# Why did "Oil of Ulan" rename themselves to "Oil of Olay"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 17, 2001, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498 "2001-01-17T13:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doc\_Moss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Doc\_Moss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Moss)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/1 "2001-01-17T13:02:04Z")
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**Author:** ![Bryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/db5fbb/32.png) [@Bryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/2 "2001-01-17T13:13:34Z")
It was called “Oil of Ulay” in the UK (and probably elsewhere) for as long as I can remember, until a year or two ago when it became “Oil of Olay”. I’m informed by a half-French friend of mine that it was advertised as “Oil of Olaz” last time he was in France (a year or two ago), so my guess is that they’re trying to standardise the name around the globe, rather like the way the chocolate bar “Marathon” changed its name to “Snickers” in the early eighties. Bryan. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/3 "2001-01-17T13:27:01Z")
It is called “Oil of Olaz” in the Netherlands. I think it _used_ to be “Oil of Ulay”, but I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/4 "2001-01-17T14:44:03Z")
[Here ya go.](http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-4512,00.html) Basically it’s copyright issues in various countries, all of which have expired, and P&G is now standardizing for efficiency and synergy and all that Dilbert stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/5 "2001-01-17T16:58:56Z")
It also happened here in the UK with Jif cleaning liquid being renamed Cif to bring it in line with the rest of the world. I’m still smarting over Marathon bars being renamed Snickers and Opal Fruits becoming Starbursts. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/6 "2001-01-17T19:41:43Z")
Everything is going according to the plan. The American brand names are taking over the world!! Bwaaaahahahahahaha!!! ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/7 "2001-01-17T19:55:01Z")
Besides, “Oil of Ulan” sounds like some kind of yak-fat-based facial product from Outer Mongolia. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/8 "2001-01-17T21:30:35Z")
_Ulan_ is the Mongolian word for ‘red’. No, really. ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/9 "2001-01-17T22:39:02Z")
On another note, “Snickers”? Where the hell did they get such a ridiculous name? What’s wrong with “Marathon Bar”? Ugh, just one of those words that’s very annoying to me. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/10 "2001-01-18T00:39:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by occ \* > \*\*On another note, “Snickers”? Where the hell did they get such a ridiculous name? What’s wrong with “Marathon Bar”? Ugh, just one of those words that’s very annoying to me. \*\* Oh come on. What is easier to sell to a portly candy lover, a bar named after a long distance race or a bar named after suppressed laughter ? From [http://www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com) "Main Entry: 1snick·er Pronunciation: 'sni-k&r Function: intransitive verb Inflected Form(s): snick·ered; snick·er·ing /-k(&-)ri[ng]/ Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1694 : to laugh in a covert or partly suppressed manner : TITTER - snick·er·er /-k&r-&r/ noun - snick·ery /-k(&-)rE/ adjective " Which leads me to an even more important question, what is the etymology of ‘snicker’ ? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/11 "2001-01-19T14:33:51Z")
From Oil of Olay to the etymology of _snicker_ How hijacked can you get?! From the _Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology_: “…possibly of imitative origin, similar to Dutch _snikken_ to gasp, sob, Low German _snucken_ to sob…” ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/12 "2001-01-19T14:44:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mattk \* > **It also happened here in the UK with Jif cleaning liquid…** Jif cleaning liquid? :eek: Over here, Jif is a brand of peanut butter. As for the OP, I’ve always known it as “Oil of Olay” - didn’t know it had different names in diferent countries. And ironically, TVLand (nostalgia tv channel) just ran a ‘retromercial’ for “Oil of Olay”. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/13 "2001-01-19T15:04:24Z")
Oil of Ulay… changed to Olay about 2 years ago over here. Bring back opal fruits!!! ---
**Author:** ![Cantrip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Cantrip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cantrip)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-oil-of-ulan-rename-themselves-to-oil-of-olay/50498/14 "2001-01-19T16:08:25Z")
IIRC, they are changing the name to be just “Olay” - the feeling is that although women over age 30 or so know the product as “Oil of Olay”, “Oil” is unattractive to younger women, whom the manufacturer wishes to attract. They are therefore changing the name to “Olay”. Their website is [http://www.olay.com](http://www.olay.com), and [this URL](http://www.olay.com/index.html) will take you to their “History of Olay” page.