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Uh-Oh! 7 things you didn’t know about SpaghettiOs

Campbell’s History

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:

  1. 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

  2. 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
  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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!”
  6. 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.
  7. 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 Spicy Original featuring Frank's RedHot

    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.

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Campbell’s History