By Stephen M. Wheeler

For nearly 119 years, it’s been the “Pause that Refreshes.” And a number of other things, too, as memorable advertising campaigns have helped shape a special place in all our hearts for the world’s most recognized brand, Coca-Cola. I remember Mean Joe Greene tossing his jersey to a wide-eyed football fan (if only it had been me!), swimming elephants, polar bears playing, Santa foregoing the milk with his cookies, and a hilltop of young people hoping to teach the world to sing. Through the years, Coke has become an American icon—as American as apple pie or a Norman Rockwell painting, of which, incidentally, six feature Coca-Cola in characters’ hands or in the background. Wasn’t one of Coke’s slogans Red, White and You?

The answer, I’m sure, can be found in Atlanta at the World of Coca-Cola museum. Everything from Coke’s earliest days to its current international appeal is on display at WOCC—more than 1,000 items to view, listen to, touch and taste. Yes, taste. From the original Coke itself, made and mixed by an authentic soda jerk at the re-created Barnes Soda Fountain drug store, to flavorful concoctions not even sold in the U.S., visitors to WOCC do not go away thirsty.

How did Coke begin? In 1886, Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a pharmacist by trade and veteran of the Civil War, sought to make the well-known cure-all of the day—tonic water—more palatable for human consumption. His secret syrup, when mixed with tonic water, became Koca-Cola, an immediate hit with patrons. In an effort to make the logo more visually appealing to consumers, Dr. Pemberton’s partner, Frank M. Robinson, wrote the name Coca-Cola with two Cs in his own script—nearly identical to the Coca-Cola logo of today. Pemberton and Robinson then began using creative ways to advertise their new beverage. Newspaper ads were purchased, banners were hung, and coupons for free Coca-Colas were distributed—revolutionary marketing ideas that were unheard of at this time. That first year, Coca-Cola grossed $50. Total advertising and promotion costs for the year: $75. Coca-Cola had lost money! Still, at 5¢ a glass—a price that remained for an astounding 70 years—Coca-Cola had been served nearly nine times a day (counting freebies). It was something to grow on.

Unfortunately, Pemberton never realized the potential. Shortly before his death in 1888, Pemberton, who had gradually begun to sell pieces of the business, sold his remaining interest to Asa Candler, an insightful businessman who proceeded to acquire complete control of Coca-Cola. By 1891, he had it: the entire Coca-Cola empire had been purchased for $2,300.

Candler continued Pemberton’s unusual and aggressive marketing and merchandising programs. Under Candler’s watch, a huge assortment of novelty items were produced, including fans, calendars, clocks, urns and the like, all bearing the now trademarked Coca-Cola logo. Today, many of these early promotional items are on display at World of Coca-Cola. This three-story museum, located across from Underground Atlanta, has become the mecca for the Coke connoisseur and collector. Thousands make the pilgrimage to WOCC and their thirst for nostalgia is rewarded.

Back in 1894, Coca-Cola was still sold exclusively at soda fountains. Recognizing an opportunity, two businessmen, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead of Chattanooga, TN, approached Candler and secured exclusive rights to bottle Coca-Cola in 1899. The cost of the contract: a ceremonial $1. Large-scale bottling had begun, and over the next 20 years the number of bottling factories would grow to more than 1,000. In 1928, bottling would surpass soda fountain sales once and for all.

Of course, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery—but not in the business world. Imitators of Coca-Cola had begun to spring up everywhere, packaged in similarly etched glass bottles in an attempt to trick consumers. “Celery-Cola” never really took off, but with its name etched in a script style on a bottle full of dark liquid, many consumers thought they were buying the real thing. Advertising campaigns began, proclaiming “Demand the genuine,” and “Accept no substitutes,” but Coke truly separated itself from imitators when, in 1916, the Root Glass company of Terre Haute, IN, produced the first contour shaped Coke bottle. After a revision or two to accommodate bottling equipment, the modern- day Coke bottle was born.

In 1919, Candler sold Coca-Cola to Atlanta banker Ernest Woodruff for $25 million. Four years later, Robert Winship Woodruff, Ernest’s son, was elected president of the company. Quality and innovation became Woodruff’s mantra. In the early 1920s, Coke introduced the convenient carry-home “six-pack”; and Coca-Cola began its long running association with the Olympics in 1928 at the summer games in Amsterdam. In 1929, the metal cooler was introduced, allowing for retail vendors to serve ice-cold Coke (until this time, most patrons drank Coke at room temperature); and in 1933 at the Chicago World’s Fair, Coca-Cola introduced the automatic fountain dispenser, which easily mixed the Coca-Cola syrup and carbonated water with one pull. No longer would soda jerks have to jerk.

At the outbreak of World War II, Coca-Cola was already bottled in 44 countries, including those on both sides of the conflict. Two years into the war, an urgent cablegram arrived from General Dwight Eisenhower’s Allied Headquarters in North Africa. Dated June 29, 1943, it requested shipment of materials and equipment for 10 bottling plants. The cablegram also requested shipment of 3 million filled bottles of Coca-Cola, along with supplies for producing the same quantity twice monthly.

During the war, 64 bottling plants were built in all, and more than 5 billion bottles of Coke were consumed by military personnel. And when the war ended, a large part of the world had become acquainted with a new refreshing friend. Today, international markets claim 60 percent of total Coca-Cola sales, a true beverage of the world.

The history of Coca-Cola continues, and the World of Coca-Cola documents it right up to today. We know that Coke developed multiple brands, beginning with Fanta, Sprite and Tab in the 1960s; Coke became the first soft drink consumed in space; and our world continues to be influenced and shaped by the catchy advertising, promotions and marketing of Coca-Cola. In fact, Santa Claus, as we know him today, was largely shaped by Coke. Famed American artist Haddon H. Sundblom created his first Santa Claus for Coca-Cola in 1931. Sundblom was known for his bright, happy style and cheerful images. His Santa was short, plump and friendly with twinkling eyes and a jolly red suit. Prior to Sundblom, Santa had been popularly portrayed as taller, thinner and wearing dark green or brown robes. Sundblom drew Santa for holiday campaigns for more than 30 years. By then, the Sundblom Santa had become yet another American icon.

More than 40 of Sundblom’s original oil paintings of Santa have been preserved at World of Coca-Cola. But one item in the museum isn’t memorabilia. When you enter the first gallery at WOCC, you are immediately confronted with a bizarre bottling contraption. Dubbed the “Bottling Fantasy,” this crazy gizmo appears to be more from the mind of Dr. Seuss than Dr. Pemberton. But perhaps the analogy is appropriate. For who would have ever imagined that a simple drink could so drastically shape our world? Why should it? How could it? But it did. And it’s hard to imagine having ever lived without it, as approximately 1.3 billion servings of nearly 400 different brands are consumed gleefully each day in the more than 200 countries in this world of everything Coke.

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