secret formula
Proprietary creation method
A secret formula is a proprietary recipe or process kept confidential to maintain competitive advantage.
Coca-Cola's formula is the classic example—supposedly locked in a vault, known to only a few.
The term extends beyond chemistry to any closely guarded method: His secret formula for success was showing up early.
Often used with slight irony, acknowledging that the "secret" may be simpler than mystique suggests.
- under wrapsDeliberately kept hidden
- industrial espionageStealing business secrets covertly
- elixirMythical healing draught
- patentObvious; inventor's monopoly
- potionEnchanted liquid mixture
confidential information · need to know · corporate espionage · Coca-Cola · proprietary · alchemy · cyber espionage · Colonel Sanders · compound · KFC · family recipe · special sauce · incantation · algorithm · ingredient · trademark · copyright · soda fountain
- Infomercialspaid programming, call now, order now, Billy Mays, ShamWow
- macguffinsMaltese falcon, holy grail, briefcase, Rosebud, unobtainium
- Patent Medicinesnake oil, cure-all, nostrum, elixir, panacea
- Formulaspercent change, E=mc2, PV=nRT, Pythagorean theorem, ideal gas law
- quackerysnake oil, cure-all, miracle cure, panacea, patent medicine
- Black Boxesflight recorder, cockpit recorder, cockpit voice recorder, data recorder, voice recorder
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