OB Thomas Farrell (Dale '08) recently had his debut work of non fiction published. The Origins of Famous Brands explores where brands come from and what makes them successful.

The stories are sometimes remarkable, just how did Reebok emerge from a town in North West England to become one of the leading athletic apparel brands in the world? Ever wondered how McDonalds convinced a sceptical british publish to eat hamburgers? Or how Hall's cough drops became the highest selling sweets in the world? The book combines depth with reality and uncoveres previously forgotten facts.

At its heart, this is a story about people, brilliant individuals who defied the odds to succeed and introduced products that have ultimately improved peoples lives. The book covers history from the 18th century with the foundation of brand such as Schweppes, Crosse & Blackwell and Gordons gin businesses right up to present day with modern brands including Greggs and Costa Coffee.