Is it general knowledge that Lyle's golden syrup had a biblical quotation on the tin?

[DwightDFlysenhower]

Out of the strong came forth sweetness.

I think I've known since being little (and my family aren't particularly religious).

A professor of marketing in London thinks:

"The story of it coming from religious belief could put the brand in an exclusionary space, especially if it was [sic] to go viral on X or TikTok."

So two questions:

a. Did you know it was from a bible story?

b. Would it make any difference to you buying it?

(I actually like the design of the rebrand, and do think a dead lion is a bit of an odd thing to have on your syrup, but I don't think that Britain's tradition of "cultural Christianity" would put people off buying something in their weekly shop!)

Me too, and yes I was aware of the biblical quote. My gran told me.

Honestly, 17 years on Mumsnet without a single dead-lion-on-golden-syrup-tin thread and then two come along together. Tsk.

I remember it being biblical from Infant School I think. It wouldn't put me off buying it but I'm also not bothered about a rebrand which they are perfectly entitled to do. The fact that the Daily Express considers the rebrand "woke" (according to the other thread) makes me in favour of the rebrand.

Because it's been in the news.

Yes I knew about the bees/flies whatever they are, and the bible story and the bible quote. They wouldn't put me off buying it, but I buy Tesco's because it's much cheaper.

It was really the London academic that made me want to post.

I wonder if she knows about Quaker Oats?

It's clearly a new hire PR trying to justify their job. Non issue.

Yes. Doesn’t put me off but I’m not keen on the idea of eating honey out of a lion carcass.
There’s no alternative though is there? If you need golden syrup for a recipe is there any other brand?

The image of bees emerging from a corpse predates Christianity: the Romans believed that bee colonies spontaneously generated from the dead bodies of sacrificial bulls. Virgil refers to this belief in Book 4 of the Georgics (an allegorical and political poem on farming).

Just an extra little fact for you all!

I knew that it was a biblical reference although I was a bit hazy about the details of the bible story. It didn't make any difference to me, although I don't really like the flavour of golden syrup so very rarely buy it.

I guess at the time that they started using it, it would have been widely recognised as a reference to sweetness. The understanding of the reference has massively reduced over time so they might as well change it. It probably happens a lot. I'm sure there's a whole generation of MN users coming who will see the logo and have no idea that it's referencing Charlie's Angels.

1. yes
2. no, I like the old packaging. Sad that they've felt the need to rebrand

Many supermarkets do their own brand. I suspect T&L, Tesco etc all made in the same factory. There's an episode of "inside the factory" about golden syrup.

A) Its obviously not common knowledge but I remember my DF explaining the story when I was quite young (aeons ago!)

B) why the fuck would it?

An exclusionary space... 🤯

a) yes I knew that

b) Hell no. You would have to claw golden syrup from my cold dead hands.

Ah, I didn't know about the rebrand. I thought the two threads were just some sort of weird synchronicity.
I don't feel bad about the rebrand. I was always quite fond of the decomposition/parasitism vibe that they went for before, but according to the Mail, the new look is "a friendly-looking lion and a single bee" which also sounds quite nice.
I think they might want to focus on changing what's inside the tin, though. Sticky brown diabetes on the inside is worse than the rotting predator on the outside.

I knew, it makes no difference to my syrup purchasing habits.
@SushiMayo the lion is not hidden:

I knew about it
Doesn't put me off, I bloody love syrup.

There was another one a while ago.

I knew about it but have to say i have never examined the logo closely. However, it is very recognisable - iconic, even.
There's always a sticky tin of T&L golden syrup buried in the depths of my kitchen cupboards, essential for when you absolutely must have a syrup sponge pudding or treacle tart.

I've known the story for as long as I can remember and love the iconic tin. I even bought a Coronation tin last year although I've still got plenty left in my current tin. I only use it for making ginger cake or flapjacks.

A) no
B) no

It doesn’t look like a dead lion to me, more like an asleep one.

coatonthewashingline · Today 16:45

its all bonkers as the story is about honey not syrup…

Golden syrup was marketed as a cheap equivalent to honey. It's akin to what margarine makers used to put on the tubs - 20% butter.

And 80% fish oil...

ArsMamatoria · Today 17:09

The image of bees emerging from a corpse predates Christianity:

As does Samson, by about 600 years. Didn't Plutarch, or Aristotle have something to say about lions and beehives? Mind you, for all he was a great observationist, he wrote that vultures were fertilised by the wind!

The other thread is quite entertaining in parts.

I never actually realised that Tate and Lyle Golden syrup had a dead liion on it surrounded by bees www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/5011819-i-never-actually-realised-that-tate-and-lyle-golden-syrup-had-a-dead-liion-on-it-surrounded-by-bees

😁😁 they must work for a rival syrup company