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or
different forms of the term to mean “dark are at all particular,” “Cools, refreshes, and feeds the
water,” and still others say it came from nerves,” “Moxie Nerve Food: the warm weather food
Maine lake and river names. drink,” and its most popular tagline, “Make it Moxie
There is an Algonquin Indian word for Mine.” The name’s perceived personality was just
“maski,” meaning “medicine,” that also as popular as the beverage and became synonymous
may have been the inspiration for naming with spunk, pep, courage, and “building up your
the product “Moxie,” giving a “Native nerve.” It even became a noun in
American cure” feel to it. Thompson also American dictionaries!
claimed that he named Moxie after his friend Lieutenant Popular songs dedicated to the drink
Moxie, who discovered the plant and its extract, but it’s were everywhere including the Moxie
likely that no such person existed. Song (for a one-step dance) proclaiming
The trademark application shows that Thompson “There’s nothing like Moxie for mine,”
chose the word “Moxie” arbitrarily and that he had been tying in with another popular slogan,
using the term in his business to describe his drink since “Make Mine Moxie!”
April 1, 1884. While Moxie collectors later debated Celebrity endorsements were given
whether the drink originated in 1884 or 1885, those by Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, and
who marketed the drink—at least from the 1940s Calvin Coolidge. However, an early
onward—state that Moxie had Moxie pamphlet looking to
been around since 1884. capitalize on the spirit of gusto
personified by President Teddy
Moxie Nerve Food Roosevelt did not end well. A
In 1889, Thompson wanted series of advertisements and
to resume his medical practice booklets dared to show an
full-time. He worked out an endorsement story that included
agreement with one of his agents Teddy Roosevelt as a fan and
in upstate New York and estab- supporter. That did not go over
lished The Moxie Nerve Food well with the White House, and
Company. Moxie Agent William the ad series and handouts were
Taylor became the Moxie lessee quickly discontinued and
and Thompson held the title of destroyed. (They do, however,
general manager with an annual make a great collectible today.)
salary of $5,000, an income that provided him with the
financial independence he needed to pursue other interests, Some Unusual
ie including economics, law, and politics. Thompson also Marketing Tactics
ms wrote advertisements for Moxie until his death in 1903 at
Gimmicks were often used to
the age of 67. His son Francis then assumed the role of attract the attention of the public.
president of Moxie.
Up to that time, Moxie Nerve Food had established its Here are just a few examples of the
name and purpose through a lot of advertising – from the special promotions that kept the
labeling on the bottle to the name on the manufacturing name Moxie in the public eye:

facility, and the promotional wagons making deliveries to The Giant Moxie Bottles
the hundres of newspaper ads. Some ads were written in
languages other than English to reach the thousands of When the Massachusetts Retail
immigrants arriving in the U.S. at the time. The heavy Grocers and Provision Dealers’
promotion of both the drink and its distinctive name Association put together a Food Fair
continued well into the 20th century.
Just three years after Dr. Thompson
died in 1903, the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) was established
as a federal agency. With it came new
regulations such as listing ingredients on
the product, along with having to lose some
of the “cure-all” language. This drove the
company to officially change the name and
packaging, calling it simply “Moxie,” and
marketing it as a soft drink for people with
discerning tastes.

Frank Archer:
Moxie’s Marketing Guru top to bottom: Archer’s
Switching gears from “nerve tonic” to “soft drink” meant changing Invitation to Moxieland;
the story of Moxie to something that would prove to be energetic and Early 20th century delivery
on the move. Thanks to a new vice president in the company, Moxie mobile; 1903 newspaper
was about to explode on the market. Moxie had become the first advertisement; The Moxie
bottled, carbonated beverage in the U.S., and in the 1920s, Moxie Guy cardboard cutout
surpassed its slightly younger competitor, Coca-Cola, in sales. sign; photo of a 1914
Allentown, PA gathering
Frank Archer was the type of executive who was all about finding of friends celebrating
different ways to get the Moxie name and product in front of the Independence Day with
consumer. Archer was also a fan of using catchy phrases to help build Moxie; The Moxie Bottle
recognition of the name “Moxie.” A few examples include “What the at the Food Fair held in
country needs is plenty of Moxie,” “Moxie: It’s a drink for those who Boston, MA

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