Who The Heck Is Betty Crocker?

Betty Crocker is a household name that is pretty much known around the world today.  For over a century, Betty has created delicious recipes and proven baking methods that help even the most novice cooks and newlyweds can follow to easily bake scrumptious desserts and a variety of other baked goods.  Betty’s kitchen advice is trusted and followed by many.  But perhaps there is something you may not be aware of regarding Ms. Betty Crocker.

In 1880, the forerunner of the General Mills Company entered its newly milled flour in the International Miller’s Competition; surprisingly it won the ‘Gold Medal’. The small company was so proud to have won the gold medal; it changed the name of its flour to “Gold Medal Flour.”  Even though the original company changed hands several times, the name Gold Medal Flour has always remained the flagship flour; in fact it’s the largest selling flour in the U.S. today.

Back in 1921, one of the predecessors to today’s General Mills decided to run a special promotion regarding its Gold Medal Flour brand. The company asked housewives in America to submit any questions they had about Gold Medal Flour and it assured them everyone who submitted a question would receive a handwritten response from the company.  

Unbelievably, the company was soon overwhelmed with letters coming in from all across America from mothers and homemakers.  The company wanted to ensure continuity in responding to all the women who sent in questions so the company came up with the name Betty Crocker – because it just sounded like a good name to reply.  Every response to the questions submitted regarding Gold Medal Flour were answered by numerous women who all signed their replies - Betty Crocker.

Although Betty Crocker, was and always has been a fictionalized character, she became so popular with housewives and bakers around the world demanded to know what she actually looked like.  So back in 1936, after General Mills bought the company it commissioned a well known artist to create a likeness of what he thought Betty Crocker would look like if she were real - thus the first Betty Crocker image as we know today was created.

Over the years General Mills has continued to update Betty’s looks -  several times in fact. Each update provided Betty with a contemporary hair style and a modern, fashionable wardrobe. The last makeover Betty received was in 1996.  Betty however was initially portrayed as a matronly looking mother; today though she looks much younger, resourceful and confident.  In addition, Betty has always been committed to her family, her community and most of all she loves to bake.

What most people do not realize is that there is always a "Betty Crocker" on duty 24/7 at the General Mills Company headquarters in Golden Valley, Minnesota.  Betty is always there to answer any phone call and reply to any questions that arises regarding Gold Medal Flour.

What’s even more amazing is that according to AdWeek - one of the giant publications in the advertising industry,  has concluded that Betty Crocker reigned as “The Most Famous Fictional Female in the U.S." for almost a century.  She was recently bumped to second place by a younger upstart fictional character many of you might know.  According to AdWeek, the four most famous fictional females ever created by corporations in the U.S. are:

            1) Flo – The insurance spokeswoman from Progressive Insurance

            2) Betty Crocker – The wise baker/kitchen consultant 

            3) Mrs. {Joy} Butterworth – The syrup icon from Pinnacle Foods,

                                                           and

            4) Catalina – A beautiful, fun loving Chicken of the Sea mermaid