1. Nintendo
Most people know Nintendo as the video game giant behind Mario and Zelda, but it actually started as a playing card company in 1889. Founded in Kyoto, Japan, Nintendo made handmade Hanafuda cards, which were traditional Japanese playing cards used for gambling. They spent decades in the card business before experimenting with toys and games in the 1960s. The shift eventually led them to the gaming industry, completely transforming the brand into a household name worldwide.
Nintendo’s move into electronic gaming began with a few arcade experiments in the 1970s, and the launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System in the 1980s cemented their place in gaming history. It’s fascinating to think that the company’s original product had zero pixels and no controllers. The leap from hand-painted cards to high-tech consoles shows how brands can reinvent themselves over time. Today, Nintendo is synonymous with fun, creativity, and nostalgia, far from its humble beginnings.
2. Wrigley
Everyone associates Wrigley with chewing gum, but the company’s first product wasn’t sweet at all. William Wrigley Jr. originally sold soap and baking powder in 1891, and he offered gum as a freebie to encourage people to buy the main products. Customers loved the gum so much that Wrigley eventually realized it had more potential than soap. This pivot turned a small marketing strategy into a billion-dollar chewing gum empire.
The Wrigley brand now includes famous flavors like Juicy Fruit and Spearmint, dominating the gum market for over a century. What’s remarkable is that without experimenting with that “free gift,” Wrigley might have stayed in baking powder. It’s a perfect example of how listening to customers can completely change a company’s trajectory. Today, the name Wrigley is almost entirely synonymous with gum rather than soap or baking powder.
3. Avon
Avon, the global cosmetics powerhouse, started in the late 19th century as the California Perfume Company. Its founder, David McConnell, originally sold books door-to-door and offered perfume as a free incentive to buyers. The perfumes proved more popular than the books, leading McConnell to shift entirely to cosmetics in 1909. This pivot laid the foundation for one of the world’s most recognized beauty brands.
Avon’s direct sales approach, often using door-to-door representatives, helped it grow rapidly across the U.S. and beyond. It’s a great reminder that sometimes a small side product can become the main event. The company eventually embraced makeup, skincare, and fragrance, leaving its original books behind. Today, Avon is a beauty icon, but the original story highlights a surprising origin.
4. Pepsi
Pepsi, now a staple of soda fountains everywhere, began as a remedy, not a refreshment. In 1893, pharmacist Caleb Bradham created “Brad’s Drink,” a digestive aid meant to help with stomach discomfort. It was renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898, inspired by the digestive enzyme pepsin. From medicine to soft drink superstar, Pepsi’s transformation shows how a product can evolve into something entirely different.
Pepsi’s original formula was intended to be consumed as a syrup, much like modern tonics or bitters. Its success as a soft drink eventually overshadowed its medicinal intentions. By the early 20th century, soda fountains were serving Pepsi as a refreshing beverage rather than a health elixir. Today, Pepsi competes with Coca-Cola globally, but its origin story is far from fizzy fun.
5. Hershey
Hershey’s is synonymous with chocolate bars, but Milton Hershey’s first business venture wasn’t sweet at all. He originally started a caramel company in the late 1800s, creating confections that were chewy and sticky, not melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. It wasn’t until he perfected the chocolate-making process that the brand became what we know today. Hershey’s pivot turned him into one of the most iconic figures in candy history.
Interestingly, the caramel background gave Hershey the manufacturing know-how to produce chocolate efficiently on a large scale. This allowed him to sell affordable chocolate to the masses, changing the industry forever. The famous Hershey bar came later, building on lessons from caramel production. Today, Hershey’s chocolate overshadows its original caramel roots, but the story is an important part of its history.
6. Ford
Ford is famous for revolutionizing the automobile industry, but Henry Ford didn’t start there. In the late 1800s, he experimented with gasoline engines and even built small gasoline-powered vehicles as hobby projects. His first real business wasn’t even a car company; it was the Detroit Automobile Company, which struggled to survive. It wasn’t until 1903, when he founded Ford Motor Company, that the brand truly took off.
The innovation that made Ford legendary wasn’t just making cars—it was streamlining production through assembly lines. This method revolutionized manufacturing beyond the automotive industry. The company’s early missteps show that even giants sometimes start with trial and error. Today, Ford is a symbol of American industry, far from its experimental beginnings.
7. Samsung
Samsung, now a global tech giant, actually started in 1938 as a trading company in South Korea. Its original focus was on groceries, dried fish, noodles, and other food products—not electronics. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that Samsung entered the electronics market, producing black-and-white TVs. The pivot eventually led to smartphones, appliances, and semiconductors, which define the brand today.
Samsung’s leap into electronics completely transformed its identity from a local trading company to a worldwide technology leader. The brand’s early food products are almost unrecognizable compared to its current image. This transformation shows the power of reinvention over decades. Now, Samsung is synonymous with cutting-edge technology rather than fish or noodles.
8. Nokia
Nokia, famous for mobile phones and telecom technology, began in 1865 as a paper mill company in Finland. Its founder, Fredrik Idestam, originally focused on paper production along the Nokianvirta River. Over the years, Nokia diversified into rubber products, cables, and eventually electronics. The company’s evolution into mobile phones in the 1980s and 1990s was far from its humble paper mill beginnings.
Nokia’s diversification strategy shows how experimentation can shape a brand’s identity. Rubber boots and tires may seem unrelated to cellphones, but they helped the company survive early economic challenges. By embracing technology, Nokia became a global leader in telecommunications. The company’s roots remind us that today’s giants often come from unexpected places.
9. Spanx
Spanx, now a household name in shapewear, started as a hosiery solution in 2000. Founder Sara Blakely wanted to create undergarments that smoothed out lines without visible seams, so she cut the feet off her pantyhose to test her idea. What began as a simple, creative hack quickly turned into a full-fledged product line. Today, Spanx has expanded into leggings, bras, and even casual wear, far beyond its original hosiery focus.
The brand’s success shows how a small, practical innovation can grow into a global phenomenon. Blakely’s original prototype was modest, but her persistence and marketing savvy propelled the company. Spanx transformed the intimate apparel industry with comfort and innovation. Now, it’s hard to imagine the shapewear world without this brand leading the way.
10. Post-it Notes (3M)
Post-it Notes, a staple in offices and homes, were actually a happy accident. Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M, was trying to create a super-strong adhesive in 1968 but ended up with a weak, repositionable one instead. It took years before his colleague, Art Fry, found a use for it as bookmarks that wouldn’t slip out. What started as a “failed” adhesive turned into one of the most popular office products in history.
The story is a classic example of serendipity in innovation. Silver’s original goal was completely different from what Post-its became. It’s a reminder that failure can lead to unexpected breakthroughs. Today, 3M is celebrated not just for industrial products but for everyday office staples like Post-it Notes.
11. Reebok
Reebok, now synonymous with athletic footwear, originally started as a companion brand to J.W. Foster & Sons in the UK, making spiked running shoes. The company eventually became Reebok in the 1950s and expanded globally. Interestingly, their early focus was purely functional, catering to professional athletes rather than general consumers. Over time, Reebok pivoted into lifestyle and casual footwear, reaching millions beyond the track.
Reebok’s journey shows how niche markets can serve as a springboard for mainstream success. The brand’s evolution from track spikes to trendy sneakers demonstrates adaptation. They also became associated with aerobics and fitness trends in the 1980s. Today, Reebok is a household name, far from its specialized athletic beginnings.
12. LEGO
LEGO is now synonymous with colorful bricks and imaginative play, but it started in 1932 making wooden toys. Founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen in Denmark, the company focused on small wooden items like pull-along animals and household goods. Plastic bricks didn’t come along until the late 1940s, and the iconic interlocking system was patented in 1958. The transition to plastic bricks created the LEGO empire we know today.
LEGO’s story highlights the importance of innovation and patience. Wooden toys were successful but limited in scope. Shifting to plastic bricks allowed endless creativity, which became LEGO’s signature. The company transformed itself from a small toy workshop into a global brand influencing generations.
13. IBM
IBM, short for International Business Machines, began in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR). The company’s original products included punch card machines, time clocks, and scales, far from the software and servers we associate with IBM today. It wasn’t until the 1920s and 1930s that IBM began focusing on data processing technology, eventually becoming a leader in computers. The transformation highlights how brands can shift from mechanical tools to digital innovation.
IBM’s evolution demonstrates the power of strategic reinvention. The company adapted to emerging technologies and market demands, moving from hardware to software and services. Punch cards and scales paved the way for mainframes and personal computers. Today, IBM is a tech powerhouse, with little resemblance to its original product line.
14. WD-40
WD-40 is known as a household lubricant miracle, but it originally had a different mission. The “WD” stands for Water Displacement, and it was first developed in 1953 by Rocket Chemical Company to prevent corrosion on aerospace parts. It wasn’t marketed to the general public initially, only to industries needing rust prevention. Eventually, people discovered its versatility, and it became a household staple for everything from squeaky hinges to stuck bolts.
The story of WD-40 is a testament to discovering unexpected uses. It wasn’t meant for home use, but customer ingenuity expanded its purpose. This pivot turned a specialized chemical into a cultural icon. Today, WD-40 is a go-to fix for everyday problems, far from its original aerospace intent.
This post 14 Famous Brands That Began With Completely Different Products was first published on American Charm.
