How Did One Woman Brainwash Us Into Eating Kale?
- The Editors at Very Cool Facts
- Sep 18
- 2 min read
Meet the Woman Who Put Kale on the Map
Kale is good for you, but let’s be real: eating it raw can feel like swallowing Velcro. How did a stiff, curly garnish left behind on dinner plates become the darling of menus, juice bars, and Instagram feeds?
Around 2006, while running her boutique PR agency My Young Auntie in Manhattan, Oberon Sinclair spotted potential where most people saw rabbit food. Acting entirely on her own, with no client or paycheck behind her, she set out to give kale the kind of spotlight usually reserved for celebrities and couture.
Sinclair's Secret Moves
Sinclair persuaded chefs at restaurants like The Fat Radish to put kale on menus and asked cafés to chalk “Eat More Kale” on their boards.
To add a wink of authority, she invented the “American Kale Association,” where she was the only member.
Beyond the Kale
Sinclair’s résumé stretches beyond leafy greens. She has helped Hermès, Vivienne Westwood, Fabergé, Simon Pearce, Banksy, and more spin clever concepts into stories people love to share.
The Fame Game on Your Plate
Some foods did not just taste good; they had great PR. Chia seeds went from sprouting pets to omega-3 puddings. Coconut water became “nature’s sports drink” with celebrity backing. Pomegranates turned antioxidant hype into liquid jewelry.
And bacon? It sizzled from breakfast extra to pop-culture mascot — with help from Edward Bernays, who got doctors to praise a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs.
Kale, bacon, and handbags that convince us to empty our wallets owe their fame to clever PR. Now, if only someone could channel that genius into world peace!
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