The most famous product of the whole wide world is Coca-Cola. Nearly everyone drinks it or is familiar with their logo at least. Coca-Cola is everywhere and not just in the form of a drink. How has it become so famous and what does Coca-Cola have to do with Christmas?
The first use of Coca-Cola was a medical one, as an anti-stress and hangover drink. It was derived from Pemberton’s French Wine Coca, but without the alcohol. Chemist John Pemberton from Atlanta feared the end of his Wine Coca because of a pending ban on alcohol. He praised the alcohol free version of his drink as a refreshing one and mixed the syrup up with the recently invented sparkling water. The name of the drink came from the names of the main ingredients, African Kolanuts and South American Cocaleaves. Pemberton’s business partner and accountant liked the alliteration of the words and wrote Coca-Cola in elegant letters. Ever since that moment the name has been written in the same style.
Seductive shapes
At the end of the nineteenth century Coca-Cola was a known name in the whole of the United States. The invention of the crown-cap made it easier to bottle the drink and had increased its sales. The invention of modern refrigerators in the twenties extended business for Coca-Cola considerably. You could buy cold bottles of Coca-Cola at gas stations, market stands, shops etc. The competition used Coca-Cola’s success to their advantage and around the change of the century all sorts of imitation drinks were available. The famous corded bottle was designed to make the real Coca-Cola easily recognizable whenever, wherever, even in the dark. The accidental female shape of the bottle contributed immensely to Coca-Cola’s success.
Ever since the beginning the Coca-Cola Company advertised in a big way. Everywhere, inside and outside there were bill boards and people could obtain coupons for a free glass of Coca- Cola. Coca-Cola merchandise was also available from the start. Ever since 1891 the company publishes their own calendar on a yearly basis.
Coca Cola Santa Claus 1942
Introduction in the Netherlands
Coca-Cola sponsored the Amsterdam 1928 Olympics and at the Olympic Stadium the first Coca-Cola selling point of the Netherlands was constructed. Real fame came during World War II. With the permission of the White House, Coca-Cola set up bottling factories everywhere American soldiers were stationed. That way, homesick soldiers didn’t have to miss their favorite drink. The locals embraced the soft drink and its image of fun and companionship.
Image and advertising had always been very important to Coca-Cola and the company watched trends and fashions closely. They did not only want to promote Coca-Cola as a refreshing summer drink, and so they called in the help of modern day Santa Claus. American Santa was a descendent of Saint Nicholas, whose name day was still celebrated by the emigrated Dutch living in New York in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the rest of the country had adopted Santa Claus, dressed him up in a more casual way and added a sled with reindeer to the image. Santa Claus as we know him nowadays was created in 1931. Artist Haddon Sundblom created Santa’s red fur-rimmed suit because it combined well with Coca-Cola’s colors. His friendly chubby cheeks, big belly with the wide belt and his high boots are also a product of the artist’s imagination.
Since that time Santa Claus, who likes to have a nice glass of Coca-Cola, yearly works his magic in the Coca-Cola commercials. This has turned Santa into an icon of the western world. Coca-Cola drinking Santa, and his Coca-Cola drinking friends from the North Pole therefore have to be in the museum’s collection.
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