When You're This Big, They Call You Mister

Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
Episode Title: When You're This Big, They Call You Mister
Date: July 18, 2026
Host: Terry O’Reilly

This episode explores how honorifics—formal titles like “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” “Doctor,” and “Captain”—became powerful tools in the world of marketing and branding. Terry O’Reilly takes listeners through a rich history of linguistic origins, societal trends, and iconic case studies of brands that use these titles to command attention, foster trust, and often dominate their categories.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The History and Evolution of Honorifics

• Terry opens by questioning the origin of “mister” after receiving a formal letter, leading to a deep dive into the linguistic and social development of honorifics.
  • “Honorifics are titles that refer to a person in a formal or respectful manner.” (03:11)
• The word “mister” comes from 15th-century English and denoted the head of the household, while “Mrs.” was derived from “mistress”—originally indicating authority, later acquiring romantic and then extramarital connotations.
  • “Interestingly, and not surprisingly, there is no male counterpart word for mistress. A man having an affair is simply called a man.” (05:09)
• “Ms.” may feel like a modern feminist invention but dates to the 17th century, gaining new prominence in the 20th century and especially after Gloria Steinem named her magazine "Ms." in 1969. (05:37)
• These titles often signal gender, marital status, or professional qualifications—still relevant even in a more gender-neutral era.

2. Honorifics in Branding

• Brand names like Mr. Clean, Mrs. Butterworth, Captain Morgan, and Doc Martens deliberately use titles to imbue products with familiarity, authority, and trust.
  • “In the branding process, and especially when naming a product, words are chosen very, very carefully. ...to infuse the name with a feeling or a sense of authority or expertise.” (06:24)
• “Mr.” brands, such as Mr. Big chocolate bar, imply status and size.
  • Tagline: “When you’re this big, they call you Mr.” (07:09)
• “Mrs.” in names conjures warmth and home-cooked goodness (e.g., Mrs. Butterworth).
• “Doctor” implies qualified expertise and credibility, particularly for products tied to health and wellness.

3. Case Studies of Iconic “Honorific” Brands

a. Mr. Softee

• The Conways, originally ice cream machine builders, pivoted to an ice cream truck franchise after branding struggles. “Mr. Softee” was chosen to lend respect and catchiness.
  • “But when they put Softie on the truck, it just didn’t seem to have any authority... Bill Conway said, ‘What's wrong with just calling it Mister?’” (09:10)
• The Mr. Softee jingle, written by Les Waas, became a summer staple and an example of “sonic branding.”
  • (Jingle heard at 10:26–10:46)
  • "They would still be a tiny 3 truck company. If it weren't for that incredible sonic branding." (11:30)
• Mr. Softee grew to over 1,600 trucks and remains a major player, still family-owned and using the same logo since 1956.

b. Mr. Sub (Originally Mr. Submarine)

• Inspired by the “submarine” sandwich name, two entrepreneurs in late-1960s Toronto branded their sandwich shop “Mr. Submarine” to stake their claim in the category.
  • "They decided to claim the category by calling their new business Mr. Submarine." (13:08)
• The brand was successful, expanded fast, and was eventually shortened to Mr. Sub in 1990; it still operates today with over 260 locations.
  • “The tagline was ‘I lub my sub.’” (15:25)

c. Doc Martens

• German army doctor Klaus Martens created an air-cushioned sole for comfort, eventually leading to Doc Martens boots. Originally for workers, they turned into a cultural icon thanks to Pete Townshend of The Who and further adopted by various subcultures.
  • “He wore them that night and found that the air cushioned soles let him literally bounce around the stage… Thanks to Townshend, Doc Martens caught on as an anti fashion statement.” (18:33)
• By 2023, Doc Martens reached $1.25 billion in revenue.

d. Dr. Scholl’s

• William Scholl, possibly never truly a certified doctor, was a marketing trailblazer for foot care, using dramatic demonstrations and innovative sales techniques to build a global empire.
  • “He would pull out a skeleton of a human foot and plunk it on the counter. That got everybody's attention… He also took out advertisements in trade journals. By 1909, he set up a correspondence course to train teams of salespeople whom he called foot soldiers.” (20:20–21:10)
• Despite doubts about his credentials, Scholl’s impact is undeniable; his company remains a leader in foot care.

4. The Power and Value of a Name in Marketing

• Terry emphasizes that names bestow greater meaning and value—products become familiar and trusted because of their title:
  • “Strawberry jam is just jam unless it’s Smuckers. Sugared water is just water until it’s Pepsi. Brand names have value.” (25:39)
• Honorifics may tap into deep instincts of respect built from childhood authority structures, giving everyday products gravitas and a market edge.
  • “…it could be argued that they tap a deep seated instinct of respect or reverence. We're taught from a young age to respect Mr. Johnson, to pay attention to your teacher Mrs. Smith, and to heed the advice of a doctor. Even if doctor is in air quotes.” (26:46)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On linguistic quirks:
  • “Why is there an r in Mrs. Period if it comes from the word Mrs.? Well, that's because both Mrs. and Ms. are rooted in the word mistress…” (04:14)
• On brand authority:
  • “Products with the word Mr. were meant to imply status, authority and respect.” (07:04)
• On sonic branding:
  • “The jingle became a nostalgic summer tradition, tempting families to come running when the Mr. Softy truck rolled into their neighborhoods.” (10:46)
• On skepticism around “doctor” titles:
  • “There is no doubt Dr. Scholl was a marketing pioneer and a dynamo, but surprisingly, very little is written about him in the annals of marketing. It could be professional skepticism. It could be he made too much money. Or it could be because foot doctors back then were often seen as the lowest form of medical practitioners.” (24:47)
• On the core lesson of marketing:
  • “When Shakespeare asked, what’s in a name? He said a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. In other words, he suggested, the naming of things was irrelevant. But that's not the case in marketing.” (25:23)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:11 — The origins of honorifics: “mister,” “missus,” “miss,” and “ms.”
• 06:24 — How products use honorifics to create authority
• 08:24 – 11:52 — History of Mr. Softee, its jingle, and sonic branding
• 12:00 – 15:25 — The story of Mr. Submarine / Mr. Sub
• 15:26 – 19:19 — The making of Doc Martens and their cultural impact
• 19:20 – 24:47 — Dr. Scholl’s: marketing, legacy, and legendary credentials debate
• 25:23 – 26:54 — The power and psychology of naming in marketing

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Conclusion

Terry O’Reilly’s episode is a lively, insightful walk through language, culture, and marketing, illustrating that the honorifics we often overlook are, in fact, invaluable tools for building iconic brands. Titles like “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” “Doctor,” and “Captain” evoke authority, trust, and reverence—powerful assets in the marketplace. The stories behind Mr. Softee, Mr. Sub, Doc Martens, and Dr. Scholl’s aren’t just about catchy names, but about how strategic branding leverages deep cultural instincts to win our hearts and wallets.

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Memorable Listener Fun Fact (27:41):
“Pope John Paul II once ordered 100 pairs of Doc Martens for his Vatican staff, including a pair of size nines for himself. Holy.” — Daniel Osowicz from Sarnia, Ontario

Transcript

[A]

Hi, this is Jeff Devine, audio engineer for the Apostrophe Podcast Network. And this is Margo.

[B]

Hello.

[A]

And you're listening to the Apostrophe Podcast Podcast Network Network. Enjoy.

[B]

Enjoy.

[C]

This is an Apostrophe Podcast production. You're soaking in it.

[D]

People are loving. In an instant, your teeth look whiter than no, no, You're not. You.

[C]

When you're hungry,

[D]

you're in good hands with a hun.

[A]

You're under the influence of Terry O'Reilly.

[C]

I received a letter the other day addressed to Mr. Terry O'Reilly. There was nothing unusual about it, except I suddenly wondered where that word came from. The word mister, which was abbreviated to Mr. Period. It's one of those words we see and hear a lot, and their origins are interesting. They're called honorifics. Honorifics are titles that refer to a person in a formal or respectful manner. The word nestor comes from Old 15th century English usage to distinguish the head of a household. For example, the patriarch of a family would be named Mr. Johnson. His sons would be referred to as Mr. Jed Johnson and Mr. George Johnson. Sometimes the word Mr. Was combined with other high titles like Mr. Prime Minister or Mr. Speaker, but the feminine version of that was rarely Mrs. But rather Madam Prime Minister or Madam Speaker. Which brings us to the honorific title of Mrs. The title of Mrs. Spelled M R S period, was a contraction of the word mistress. It was used historically for both married and unmarried women. Then in the 1600s, a distinction was made, using Mrs. For married women and Ms. For single women. Note the abbreviated word Mrs. Period is rarely spelled out in full, and there seems to be no standard spelling either M I s s U s or M I s s I s. Which leads to the question, why is there an r in Mrs. Period if it comes from the word Mrs. Well, that's because both Mrs. And Ms. Are rooted in the word mistress, which back in the day was a title given to women who had authority, control, or power. Think headmistress of a school. Then, Sometime in the 15th century, the word mistress began to be used in a romantic context to refer to a man's beloved or sweetheart. Then, in the 17th century, the word mistress became problematic. It then referred to a woman who had a, quote, continuing extramarital sexual relationship with a man who provides her with financial support. Interestingly, and not surprisingly, there is no male counterpart word for mistress. A man having an affair is simply called a man. Now we come to the honorific title of Ms, spelled Ms. Period. While we think of it as a term born of the 1970s women's lib movement. It can be traced back to England in the 17th and 18th centuries. Like Mrs. And Miss, it too is a derivation of the word mistress. The earliest known modern revival of the term miss was in 1901, when a publication in Massachusetts made the case that a title for a woman shouldn't rely on that woman's domestic situation. It said referring to a single woman as Mrs. Was incorrect, and addressing an older married woman as Ms. Seemed awkward, so it suggested the honorific title of Miss. Decades later, in 1969, Gloria Steinem was listening to a radio interview with a feminist who Suggested the title Ms. Should be used by women. Steinem, who was preparing to launch a feminist magazine, adopted the word as the publication's title. From that point on, Ms. Was widely used. Even in an era of gender neutral terms, honorifics can still be found to this day to signal gender, marital status or professional qualifications. There are some time honored honorifics in the world of marketing, too. Brand names that were created to give products a sense of respect and authority. Using titles like Mister, Mrs. Doctor or Colonel these products have survived the test of time. In most of the stories we'll tell today, they are the brands you probably think of first in their category. Is that because those products are the best, or is it because they have the best natural names?

[A]

You're under the influence.

[C]

There is a long history in the world of marketing of naming products with the words Mr. Or Mrs. Or Captain or Doctor, like Mr. Clean or Mrs. Butterworth or Captain Morgan or Doc Martens. In the branding process, and especially when naming a product, words are chosen very, very carefully. The first task is to be distinct and memorable. The second is to infuse the name with a feeling or a sense of authority or expertise. Products with the word Mr. Were meant to imply status, authority and respect. Chocolate bar Mr. Big was 8 inches long, twice the size of other bars. The slogan when you're this big, they call you Mr. Product names that contained the word Mrs. Were often used to conjure up an image of homemade goodness and kitchen wisdom. Think Mrs. Butterworth. Whereas brand names with the word doctor on the label suggest qualified expertise, someone skilled in the healing arts. And most of those names were dreamed up by inventive marketers. Recognize that little ditty. It was written back in 1965. Years earlier, brothers Bill and James Conway were working for a company called Sweden freezer in south Philadelphia. It manufactured several products, including ice cream machines. At that time, ice cream trucks were becoming popular and people were coming to Sweden Freezer to buy ice cream machines. Then they were bolting them onto trucks. But that became problematic. The ice cream machines would bounce around in the trucks, become damaged, and there was no way to keep the ice cream cool. Seeing this problem, the Conway brothers spotted an opportunity. So they went to their bosses at Sweden Freezer and proposed setting up a separate division that would build and service ice cream trucks. Their bosses hated the idea. So the brothers quit their day jobs to start an ice cream truck business of their own in Philadelphia. The Conways had the technical knowledge and skills to build functioning ice cream trucks. At first, they began selling unbranded trucks, manufacturing three a day. Then they had an epiphany. Instead of just selling trucks, why not figure out a way to get a steady stream of revenue from each sale? So they decided to go into the ice cream truck franchise business. At first, they called their business the Dairy Van. Thinking it wasn't catchy enough. They changed the name to Dairy King, but worried it might stir up trouble with Dairy Queen. So they asked for help from a friend in the advertising business. The Conways explained they were selling soft ice cream because it served up faster than hard ice cream. The ad guy came back with Softie, spelled with two e's. But when they put Softie on the truck, it just didn't seem to have any authority. They considered Captain Softie and General Softie, but nothing grabbed them. Then Bill Conway said, what's wrong with just calling it Mr. Mr. Softy? The next step was to advertise Mr. Softy. So they hired the Gray Advertising Agency in Philadelphia and commissioned a jingle. The resulting radio commercial was written by Les Waz, who was one of the top jingle composers of the era. While you may be familiar with the melody, the original Mr. Softy radio commercial had lyrics.

[B]

Here comes Mr. Softy, the soft ice cream man the creamiest, creamiest soft ice cream you get from Mr. Softy a refreshing he likes to breathe look for

[D]

Mr. Salty my milkshakes and my sundaes and my cones are such a treat Listen for my store on wheels jingling down the street.

[C]

A couple of years later, the company made a loop of the melody and played it through loudspeakers from their trucks. It was a turning point. The jingle became a nostalgic summer tradition, tempting families to come running when the Mr. Softy truck rolled into their neighborhoods. At its peak, the company had over 1600 ice cream trucks on the road. Years later, the company sent a telegram to Les Woz thanking him for the jingle, saying they would still be a tiny 3 truck company. If it weren't for that incredible sonic branding, the company, still in the Conway family today, became one of the biggest distributors of soft ice cream and one of the largest franchisors of ice cream trucks in North America. Today the fleet still rolls across streets in Canada and the US and the logo on the trucks hasn't changed since 1956.

[D]

Watch for the Mr. Softee truck. It's a soft ice cream store on wheels.

[B]

S O S p, double E, Mr. Softee.

[C]

While some brand names are created by enterprising marketers, some were inspired by an aquatic military vessel. The Submarine sandwich has an interesting history. It appears that an Italian immigrant named Dominic Conti came to America in 1895. In 1924, he started a grocery store in Paterson, New Jersey where he started selling traditional Italian sandwiches from a recipe he brought with him from his home country. It was a long roll of bread filled with cold cuts and various toppings. One day he went to a museum in Paterson where he saw a submarine hull that had been used in the war. He took one look at it and thought, that looks like the sandwich I sell. From that day forward, he called his sandwich the Submarine. Soon, people came from miles around to enjoy Dominic's subs. Now Fast forward to 1968. The Yorkville area of downtown Toronto is filled with high end boutiques and the most expensive condos in the city. But back in the late 1960s, Yorkville was a popular countercultural hippie music hangout. Cafes like the Mynah Bird and the Riverboat were housed in shabby Victorian row houses and hosted budding singers like Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young and someone named Joni Mitchell. In 1968, a new business opened. Just a few steps away. Jack Levinson, a phys Ed. Teacher and an accounting clerk named Earl Lindzen were looking for a project to make some quick extra money. They scraped together $1,600 and decided to open a sandwich spot. As there wasn't much fast food competition back then, the menu featured long Submarine sandwiches. They decided to claim the category by calling their new business Mr. Submarine. The partners only had a six month lease and they planned to move on when the lease expired. But to their surprise, Mr. Submarine caught on. There was a lot of traffic pouring into the ground floor location and the public could watch the staff preparing delicious sandwiches in the window next to a sign that said Giant Submarine Sandwiches. Soon, long haired shoeless hippies with the munchies began hanging out on the steps outside. Despite another sign that said Please do not sit on stairway over the next four years, the partners would franchise 12 more Mr. Submarine locations. They offered franchisees a money back guarantee if they didn't make a profit. After just one year, in 1990, Mr. Submarine officially became Mr. Sub. And the company had over 300 locations.

[B]

Well, I love my Sub. Do you know what I mean? I love my sub. My sub.

[D]

Mr. Sub.

[C]

The tagline was I lub my sub. The 70s and 80s saw big growth for Mr. Sub, expanding to a reported 500 locations. But when the big American subway chain came to town in the 90s, Mr. Sub faced stiff competition. But 60 years later, Mr. Sub is still going with about 260 locations across Canada. And the first franchisee from 1972 is still with the company today. One of the more serious honorifics is the word doctor. In the marketing world, it's usually reserved for a brand named after a founder. Back in 1945, Klaus Martens was a 25 year old German army doctor. He was recuperating after breaking his ankle in a skiing accident. The standard issue boots he was given with their hard leather soles were not only uncomfortable, they hindered his recovery. He wondered why. You could enjoy a smooth ride in a car with air filled tires, but you couldn't enjoy the same principle with boots. So he decided to design a boot with a softer sole. Dr. Martens cut up pieces of an automobile tire and slipped them into his shoes. While it lessened the impact on his ankle, it didn't lessen the pain. He showed his prototype to a friend who was a mechanical engineer, who then suggested using two rubber insoles, one stitched to the leather, the other heat sealed to the first, creating a soft air pocket. The pair filed a patent and went into business. Using old military supplies and tire rubber, they began producing comfortable, durable boots. 80% of their sales were to German women over 40. They advertised their boots in magazines and one ad caught the attention of a shoe manufacturer in England. That company acquired the exclusive rights to manufacture the boot, paying a royalty fee to Dr. Martens and his partner. The first thing the English company did was to make a few modifications to the footwear. The boot was made fatter and rounder. The sole was made thicker with a grooved two toned edge. And a contrasting yellow stitching was introduced. The boots were christened Doc Martens. The target audience, factory workers and miners. They would have remained utilitarian work boots had it not been for a young musician looking for comfortable clothes to wear on stage. One day in 1967, guitarist Pete Townsend walked into a hardware store to Buy a pair of work overalls to wear for an upcoming gig. While there, he spotted a pair of Doc Martens. He wore them that night and found that the air cushioned soles let him literally bounce around the stage. On top of that, he liked their aggressive austere style, which was the opposite of the psychedelic look he was tired of. Thanks to Townshend, Doc Martens caught on as an anti fashion statement. Next, they were adopted by the skinheads in England who clashed with police who were also wearing Doc Martens. Then in 1975, Elton John wore a 54 inch pair of Doc Martens in the movie version of the Whose rock opera Tommy, being associated with the who, the Clash and the Sex Pistols, gave Doc Martens a sartorial air of rebellion. By the end of the 70s, Doc Martens were an aggressive symbol of self expression. Since then, Doc Martens have been worn by everyone from kids and adults to brides and celebrities on the red carpet. And in 2023, Doc Martens hit $1.25 billion in revenue, a milestone in the company's 62 year history. Doctor William Mathias Scholl was born in 1882 in Indiana. His grandfather was a shoemaker, and young William would often borrow his tools to repair the shoes of his 12 siblings. He left the family farm at the age of 16 to take a job with a shoemaker in Chicago. Working there, he realized that people struggled with constant foot pain. He became fascinated with foot ailments and how to treat them. He took night classes and studied medicine. While still at school, Scholl invented and patented his first arch support to market and sell his invention. He founded the Dr. Scholl's company in 1906. His motto when your feet hurt, you hurt all over. Dr. Scholl was an incredible marketer. On sales calls to shoe stores, he would pull out a skeleton of a human foot and plunk it on the counter. That got everybody's attention. But then Dr. Scholl would use the foot to explain its complicated design with 26 bones, 33 joints and 100 different muscles and tendons and how those tiny bones take so much abuse over the course of a day and a lifetime. Then he would demonstrate how his various inventions lessened foot pain. He also took out advertisements in trade journals. By 1909, he set up a correspondence course to train teams of salespeople whom he called foot soldiers. To teach them the science behind his innovations. He purchased a large factory and began manufacturing a variety of foot products. He had a profitable consulting service. Dr. Scholl organized huge sales conventions, created motivational films and even composed morale boosting songs for his salespeople to sing. Shoe retailers proudly promoted the fact they carried a complete line of Dr. Scholl's products and alerted customers. When Scholl trained, experts would be on hand for personal consultations. Scholl staged a nationwide foot Comfort Week. He staged contests looking for the prettiest feet. He created his now famous yellow branding, complete with eye catching store displays. In his lifetime, Dr. Scholl would invent more than 1,000 patented ointments, sprays, cushions, pads, shields and springs for tender tootsies. And from that, he created an empire in North America and Europe that included over 400 stores and 6,000 employees. He also started a podiatry college and wrote a textbook. All this time he never married, lived in a single rented room and used a common bathroom down the hall, consumed only by his passionate study of feet and toes. And one more interesting thing. Some believe he was never a certified doctor. In an investigative piece in the Chicago Reader in 1994, a journalist wrote that the American Medical association, or AMA, found Dr. Scholl's credentials to be, quote, entirely irregular. It said records of his medical license were hard to find and that at best, Shoal spent a short time at some low grade medical schools, including one that was caught in a scandal for granting phony medical degrees in return for cash. According to the article, the national association of Chiropodists banned him from advertising in their publication in 1923. The AMA said they wrote to Scholl twice asking for clarification, but he never responded. There is no doubt Dr. Scholl was a marketing pioneer and a dynamo, but surprisingly, very little is written about him in the annals of marketing. It could be professional skepticism. It could be he made too much money. Or it could be because foot doctors back then were often seen as the lowest form of medical practitioners. Through it all, William Shoal seemed to shrug it all off. He spent his entire life trying to make foot pain a thing of the past. The graduates of the college he founded constitute one third of the foot doctors in the United states, and his Dr. Scholl brand has a bigger global footprint today than at any other point in the company's history. When Shakespeare asked, what's in a name? He said a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. In other words, he suggested, the naming of things was irrelevant. But that's not the case in marketing. When companies acquire other companies, they are buying their brand names. When shoppers reach for a product, they usually reach for a familiar brand. Strawberry jam is just jam unless it's Smuckers. Sugared water is just water until it's Pepsi. Brand names have value. And because the task of a brand name is to stand out in the busy marketplace, bestowing a product with an honorific title is a tried and true strategy. So a low interest product like foot powder becomes important when it's Dr. Scholl's Foot Powder. A simple sandwich shop called Mr. Submarine torpedoed its competitors back in the day, and an ice cream truck called Mr. Softee makes all other ice cream trucks sound like vanilla imitators. Those honorifics are everyday brand names, but it could be argued that they tap a deep seated instinct of respect or reverence. We're taught from a young age to respect Mr. Johnson, to pay attention to your teacher Mrs. Smith, and to heed the advice of a doctor. Even if doctor is in air quotes when you're under the influence I'm Terry O'Reilly. This episode was recorded in the Terror Stream Airstream mobile Recording studio producer Debbie O'Reilly sound engineer Jeff Devine Research Patrick James Aslan under the Influence Themed by Ari Posner and Ian lefever Tunes provided by APM Music. Follow me on Social erryoinfluence. This podcast is powered by acast and if you'd like to read next week's Fun Fact, just go to ApostrophePodcast and follow the prompts. See you next week.

[E]

Hi, this is Daniel osowicz from Sarnia, Ontario. Fun fact Pope John Paul II once ordered 100 pairs of DOC Martens for his Vatican staff, including a pair of size nines for himself. Holy.