This Month in Brand History: March's Milestone Moments

Month of March - Brand Milestones

For some time now, I’ve been sharing “Today in Brand History,” highlighting the pivotal moments that shaped some of the world’s most iconic brands. But with so many companies marking major milestones in March, it felt right to take a step back and spotlight an entire month of innovation, reinvention, and unexpected beginnings. From first flights and first tweets to the invention of vertical shopping and a little blue pill that changed the pharmaceutical industry, these moments remind us just how much history is woven into the brands we interact with every day.

March 1, 1938 – Samsung

Samsung’s first venture wasn’t smartphones, TVs, or semiconductors—it was dried fish, noodles, and local groceries in Korea. Founded by Lee Byung-Chull in Daegu, Samsung started as a trading company, later pivoting into electronics. Today, Samsung sells more smartphones than Apple, but somewhere in an alternate universe, it might have been the world’s leading ramen brand.

March 2, 1901 – U.S. Steel

J.P. Morgan had a habit of making money move, and in 1901, he orchestrated the merger of Carnegie Steel and Federal Steel, creating U.S. Steel—the first billion-dollar corporation. It was so big that it controlled two-thirds of American steel production. Andrew Carnegie walked away with a cool $225 million, which today would be worth about $7 billion. Not bad for a guy who started off making 75 cents a week.

March 3, 1885 – AT&T

Incorporated as the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, AT&T was created to connect America through long-distance calling. Of course, back then, “long-distance” meant hearing a barely decipherable voice crackle over the line from Boston to New York. Today, AT&T still promises great connections - just as long as you’re not in a dead zone.

March 4, 1902 – American Automobile Association (AAA)

At a time when roads were mostly dirt, and cars broke down more often than they ran, AAA was founded to advocate for better highways. Initially, it wasn’t about roadside assistance but about fighting for drivable roads. Over a century later, AAA still helps stranded motorists—only now, instead of a spare tire and a map, they offer an app that somehow always tells you help is 'just 45 minutes away.'

March 6, 1912 – Oreo (Nabisco)

The original Oreo cookie was a copycat. Yep, Nabisco “borrowed” the concept from Hydrox, a nearly identical sandwich cookie that debuted four years earlier. But thanks to better marketing (and a way better name), Oreo won the cookie wars and became the world’s best-selling cookie. Hydrox, on the other hand, is now mostly remembered in trivia quizzes.

March 7, 1876 – Bell Telephone

Alexander Graham Bell didn’t just invent the telephone—he patented it before his competitor, Elisha Gray, by a matter of hours. That’s right, the world’s first great tech patent war started on day one. Bell’s patent paved the way for what became the Bell Telephone Company, the ancestor of AT&T and the entire telecommunications industry. Today, his legacy lives on… every time we let a call go to voicemail.

March 8, 1817 – New York Stock Exchange

In 1817, a group of stockbrokers in New York decided they needed a more structured approach to buying and selling shares, so they formally established the New York Stock & Exchange Board. Over two centuries later, the NYSE is the largest stock exchange in the world, where fortunes are made and lost at lightning speed. If only those 1817 traders could see the chaos of meme stocks today.

March 9, 1959 – Barbie (Mattel)

Barbie debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York, and while she’s now an icon, she was initially met with skepticism. Toy executives weren’t sure parents would buy a fashion doll with an adult figure. Six decades later, Barbie has had more careers than anyone on LinkedIn, and she even got her own billion-dollar movie. Not bad for a doll that once had a math book that said, "Math is hard!"

March 10, 1876 – First Telephone Call

Alexander Graham Bell made history when he called his assistant, Thomas Watson, and uttered the first words ever spoken into a telephone: “Mr. Watson, come here; I want you.” Lucky for Watson, it wasn’t an automated message about extending his car’s warranty.

March 12, 1912 – Girl Scouts of the USA

Juliette Gordon Low gathered 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia, to form the first Girl Scout troop, determined to create an organization that empowered young women. Over a century later, the Girl Scouts are still going strong, and their cookies remain a retail powerhouse. In fact, if the Girl Scouts were a Fortune 500 company, their cookie sales alone would outrank some major food brands.

March 13, 1986 – Microsoft Goes Public

When Microsoft launched its IPO at $21 per share, few could have imagined that a single share would be worth thousands today (adjusted for splits and dividends). Bill Gates became the youngest billionaire at the time, and the rest, as they say, is history. Somewhere, an early investor is still kicking themselves for selling too soon.

March 14, 1927 – Pan American Airways

Pan Am pioneered commercial aviation, making international air travel glamorous. In the ’60s, they even had a "Space Division" working on commercial space travel. Sadly, the airline folded in 1991, but its legacy still lingers—especially in retro-style travel posters and Leonardo DiCaprio movies.

March 15, 1906 – Rolls-Royce

The world’s most prestigious car brand was born when Charles Rolls and Henry Royce joined forces. Rolls had the vision, Royce had the engineering genius, and together, they built a brand that defined luxury. Today, Rolls-Royce still embodies wealth and status… even if most of its buyers aren’t the ones actually driving the car.

March 18, 1852 – Wells Fargo

Founded to transport gold during the California Gold Rush, Wells Fargo was originally more about stagecoaches than savings accounts. The company’s iconic stagecoach logo is a nod to its rugged past, when securing a strongbox full of gold meant hiring armed guards for the journey. Today, while the company moves money instead of gold, customers might still wish they had some extra security—especially when checking their bank statements.

March 19, 1931 – Gambling on Las Vegas

Nevada legalized casino gambling during the Great Depression, hoping to boost the local economy. It worked—Las Vegas eventually became a mecca for high-stakes bets, neon lights, and ill-advised wedding chapels. Though true story, my wife and I renewed our vows many years ago at the Little White Wedding Chapel during the MAGIC trade show.

March 20, 2019 – Disney Acquires 21st Century Fox

Disney, already an entertainment juggernaut, acquired 21st Century Fox for $71 billion, bringing The Simpsons, X-Men, and Deadpool under its empire. One of the biggest ironies? The same studio that once made fun of Disney in The Simpsons was now owned by it. DOH!

March 21, 2006 – Twitter’s First Tweet

Jack Dorsey sent the first tweet—“just setting up my twttr.” No punctuation, no capitalization, no context. And thus, the world of 140-character chaos began. Years later, Twitter expanded to 280 characters, then rebranded as X. Some might say the platform evolved; others would argue it just gave people twice as much space to argue about everything under the sun.

March 23, 1857 – Otis Elevators

Elisha Graves Otis revolutionized architecture and retail when he installed the world’s first commercial passenger safety elevator at the E.V. Haughwout department store in New York City. Before his invention, the upper floors of department stores were like forgotten attic spaces - nobody wanted to climb that many stairs to shop. Thanks to Otis, vertical retail was born, proving that the best way to boost sales was to give customers an easy ride to the top.

March 25, 2015 – Kraft Heinz Merger

Two of America’s biggest food brands, Kraft and Heinz, merged to create the Kraft Heinz Company. The deal, backed by Warren Buffett, ensured that everything from mac and cheese to ketchup would stay under one corporate umbrella.

March 27, 1998 – Viagra

The U.S. FDA approved Pfizer’s Viagra, and almost overnight, the pharmaceutical industry had a blue-chip stock in more ways than one. Originally developed to treat high blood pressure, researchers quickly discovered a rather noticeable side effect. The result? A multi-billion dollar brand that ensured the business was, quite literally, looking up.

March 30, 1971 – Starbucks Opens

When Starbucks first opened in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, it didn’t sell lattes—it just sold coffee beans. It wasn’t until the ’80s, under Howard Schultz, that it became the coffee empire we know today. Imagine walking into an early Starbucks and asking for a caramel macchiato… you'd probably get a blank stare.

Brands evolve, industries shift, and what once seemed like a small innovation can become something that redefines the way we live, shop, and interact. Whether it’s a department store figuring out how to move customers upstairs, a doll breaking gender stereotypes, or a cookie outlasting its competition, every milestone tells a bigger story. These moments remind us that history isn’t just about looking back—it’s about seeing how far we’ve come and where we’re headed.

(Editor’s note: If you see any mistakes or have any suggestions, please let me know! History, as it happens, is precise; as it is written, it evolves. I was reminded of this firsthand when I once misquoted the founding date of Encyclopedia Britannica—let’s just say, they were quick to correct me. And fair enough—they should know!)