SpaghettiOs, the classic pasta shaped like an “O,” has brought smiles for over half a century. With millions of cans sold each year, it’s no surprise this simple, affordable pasta dish has been a family favorite for four generations.
Here are 7 things you didn’t know about SpaghettiOs pasta:
- You may be familiar with SpaghettiOs’ mascot, TheO, but did you know there were a few other faces before we landed on the notable pasta character? In the late 1970s, SpaghettiOs unveiled the Wizard of O’s. Throughout the 1980s a puppet-like character named Mr. O appeared in commercials with other friends.
SpaghettiOs’ mascots through the decades. The Wizard of O’s, Mr. O and TheO
- The acquisition of the Franco-American Food Company by Campbell in 1915, brought in a variety of new soups and pasta products to our company. To avoid any confusion, we kept the production and sale of pasta products under the Franco-American brand for many years. This allowed Franco-American to remain focused on pasta, bringing about the creation of SpaghettiOs nearly 50 years later
- On May 10th, 1963, Franco-American Marketing Manager, Donald E. Goerke, suggested a product made from spaghetti in the form of small rings or ‘o’s,’ and that the name of this product could be “Spaghetti-O’s” or possibly “Spaghett-O’s.”
Donald Goerke, creator of SpaghettiOs
- The new product tested so well with moms and kids that it skipped regional test marketing and went directly to national distribution, launching on October 18, 1965 in a 15oz. can and marketed as “The world’s first spoonable spaghetti.”
Campbell’s SpaghettiOs advertisement from 1965
- The iconic “Uh-Oh SpaghettiOs” slogan was featured in the first SpaghettiOs TV commercial in 1965, along with the original slogan “The Best Invention Since the Napkin!”
- In 2004, SpaghettiOs is rebranded from Franco-American SpaghettiOs to Campbell’s SpaghettiOs, but the Franco-American name can still be found on the can near the copyright symbol.
- Things got spicy in 2023! SpaghettiOs unveiled its first flavor collab, Spicy Original with Franks RedHot®. The newest offering catered to fans who grew up with the brand and were looking for a grownup flavor.
SpaghettiOs’ Original made with Frank’s RedHot®
Find your favorite SpaghettiOs variety and pick up a can of this American classic at a store near you.