Jell-O is the brand name for a powdered, fruit-flavored gelatin dessert invented in 1897 and widely popularized after the 1920s. The dessert first appealed to busy American housewives seeking low-cost, convenient dishes to serve to their families. Over the years, its makers took full advantage of new advertising and marketing strategies to promote the brand image of Jell-O, making it arguably the nation's most recognizable and popular convenience-food product.

Powdered gelatin was invented in 1845 by Peter Cooper (1791–1883) but the concept did not catch on until 1897, when Pearl B. Wait developed a fruit-flavored version that his wife named Jell-O. He sold the patent to Orator Francis Woodward in 1899 for $450, who began marketing the product in 1902 through the Genesee Pure Food Company of LeRoy, New York. At the time, gelatin desserts required much labor and time to prepare, making them available only to wealthier consumers who had the proper equipment. The...