The Origins Behind The Famous Little Tree Car Air Freshener

At one point or another, billions of people throughout the world have had a tiny tree air freshener dangling from their rear-view mirrors. The process for buying one is usually the same: they pull into a gas station with their cars wreaking of a mixture of old fast-food wrappers, beef jerky, and leftover coffee. They head inside, plop down a dollar or so for a variety pack, and then BOOM! Now their car has a pleasing aroma of beef jerky, McDonald’s, coffee, and spearmint. Problem solved.

As the video above explains, the history of the tree air freshener is similar to most American entrepreneurial success stories that involve a problem, solution, and cheap Chinese factory labor. This particular story began in the 1950s, when a milkman continued to battle a smelly truck whenever his product would spoil. He enlisted the help of a German chemist, who developed a solution and prototype in the shape of freshly-scented miniature evergreens. The chemist began producing and selling them from a gas station, and eventually the product took off from there.

Today, billions of Little Trees have been sold worldwide, and the brand includes more than 60 different scents. So, if you don’t want jerky and spearmint, you can always go with jerky and Caribbean Colada. Yum!

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