I never knew this! Did you? "When it rains, it pours". This phrase that has earned itself place in global vernacular comes from an unlikely source: the Morton Salt Company. . The phrase was coined by vintage marketing executives in the early 1900s to sell salt. It's still, to this day, one of the most successful and lasting ideas to originate in those early days of advertising. . In 1911, the company had started adding magnesium carbonate, an anti-caking agent, to salt; this allowed it to pour freely (they now use calcium silicate). Before that addition, salt would clump if the weather wasn't agreeable. The company wanted to emphasize the idea that this salt would pour freely, even in damp weather. . The famous umbrella girl was the first idea decided upon, and from there the team worked on coming up with the copy. The original pitch was "Even in rainy weather, it flows freely," but they found that too long and clunky. They tried the old proverb, "It never rains, but it pours," but found it too negative. They unwittingly landed on a phrase that would transcend global boundaries and earn itself a place in everyday language: "When it rains, it pours." . #beliefmedia #marketing #advertising #mortonsalt #whenitrainsitpours #ineverknew #ineverknewthat #education