Folgers
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Folgers Coffee is a major brand of coffee in the US, part of the food and beverage division of Procter & Gamble.
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[edit] Company history
The Folger Coffee Company was founded by J. A. Folger in San Francisco, California in the 19th century. James came to San Francisco from Nantucket Island during the California Gold Rush. Under the mid-20th century leadership of his great-grandson, Peter Folger (the father of murder victim Abigail Folger), it became one of the largest coffee concerns in North America, which has traditionally been the largest market for coffee in the world. P&G acquired the company in 1963.
[edit] The coffee
In the United States, there are 8 'families' of Folgers coffee (many available in decaf versions):
- Classic Roast, including Classic "Red Can", Half Caff, and Special Roast. (All Medium Roasted coffees)
- Coffeehouse Series: including Gourmet Supreme (Dark Roast), 100% Colombian (Med-Dark), French Roast (Med-Dark) and Breakfast Blend (Light Roast).
- Simply Smooth, a new stomach-friendly medium roasted coffee.
- Flavored Coffee: Hazelnut, French Vanilla, Chocolate Silk, Cinnamon.
- Folgers Gourmet Selections: a new line of plain and flavored coffees targeting "a taste of gourmet every day".
- Instant Coffees: Folgers Crystals and Singles are available in Regular and Decaf.
- Coffee Pods: For use with one cup brewing systems such as HomeCafe.
- Café Coffees: Such as Cappuccino and Cafe Latte.
In Canada, Folgers is primarily available as Classic Roast and Mountain Roast.
[edit] Advertising the brand
"The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!" is Folgers' well-known slogan. In some commercials for Folgers, the slogan was sung as a jingle by the a cappella musical group Rockapella. This jingle was used by The Blanks in an episode of Scrubs, but the band replaced "Folgers" with "Elliot" as Elliot's boyfriend had requested the jingle as a sing-o-gram.
Folgers was known for many years for television advertising, with one of its best-known campaigns involving "Mrs. Olson," a Swedish neighbor to many of the campaign's other characters, who invariably recommended a cup of Folgers coffee as a solution to all of their (minor) problems. She also invariably reminded her listeners that Folgers was "mountain grown, the richest kind of coffee." Actress Virginia Christine portrayed Mrs. Olson in television advertisements from 1965 to 1986.
Another famous advertising campaign from the early 1980s took the viewer inside various gourmet restaurants as a voice-over whispered, "We are here at (insert name of four-star restaurant), where we've secretly replaced the fine coffee they usually serve with Folgers Crystals. Let's see if anyone can tell the difference!" Of course, no one ever did.
In the mid 1980s through the early 1990s Folgers advertised in the ever expanding NASCAR racing series in the United States. After a trial season with the Joe Ruttman driven, Larry McClure owned Chevrolet in 1985, Folgers expanded sponsorships with high profile race teams and popular drivers such as the T.G. Sheppard & Rick Hendrick owned Chevrolets driven by Tim Richmond, Benny Parsons and Ken Schrader and later in 1990 with the Jack Roush owned, Mark Martin driven Ford Thunderbird just missing a Championship by 26 points.
In 2006, the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi created a viral advertisement, popularly known as "Happy Mornings," for Folgers. The ad, in which a large group of impossibly cheerful singers and dancers appear at sunrise as the sun itself to wake people up, has been widely distributed on weblogs and video sites such as YouTube.
[edit] The Folger Building
The brick, five-story Folger Building at 101 Harrison in San Francisco, California was the former headquarters of Folgers. It still has a sign saying "The Folgers Coffee Company" on the corner. The Wharton Business School has its California office there.
[edit] Media
- Video:Folgers commercial (file info) — Watch in browser
- A Folgers commercial In case of problems, see media help.
| Procter & Gamble Co. | |
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Corporate Directors: Norman Augustine | Bruce Byrnes | R. Kerry Clark | Scott D. Cook | Joseph Gorman | A. G. Lafley | Charles R. Lee | Lynn M. Martin | W. James McNerney, Jr. | Johnathan Rodgers | John F. Smith, Jr. | Ralph Snyderman | Robert Storey | Margaret Whitman | Ernesto Zedillo |
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Brands: Always | Ariel | Aussie | Bounty | Braun | Charmin | Cheer | Clairol | CoverGirl | Crest | Downy | Dreft | Duracell | Eukanuba | Fairy | Febreze | Folgers | Gillette | Head & Shoulders | Herbal Essences | Iams | Ivory | Joy | Luvs | Max Factor | Metamucil | Noxzema | Olay | Old Spice | Oral-B | Pampers | Pantene | Pringles | Puffs | Pur | SK-II | Swiffer | Tampax | Tide | Vicks | Zest |
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Annual Revenue: $55.4 billion USD ( |
