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Minnesota Mint Soda
May. 4th, 2011 10:57 pmTonight, while getting ice out of the freezer, I noticed a box of supermarket brand "Buttermilk Waffles" sat on top of a carton of supermarket brand "Rocky Road Ice Cream". Because they're both the same store brand, the packaging for both items looked similar, and for a moment I thought the waffles were actually Buttermilk Waffle Ice Cream, which I am now convinced is the best idea I have ever had about anything ever. In trying to think of how I could turn my idea into profit, I was reminded of one of my most favorite overheard conversations ever.
The conversation took place between a homeless man and the US Patent Office via a bus station pay phone. He was trying to patent the idea for "Minnesota Mint Soda". Not the recipe, per se: he'd tried to work something out with Coca-Cola, but for some strange reason, they weren't interested in working with him. No, rather he was trying to patent the name: Minnesota Mint Soda.
The person on the other end of the line must have been skeptical, but the man did his best to sell the idea. He started off by naming every food named after a U.S. state or city: "There's Texas Toast...Boston cream pie...Chicago-style pizza...baked Alaska...Boston baked beans...Buffalo wings..."
He also went on to list other things he'd named, to varying degrees of success: a band he used to perform in, and his ex-wife's dog. (It's of great sadness to me that I can't remember the name of either.)
But mostly he just said the name over and over again: Minnesota Mint Soda. Minnesota Mint Soda.
Minnesota Mint Soda.
I swear to Bob, the more you say it, the better it sounds! I don't care what it tastes like, I know I'd buy a bottle. And really, sometimes a great name is all you need!
So, if anyone has any contacts with any food scientists, you might want to clue them in so they can get on this. Just remember: there's a homeless man in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area who's owed some royalties!
The conversation took place between a homeless man and the US Patent Office via a bus station pay phone. He was trying to patent the idea for "Minnesota Mint Soda". Not the recipe, per se: he'd tried to work something out with Coca-Cola, but for some strange reason, they weren't interested in working with him. No, rather he was trying to patent the name: Minnesota Mint Soda.
The person on the other end of the line must have been skeptical, but the man did his best to sell the idea. He started off by naming every food named after a U.S. state or city: "There's Texas Toast...Boston cream pie...Chicago-style pizza...baked Alaska...Boston baked beans...Buffalo wings..."
He also went on to list other things he'd named, to varying degrees of success: a band he used to perform in, and his ex-wife's dog. (It's of great sadness to me that I can't remember the name of either.)
But mostly he just said the name over and over again: Minnesota Mint Soda. Minnesota Mint Soda.
Minnesota Mint Soda.
I swear to Bob, the more you say it, the better it sounds! I don't care what it tastes like, I know I'd buy a bottle. And really, sometimes a great name is all you need!
So, if anyone has any contacts with any food scientists, you might want to clue them in so they can get on this. Just remember: there's a homeless man in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area who's owed some royalties!