Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: In 1927, which aviator crossed the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis?

Charles Lindbergh
Chuck Yeager
Howard Hughes
Orville Wright

The correct answer is Charles Lindbergh

So why is this answer correct? : On May 12, 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis from San Diego to New York City, setting the record for the fastest transcontinental flight at the time. A few days later, on May 20, he departed New York’s Roosevelt Field and set course for Europe. After 33.5 hours in the air, Lindbergh landed at Le Bourget Aerodrome in Paris, completing the 3,600-mile trip. This marked the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight and the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris.

Which German Panzer variant was given the name “Maus”?

Panzer I
Panzer II
Panzer III
Panzer VII
Panzer VIII

The correct answer is Panzer VIII

The American versions of the WWII-era M3 tank are nicknamed after what general?

George Patton
Robert E. Lee
William Tecumseh Sherman
John Pershing
George Washington

The correct answer is Robert E. Lee

Trivia: What 1960s soap ad claimed that it “creams” skin instead of washing it?

Irish Spring
Dove
Ivory
Dial

The correct answer is Dove

So why is this answer correct? : Copywriter David Ogilvy came up with the idea that Dove’s beauty bar “creams” the skin based on one ingredient in the soap’s formula, stearic acid used in cold cream. The first ad for the bar used variations on “cream” five times and words such as “darling,” which were tested by psychologists for high emotional response. The ads propelled Dove to become the number-one cleansing brand in the world.

Trivia: What drink did the 1953 “Man from Schweppes” sell?

Ginger ale
Vodka
Gin
Tonic water

The correct answer is Tonic water

So why is this answer correct? : The Man from Schweppes was a snobby British man who wore tweed and flaunted a Van Dyke beard while drinking Schweppes tonic water. Played by Commander Whitehead (Schweppes board member and company ambassador Edward Whitehead), the character was meant to convey the personality of Schweppes’ drinks with an air of “Schweppervescence.”

Trivia: What animal did advertisers use to make Ohrbach’s stores popular?

Dog
Cat
Lamb
Parrot

The correct answer is Cat

So why is this answer correct? : In the 1960s, ads for Ohrbach’s department stores featured a tabby cat wearing a fancy woman’s hat and smoking a cigarette. The ad’s creator Bill Berbnach wanted the image to convey a personality and character for the store. The ads were so popular that Ohrbach’s received fan mail for the cat every week.

Trivia: What kind of product used the 1956 slogan “Does she… or doesn’t she?”

Lipstick
Vacuum
Nylon stockings
Hair coloring

The correct answer is Hair coloring

So why is this answer correct? : Clairol’s catchy tagline “Does she…or doesn’t she?” was created by copywriter Shirley Polykoff of the Foote, Cone & Belding ad agency in 1956. In the early 1950s, only 7% of women dyed their hair, but the practice became much more common after the tagline went viral. Polykoff became the first female executive vice president at the agency and was named Advertising Woman of the Year in 1967.

Trivia: What car was popularized with the 1959 advertising “Think Small” campaign?

Valiant
Corvette
Rolls Royce
Beetle

The correct answer is Beetle

So why is this answer correct? : Volkswagen’s “Think Small” campaign for the VW Beetle is considered one of the best advertising schemes of the 20th century. Creators Helmut Krone and Julian Koenig used a minimalist visual to reflect the design of the car itself. This ad kicked off the “Creative Revolution” of advertising, which used branding to associate products with a certain lifestyle.

Trivia: Which soda was advertised as the “Uncola” in 1967?

Sprite
7-Up
Sunkist
Tab

The correct answer is 7-Up

So why is this answer correct? : In the 1960s, people were drinking 7-Up as a mixer or tonic to ease an upset stomach. The brand’s executives wanted to enter the larger soda market, alongside Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Ad agency J. Walter Thompson came up with the idea to tap into the counterculture by framing 7-Up in opposition to other sodas, and the “Uncola” catchphrase was born.

Trivia: What name was given to the new Toys ‘R Us mascot in 1965?

Frederick
Geoffrey
James
Charles

The correct answer is Geoffrey

So why is this answer correct? : Originally known as “Dr. G. Raffe” of Children’s Bargain Town, the giraffe mascot was reworked when owner Charles Lazarus changed the store’s name to Toys ‘R Us. According to the company, an early store associate suggested the name “Geoffrey.” The famous mascot first appeared on TV in a 1973 commercial and remains a well-known figure despite the long-running chain closing its last store in 2018.