PepsiCo maintains Mirinda as one of its fruity soft drinks in multitude of countries, both European and American, African or Asian. In each territory you can also find references with flavors we never got to taste here, such as the grape, pear, strawberry or currant Mirinda, as well as special editions.
The company has also given him a face wash recently renewing the recipe in almost all markets, as it has done with almost all its products to, supposedly, “defend healthy eating”. Thus, the amount of sugars has been reduced, although it remains what it is: a sugary carbonated soft drink with artificial colors and flavors. And how happy it made us.
Photos | All Collection – The unofficial page of Mortadelo and Filemón – thngs – goosmurf
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