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In Scotland there is one soda that outsells both Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Irn-Bru.
The origins of Irn-Bru can be traced back to 1899, where the Barr family first began producing a beverage they dubbed "Iron Brew."
An early advertisement, unearthed from the year 1900, features the now-famous strongman logo, showcasing the drink's long-standing association with strength and vitality.
Though the official launch date is often cited as 1901, evidence suggests that Irn-Bru was already enjoying a burgeoning reputation among Scottish consumers before the turn of the century.
As a 1900 publication, "The Falkirk Cookery Book," noted in its pages, "Barr's Iron Brew" was a drink of choice, hinting at its underground popularity.
In the aftermath of World War II, regulators in the UK brought down the hammer on brands marketing false health claims for their products.
They put in place new rules to combat the proliferation of spurious health claims. This had a major effect on the soft drink industry.
Irn-Bru, not being a drink high in iron, found itself at the center of this transformative period.
Barr, the drink's manufacturer, made the strategic decision to rebrand their product as "Irn-Bru" in 1946, a move that allowed them to circumvent the generic "Iron Brew" category while maintaining a distinctive, trademarked identity.
The change was not unique to Irn-Bru.
Other brands, such as Coca-Cola with its early claims of curing impotence and dyspepsia, and Ovaltine's promises of "building body, brain, and nerves," also had to adapt to the new regulatory landscape.
The wartime regulations had temporarily taken Irn-Bru off the market. However, it came back with a new name and a bang in 1948.
From 1939 to 1970, the popular comic strip "The Adventures of Ba-Bru'' ran in various Scottish newspapers. The comic became a long-running and influential advertising campaign for Irn-Bru.
The comic featured the animated misadventures of Ba-Bru, a character who quickly became synonymous with the Irn-Bru brand.
The campaign's cultural impact were significant, as noted by a 1970 article in the Evening Times:
"After 31 years, the Adventures of Ba-Bru, the longest-running cartoon advertising character in history, has finally ended."
Reflecting on the campaign's conclusion, a spokesperson for Barr's remarked:
"Ba-Bru has been a great servant to Irn-Bru over the years, and we're sad to see him go."
In 1983, the last traces of the Ba-Bru comic campaign—a large neon sign above Glasgow Central Station—was removed.
It was replaced with the slogan "Your Other National Drink".
In the 1980s, Irn-Bru launched a controversial advertising campaign featuring the slogan "Made in Scotland from Girders.”
The slogan quickly became one of the most recognizable taglines associated with the brand.
The slogan, a playful nod to the small amount of ammonium ferric citrate (a source of iron) present in the drink's recipe, capitalized on Irn-Bru's Scottish heritage and its perceived strength-giving properties.
Scots who appreciated the tongue-in-cheek humor and the celebration of their national identity.
However, the Karens came out and said that the slogan was misleading, as the actual iron content in Irn-Bru was minimal.
Despite this controversy, the "Made in Scotland from Girders" slogan has persisted.
In 2003, Irn-Bru found itself at the center of a media firestorm when it aired a controversial television advertisement featuring a transgender woman.
The ad depicted a family singing a 1950s-style jingle that concluded with the mother shaving her beard with the revelation:
"...even though I used to be a man"
The ad received 17 complaints from viewers who found it offensive to the transgender community.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated the complaints and ruled that the ad was "capable of causing offense by strongly reinforcing negative stereotypes."
In response, a spokesperson stated:
"The advertisement was meant to create a sense of humour while confirming the maverick nature of the brand."
The ad was swiftly taken off the air.
In 2019 the company brought back Irn-Bru's 1901 "original recipe" as a limited edition offering.
This nostalgic revival was a direct response to the overwhelming popular demand from loyal fans who longed to taste the authentic, time-honored formula that had first captivated the nation over a century ago.
The limited edition release was an instant success, with consumers eagerly waiting in line to try a taste of vintage Scotland.
Recognizing the enduring appeal and cultural significance of the original recipe, A.G. Barr made the decision to reintroduce the 1901 formula as a beverage to their product line in 2021.
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