The history of the coca cola company. An amazing, almost fabulous, story about Santa Claus and the appearance of Coca-Cola
Let's figure out how harmful Coca-Cola is.
Everyone knows that drinking is harmful to human health. This is largely due to the fact that this product contains chemical elements that can cause a number of disorders in the body, including serious and irreversible ones.
Russian scientists and physicians have been studying the chemical composition of this drink for a long time, and based on the results of their research, they came to the unequivocal conclusion that it is harmful. True, Coca-Cola advertising does not report this.
It became known that some components of the product with prolonged exposure to the body cause numerous violations of the sexual sphere, including impotence and infertility. This effect has a nut - cola, on the basis of which this drink is made. This nut used to grow only in America, and it was regularly given to Indian warriors to calm the sexual desire that interferes with military service.
The manufacturers of this carbonated drink keep its recipe and ingredient list in the strictest confidence. However, scientists who conducted tests and studies of the properties of the drink, established the main amount of substances contained in it. So what's wrong with Coca-Cola?
Chemical composition
This drink has been very popular all over the world for over a century. It was invented in 1886, and at that time it contained coca leaves containing cocaine, which later became a banned substance because it destroyed the cells of the body and was highly addictive.
Today, lemon essence, vanillin and clove oil are added to Coca-Cola. The main components of the drink are: water, caffeine and sugar in very large quantities. Coca-Cola uses carbon dioxide as a preservative. It is this substance, as has been proven in research tests, that has a teratogenic effect on the human body, which reduces reproductive abilities. In addition, Coca-Cola contains E950, a dangerous carcinogen, which includes methyl alcohol. This substance disrupts the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, and also contains aspartic acid, which has an undesirable effect on the central nervous system.
In addition, it contains aspartame (E951), which is a substitute for sucrose. Aspartame is an extremely dangerous compound that, when heated to 25 degrees, decomposes into formaldehydes, phenylalanine and methanol. These substances are deadly for humans. Why Coca-Cola is harmful is interesting to many.
Negative effect on the body
Its use in large quantities has a negative effect on the level of blood pressure, increasing it. This drink is strictly contraindicated in case of hypertension and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels, because the substances contained in the drink weaken the heart muscle.
People who have diseases associated with a decrease in blood clotting are also not recommended to drink Coca-Cola, since some of its components thin the blood, which causes bleeding and slow wound healing.
Regular use of Coca-Cola increases the risk of developing heart defects by 90%, including in the fetus of a pregnant woman.
Influence on the musculoskeletal system
In addition, animal studies have shown that Coca-Cola promotes the leaching of calcium from the body, which is fraught with the development of diseases such as osteoporosis, brittle bones, dental problems, etc. This effect of this drink appears due to the fact that that it contains phosphoric acid. Therefore, the drink should be excluded from the diet of children and the elderly.
This is confirmed by numerous experiments with Coca-Cola.
There is also a special kind of drink that supposedly contains no sugar, making it low in calories. This advertising move has won the attention of consumers, but this type of drink is even more dangerous. It really does not contain sugar, but instead of it, a large number of dangerous sweeteners are put in the drink.
Also, Coca-Cola contains some substances that cause depression, migraines, increased fatigue, tachycardia, etc. Preservatives that are present in large quantities in it disrupt metabolic processes, which causes nervous breakdowns, obesity and depresses mental activity.
Experts are still arguing about whether Coca-Cola is harmful or beneficial.
Effect on the digestive system
The drink increases the acidity of the stomach. It is forbidden to use it for people suffering from peptic ulcer of the duodenum, stomach, as well as gastritis. This product destroys a number of digestive enzymes, which complicates the activity of the digestive system, leading to a host of serious disorders. The systematic intake of this carbonated drink causes inflammation of the pancreas, biliary tract, which contributes to the formation of gallbladder calculi.
What else is dangerous chemical composition of "Coca-Cola"?
Oncological diseases
The specific color of the drink is due to the presence of the substance E150 in it. This dangerous component contains 4-methylimidazole, which releases free radicals, which provokes the active reproduction of atypical cells in the human body. In addition, the product contains the so-called "cyclamate" - a substance banned in many European countries. Cyclamate is the strongest carcinogen that destroys healthy cells.
Coca-Cola is addictive. This is due to the content in it of substances that increase the sweetness of sugar tenfold (acesulfame potassium), and cause strong dependence (aspartic acid).
What else is fraught with the negative impact of "Coca-Cola" on the body?
Obesity
Today, obesity has become one of the main problems of mankind. Improper lifestyle and nutrition provoke the development of obesity, which becomes more and more difficult to fight every year. Coca-Cola contains a huge amount of sugar (115 grams per 1 liter). Almost 40 grams of sugar are dissolved in a glass of this drink, which is the daily norm for the use of this substance by an adult. But the main problem is that after one glass a person wants more, because a sweet drink only increases thirst.
The Coca-Cola Company - The "name" of our today's hero is known to everyone.
The stories of successful organizations are very similar to the biographies of great people. The largest companies were also once “born” - founded, they also had “dad and mother” - founders and investors, they were also given a name at birth, and their life was filled with both ups and downs.
The Coca-Cola brand is the most popular on the planet, with 6.5 billion people familiar with it, which is equal to 94% of the world's population. Thanks to the world's largest distribution system, the legendary soda is consumed in more than 200 countries.
More than 146,000 employees work for the company worldwide. Now Coca-Cola is #1 supplier drinking water, carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, juices, nectars, and ready-to-drink teas and coffees.
In addition to being widely recognized, the Coca-Cola brand also leads in terms of financial performance. The company's net profit is calculated in billion dollars.
Coca-Cola shares are a tidbit, with major investment funds such as Berkshire Hathaway having a stake in the venture. In the rankings of the most valuable brands over the past decade, Coca-Cola has firmly occupied the first place, pushing back corporations such as Microsoft, IBM, Google and Nokia.
The Coca-Cola Company has achieved such success thanks to the drink of the same name, which is its most famous product.
Do not rush to run away from monitors if you drink exclusively natural juices and look disapprovingly towards "sweet water". As folk wisdom says, "there are no comrades for the taste and color." To be honest, I don't drink Coca-Cola myself. Not only does it not quench your thirst, because it is sweet and you want to drink from it even more, it is also harmful.
That's what I admire the most! How did you manage to create such a successful business that helped make the Coca-Cola brand the most recognizable. I also want to say that I even managed to work all day in this company. This is not a typo, I worked all day at this company, but I will talk about this next time ...
The world empire for the production of soda was organized not even in the past, but in the century before last - in 1892 in Atlanta.
The company, which started out selling a dozen bottles a day, now sells more than 1.5 billion drinks a day. If we divide all the produced Coca-Cola among the population of the Earth, then each of us will have 767 bottles!
So how did Coca-Cola achieve such impressive results?
The success of an enterprise depends on two main components - on the product being produced and its advertising. Let's take a closer look at these important components.
"Birthday" drink Coca-Cola celebrates May 8, 1886 when an American, the owner of a small pharmaceutical company, invented his recipe.
He did not limit the circle of consumers of the drink to his relatives, but went straight to the largest pharmacy in Atlanta, where he offered to sell his invention at 5 cents per serving.
Pemberton was convinced of the healing properties of cola, which helped to cope with nervous breakdowns, fatigue and stress. The “medicinal” means of “cola” were quite understandable, because the composition of the syrup included an extract of coca leaves, i.e. cocaine, the harm of which was proven only at the beginning of the 20th century.
Pemberton's entrepreneurial spirit was the beginning of the Coke's long journey. The drink was named after Pemberton's accountant.
He combined the names of the main ingredients of the drink, which, in addition to coca leaves, included the nuts of the kola tree. Mastering calligraphy Robinson also donated his logo to the drink.- beautiful curly letters on a red background.
One of the cola salesmen, Mr. Venable, once diluted Pemberton's syrup not with plain water, but with soda. The populace, saturated with carbonic acid, was very fond of the population.
Unfortunately, the creator of "cola" died 2 years after its invention, and did not have time to take advantage of the fruits of his success.
The recipe for Pemberton's syrup is bought by an aspiring entrepreneur (Asa Griggs Candler, born 1851 - 1929), an immigrant from Ireland, and thus the business is in very good hands. Mr. Candler was the model of an enterprising and energetic business man. In 1893, he registered the trademark "Coca-Cola" and founded the eponymous company "The Coca-Cola Company".
Under Candler's leadership, both the product and the way it was promoted were innovated. The businessman took up the improvement of the drink recipe to improve the taste and increase its shelf life.
By replacing fresh coca leaves with “squeezed” ones, cocaine is removed from the soda, the dangers of which have been discussed in scientific circles. In the press, cola was even called the cause of the aggressive behavior of African Americans from poor neighborhoods. A devastating article appeared in the then popular New York Tribune, which said that "Negroes" who had drunk Coca-Cola became insane and attacked "whites".
Now caffeine is used as a stimulant, and the detailed recipe for modern cola is no longer a big secret. True, some of the ingredients are impressive - the amount of sugar per glass of drink is 9 tablespoons!
Candler was one of the first entrepreneurs to understand the benefits of "trademark". To create a popular and easily recognizable product, the businessman used non-standard solutions.
Now they are the ABC of marketing, but then they belonged to the class of innovations.
For example, Candler supplied a batch of free cola to pharmacies in exchange for the addresses of visitors to the establishment, to whom he sent free coupons for the purchase of a drink by mail. People were happy to "pass a glass" for nothing and buy the supplement themselves.
I want to note that Coca-Cola owes much of its success to Prohibition, which was introduced in Atlanta in 1886. People then switched from alcohol to sweet soda. That is, if you intend to create a successful business, then you should take this aspect into service.
The product must be in demand. Coca-Cola has become a good alternative to alcohol. By the way, look at the advertisements above, did you notice what the bet was made on?
In fact, at that time, Coca-cola was promoted not only as a drug, but also as an energy drink, which are so popular now. Coca-Cola refreshed, invigorated - that's what the advertising slogans of those years said.
The release of various souvenirs with the Cola emblem also increased the spread of the brand. In 1902, with a turnover of $120,000, Coca-Cola became the most famous drink in the USA.
The resourceful Irishman also organized the first-ever advertising campaign for cola. Her first motto was: “Drink Coca-Cola. Delicious and refreshing." Since those distant times, Coca-Cola has changed dozens of slogans, among which there are not only calls to quench your thirst (1922: “Thirst knows no season”, 1929: “Respite that refreshes”), but also patriotic (1906: “Great non-alcoholic drink of the nation", 1937: "America's Favorite Moment", 1943: "Universal symbol of the American way of life") and even romantic ones (1932: "Light of the sun with the coolness of ice", 1949: "COCA" ... on the road that leads anywhere " , 1986: "Red, White and You").
The slogans of "cola" played on the innermost strings of the soul of Americans, touching on a sense of pride in their nation.
Coca-Cola was advertised by the most famous and handsome actors, the most beloved and popular athletes. Now the Coca-Cola brand is so successful that it no longer needs celebrity advertising, whose fame is already much less than the fame of the brand itself. This reminds me of an anecdote:
“A representative of the Coca-Cola company is calling President Putin:
- Do you want to change the flag of Russia to red and white for 10 billion dollars, to match the color of Coca-Cola?
- It is difficult to answer right away, you have to think. He calls Medvedev back: - Dima, when does our contract with Aquafresh end? »
In 1989, Coca-Cola became the first foreign company to place its advertisement in Moscow on Pushkin Square.
It's no secret that a product that is in high demand falls victim to fakes. To combat the falsification of the drink, the company even involved the famous Pinkerton detective agency.
In addition to obvious fraud, the corporate identity of Coke was subjected to “harassment” - competitors borrowed its name, color, logo font. Such attempts to bask in the rays of someone else's glory were quickly and categorically suppressed - the court recognized the exclusive right of the company to the patented Coca-Cola brand.
In 1916 alone, a over 150 lawsuits against imitation brands, such as Fig Cola, Candy Cola, Cold Cola, etc. Relations with the main competitor Pepsi were not easy either. The battle of the “count” has known both litigation and peace agreements, some of the marketing moves in this “cold war” of sodas generally deserve a separate article.
A big role in the success of the company was played by the general availability of the drink, when it began to be produced in glass bottles. Before 1894 "Cola" was sold on tap, and Joseph Biedenharn, a businessman from Mississippi, became the first person to packed cola in glass containers.
He sent 12 bottles personally to Mr. Candler, but he took the innovation without enthusiasm. With a brilliant entrepreneurial streak, he somehow failed to see the big future of cola packaging. In 1899, two lawyers, Benjamin Thomas and Joseph Whitehead, bought the exclusive rights to bottle Coca-Cola from Candler for a nominal fee of $1.
In 1915, Benjamin Thomas turned to designer Earl Dean to came up with an original shape for a cola bottle. With the task set - to make glass containers recognizable "to the touch, in the dark and even in a broken form" - the creative did it "excellently".
The low-waisted bottle shape, reminiscent of a cocoa fruit, was introduced to the public in 1916 and brought another distinctive feature to the cola image. At an auction in California, a bottle of Dean, which is the prototype of the following models, was sold for $ 240,000!
1919 - new owner of Coca-cola
In 1919 The Coca-Cola Company changes its owner. This was preceded by the appointment in 1916 of Asa Candler to the post of mayor of Atlanta. With the transition to a new position, Candler had to step down as the chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Company.
At that time, he was already a very rich man, and all this thanks to the timely investment in cola. By the way, did you know that Asa Candler bought the patent for Coca-Cola from Pemberton's widow for only $2,300(!). This subsequently brought him hundreds of millions of dollars.
Thanks to the sweet pop, Candler subsequently established the Central Bank and the Trust Company, became the owner of a large amount of real estate, was a famous philanthropist who gave millions of dollars to the Methodist Church, and also bought and donated a large piece of land for the relocation of Emory University from Oxford to Atlanta.
Subsequently, he showed his brilliant entrepreneurial talent as mayor of Atlanta. He passed on most of The Coca-Cola Company to his children, who subsequently sold them. for 25 million dollars a group of bankers led by Ernest Woodruff who handed over the reins of the company four years later to his 33-year-old son Robert.
With the advent of Woodruff at the head of the company, Coca-Cola's entry into foreign markets is associated. So there are factories for the production of cola in France, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam
Soda has firmly entered the life of Americans and has become "my boyfriend" at the celebration of various events, while playing sports, and even on the battlefield.
During World War II, the company's president since 1923, set a goal for employees that "everyone in uniform could buy 5 cent bottle of cola wherever he is, and no matter what it will cost us.”
By the way, before the start of World War II, Coca-Cola was sold in 44 countries around the world. It is Woodruff for 60 years of his reign had the greatest impact on the development of the company and, in particular, on the expansion of the drink around the world.
Could Robert Woodruff have imagined then that in the 21st century the company's products would be produced in more than 200 countries of the world?!
Under the leadership of this marketing genius, the first cola vending machines were launched, a standard six-bottle package was developed, the assortment was replenished with Sprite and Diet Coke, and plastic bottles of Coca-Cola appeared.
With Woodruff, Coca-Cola began its partnership with the Olympic movement, in 1928 sponsoring the IX Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Since then, Coca-Cola has been going hand in hand and even running with sports - since 1992, the company has been among the organizers and sponsors of the Olympic torch relay.
Now Coca-Cola Company cooperates with more than 190 national Olympic committees and acts as an official partner of FIFA, NBA and sponsor of the World Cup.
In 1931 another turning point in the history of the company took place. Santa Claus is painted by artist Haddon Sundblom for a Coca-Cola ad campaign.
The image of a good-natured old man dressed in a red-and-white suit he invented was so successful that now the residents of the United States imagine Santa in this way.
But before Sundblom, the main character of the American New Year holidays was portrayed as you like, even as an elf, and dressed in costumes of various colors.
Now Santa Claus is “one color in winter and summer”, and his bright “Coca-Cola” coloring in itself serves as a good advertisement for the drink.
But the history of Coca-Cola does not resemble a Christmas fairy tale in everything. The Internet is full of "horror stories" that describe alternative methods of using the drink - removing rust, cleaning car windows, etc.
The height of the mistreatment of soda is the claim that American cops use it to wash away blood at crime scenes. Is this really how the representatives of the law understand the advertising slogan of 1993 “ always Coca Cola»?)
In program releases "Mythbusters" on the Discovery Channel many of these legends have been tried and dispelled. The effectiveness of cleaning with a drink is higher than cleaning with ordinary water, but significantly lower than that of special products.
No specific negative effect of cola on the human body has been officially established. So “to drink or not to drink” is a personal matter for every adult. I emphasize, an adult, because. children themselves cannot refuse the temptation, therefore the duty of parents is to monitor their health.
The marketing management of the company says that its strategy does not focus on the children's audience. That's how it is, but in the only Coca-Cola museum in the world in Atlanta, admission for schoolchildren is free and they are brought on excursions by whole buses. So the next lovers of sweet soda are growing up.
The continuity of generations is obvious - just think about it, Coca-Cola, which has already managed to fly into space and win the love of the NEXT generation, was still drunk by the great-great-grandmothers and great-great-grandfathers of our contemporaries.
Coca-Cola is tough!
In 1955, Coca-Cola tries to dress in new clothes for himself. The drink began to be poured into aluminum cans, which were originally invented during the war for the convenience of soldiers.
The late 50s and early 60s are characterized by the expansion of The Coca-Cola Company's product range. In 1958 Fanta appears, and in 1961 Sprite.
Currently, the world empire produces more than 200 types of drinks, of which Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite owns 80% of total sales. By the way, this fact once again confirms the effectiveness of the Parreto principle, according to which 20% of the products presented on the shelves make 80% of the turnover in retail outlets.
Or in another way they say that 80% of all goods are needed only in order for the main 20% to sell well.
In the 70-80s of the last century, the company continued to increase its presence in the world. New factories were built, new quality standards were introduced, distribution channels were improved, new advertising and marketing "chips" were developed, which immediately affected the company's performance.
So, in 1988, according to a survey conducted by various independent agencies, Coca-Cola became the most famous and preferred brand in the whole world. By the way, the company firmly held this title from 2000 to 2012.
Rapid growth in the 90s…
The nineties of the XX century were very successful for the company. So, by 1997, the company's sales had increased so much that the volume of sales of drinks for the twelve months of the ninety-seventh year was commensurate with the sales of all the company's drinks over the past 75 years (!). Just think about these crazy numbers!
Innovative 2000s…
The 2000s are characterized as innovative for the company. Coca-cola introduces new production standards. So, for example, the legendary curly bottle of cola is changing. No, it has not changed visually, production technologies have changed, thanks to which it was possible to increase the strength of the bottle by 40%, and reduce the weight by 20%.
The company also begins the fight against waste recycling and improving the environmental situation in the world. In 2007, the company introduces production equipment with which used PET bottles can be used to create new packaging.
And in 2009, The Coca-Cola Company receives a special award for the invention of a new packaging that is 100% recyclable and also consists of a third of herbal ingredients.
From 2008 to the present, the company is headed by Mukhtar Kent. This Turkish-American started his career at Coca-Cola from the bottom. He has worked for companies all over the world.
So in 1985 he headed the department of Coca-cola in Turkey and Central Asia. Later he was appointed vice president of Coca-Cola International, which is responsible for 23 countries around the world. In 1995, Mukhtar Kent headed Coca-Cola Europe. where he managed to increase the turnover by 50%.
What makes The Coca-Cola Company so successful?
According to the company itself, they use the world's largest beverage distribution system. Throw in billions in advertising budgets and smart marketing, and you have a recipe for success.
Year after year, grain by grain, the company was engaged in building competent sales. I am somewhat familiar with how Coca-Cola works. I was able to study her sales system from the inside. True, it was a very short moment, which I will talk about in one of the following issues, but it was enough for me to appreciate the genius of the “salesmen” of this company.
- Firstly, the company has built factories for the production of its drinks in all major countries and cities.
- Secondly, has well-defined logistics, which allows delivering its products daily to all outlets where the company's drinks are sold.
- Third, the company has entangled with its sales representatives all cities and regions not only in Russia, but throughout the world. Thanks to this, the company's refrigerators are not only in large shopping centers and megamarkets, but also in yard shops and stalls. What do these refrigerators cost in the most advantageous places, which most attract the attention of buyers and, accordingly, make the greatest sales.
- Fourth, aggressive advertising that affects our consciousness from all possible media around the clock!
The mission of the company in the 3rd millennium is not only to refresh the world, body, mind and spirit, but also to bring meaning to everything it does.
The Coca-Cola Company is improving water use, replacing refrigeration equipment with environmentally friendly ones, and investing millions of dollars to build plastic bottle recycling plants.
The company is focused on development, and this mission is shared by the many thousands of staff of its like-minded people. It's the individuals who are driven and talented that make history, and the Coca-Cola Company is fortunate to fall into the hands of the very people who made it so successful.
There are brands that capture the attention of the public for many decades, which are equally known to several generations and people from different social strata. So, mothers, fathers and children, millionaires and beggars, politicians and ordinary office workers know about the legendary Coca-Cola drink. The history of Coca-Cola stretches over 130 years. This brand, according to marketers, is known to more than 94% of the population in the world, and the symbol of the most popular soft drink has become a symbol of all America. So where did it all start?
Creating a drink
The history of the creation of the Coca-Cola company began back in 1886. John Stith Pemberton, an Atlanta resident, was a retired amateur chemist and owned a small pharmaceutical company when he came up with a sweet syrup formulation to treat nervous disorders. Pemberton believed that in addition to affecting the nervous system, his medicine could also get rid of problems with potency and dependence on morphine (to which the inventor himself was somewhat addicted).
The resulting drink was very sweet and thick, and it was based on coca leaves (the cocaine used in the drink then seemed to be a useful ingredient that cannot harm human health) and nuts of the tropical cola tree in a ratio of 3: 1. The name of the drink - Coca-Cola - was coined by Pemberton's accountant and written by him in beautiful calligraphic letters, which have survived unchanged to this day.
John's friend advised him to take his invention to the largest local pharmacy, where the syrup began to be sold to customers in a special machine. One glass cost five cents, but the drink did not gain much popularity. At first, only 9 cups of syrup were sold per day, and this continued for a year. Pemberton's total revenue for this period was only 50 USD, while the production demanded 70 USD.
However, over time, the drink began to gain the attention of buyers, and here began the success story of Coca-Cola. By the end of 1886, the drink became carbonated, and the history of Coca-Cola in "carbonated" form is quite interesting. Once a pharmacy visitor who came with a hangover asked for a glass of Cola, but the pharmacist was too lazy to go to the other end of the hall for water, and he offered to dilute the medicinal syrup with soda. The visitor really liked the taste of the resulting drink, and soon this recipe spread to all Atlanta pharmacies.
The real shift came with the introduction of Prohibition. Then the inventor of the recipe was forced to sell the formula and equipment, and most of his firm was sold to the salesman who first mixed Coca-Cola with soda. Pemberton himself received $2,000 for his invention. Probably, this money was not enough for a prosperous life, and the inventor of the world famous drink in the future died in poverty. The tombstone on his grave appeared only seventy years later. 
Rapid turns
Further, the history of the Coca-Cola brand became closely interconnected with the name of the impoverished visitor Az Candler, who settled in Atlanta and, based on a recipe bought from Pemberton's wife, launched the production of Coca-Cola. So, in 1893, a company with an officially registered trademark arose. In 1894, the first bottled Cola was sold, sold in a rectangular transparent container. The first factory for the production of bottles with a drink appeared in the last year of the 19th century.
The formula of the drink was constantly improved, and over time, cocaine, harmful to health, was withdrawn from coca leaves. Also, the head of the company used many, at that time completely new, marketing moves. For example, Kendler sent a certain amount of free Coca-Cola to pharmacies in exchange for the addresses of their regular customers, so that he could then send them coupons for one free glass of Coke. In addition, in addition to the drink, branded souvenirs were also sold, which increased brand awareness among the population.
This paid off, and the enterprise began to increase its own scale. In 1916, the production of Cola in original bottles was launched, the format and design of which we can recognize among many others. The designer, Benjamin Thomas, wanted to create the most memorable shape and look, so that Coca-Cola products could be recognized, according to Thomas, even in the dark. The idea of creating just such original bottles - with an extension to the bottom - was borrowed from the then fashionistas, who wore skirts with an interception below the waist. This was another key to the universal recognition of the Coca-Cola brand, whose success story developed at a rapid pace.
Coca-Cola advertising campaigns become especially successful when the brand becomes associated with Santa Claus. In this regard, many even think that it was the company that came up with their favorite New Year's character, and they explain this by the fact that Santa is always dressed in red and white clothes and always has the coveted bottle of Coke with him.
History of Coca-Cola: interesting facts
Coca-Cola in modern times
The history of the Coca-Cola brand is a story of tremendous success: today the corporation owns eleven large companies around the world and a couple of dozen separate bottlers. For example, in the Asian region, Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd. pleases customers with its products, and in America - Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.
Many people mistakenly think that the history of the Coca-Cola company is connected only with the release of Cola, but in fact, thousands of bottles with a variety of drinks pass daily on the conveyors of this business giant. More than 2/3 of the world's sales volume belongs to the three "flagships":
- Coca Cola
- fanta;
- Sprite.
Cola's advertising campaign deserves special attention: a whole marketing department works tirelessly to keep the attention of its multi-million audience. Take a look at the recent marketing ploy with different names on Cola bottles, thanks to which each user wants to find exactly his name on his favorite drink. Surely, many of us have also seen the colorful advertising of the New Year holidays, which says that the New Year is impossible to spend without Coca-Cola.
The legendary drink, which has not become less popular than it was in the last century, is today one of the most recognizable brands in the world. The Cola trademark in red and white is hard to confuse with anything else. A sponsor of many sports competitions and an essential attribute of the Christmas holidays, the drink still pleases us with its unforgettable taste and offers options even for those who care about their health and figure. The history of the Coca-Cola Company is the history of absolute superiority in the field of soft drinks.
In contact with
Apothecary John Stith Pemberton, who brewed caramel-colored syrup in May 1886, was busy looking for a remedy for headaches and indigestion. The new product, which soon appeared in Jacob's Atlanta drugstore called Coca-Cola, instantly became popular - not as a medicine, but as a refreshing drink.
The beginning of a great success
Pemberton made a viscous syrup from medicinal plants, phosphoric acid, nuts of the tropical cola tree, coca leaves and sugar, which was diluted with water before use. The beautiful curly letters on the label, which still serve as the company's logo, were written by Frank Robinson, who knew the calligraphy of Pemberton. But real success came to Coke only after Asa Candler bought the syrup recipe for $2,300, and now remains a company secret, along with a calligraphically written name. In 1893, he patented a new drink and began selling it throughout the country. In 1906, the recipe had to be changed because the use of cocaine was banned in America. From now on, the invigorating effect of Coca-Cola was provided by caffeine. In 1915, the shape of the branded bottle was developed, which has remained almost unchanged to this day.
American lifestyle symbol
The standardized appearance of products - uniform bottles, glasses and labels, intelligible advertising campaigns, including a plump Santa Claus in a suit of corporate colors - red and white, which became the prototype of Santa Claus, as well as a franchise system - provided Coca-Cola with a worldwide triumph. In the 1980s even the bastions of communism, the USSR and China, fell before it.
The Coca-Cola drink was invented in Atlanta (Georgia, USA) on May 8, 1886. It was invented by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton, a former officer
American Confederate Army. The name for the new drink was coined by Pemberton's accountant Frank Robinson, who, also skilled in calligraphy, wrote the words "Coca-Cola" in beautiful curly letters, which are still the drink's logo.
The main ingredients of Coca-Cola were as follows: three parts of coca leaves (from the same leaves the drug cocaine was obtained) to one part of the nuts of the tropical cola tree. The resulting drink was patented as a drug "for any nervous disorder" and began to be sold through a machine in Jacob's largest city pharmacy in Atlanta. Pemberton also claimed that Coca-Cola cures impotence, and that those who are addicted to morphine can switch to it (by the way, Pemberton himself was not indifferent to morphine). It should be noted here that cocaine was not a prohibited substance at that time and nothing was known about its harm to health (for example, in the story “The Sign of Four” by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes injects cocaine into himself in moments of inactivity, so painfully endured by him). Therefore, cocaine was freely sold, and it was often added to drinks instead of alcohol for pleasure and tone - Coca-Cola was not an innovation in this.
At first, an average of only 9 people bought the drink daily. Sales revenue during the first year was only $50. It is interesting that $70 was spent on the production of Coca-Cola, that is, in the first year the drink was unprofitable. But gradually the popularity of Coca-Cola increased, and the profits from its sale too. Pemberton sold the rights to the drink in 1888. And in 1892, businessman Asa Griggs Candler, who had the rights to Coca-Cola, founded The Coca-Cola Company, which has been producing Coca-Cola to this day.
In 1902, with a turnover of $120,000, Coca-Cola became the most famous drink in the United States. [The same year was marked by the appearance of the main competitor of The Pepsi-Cola Company - La belle era].
But in the late 1890s, public opinion turned against cocaine, and in 1903 a devastating article appeared in the New York Tribune, claiming that it was Coca-Cola that was to blame for the blacks from the urban slums who had drunk on it began to attack white people. After that, not fresh coca leaves were added to Coca-Cola, but already “squeezed out”, from which all cocaine was removed.
Since then, the popularity of the drink has grown exponentially. And fifty years after its invention, Coca-Cola has become something of a national icon for Americans. Since 1894, Coca-Cola has been sold in bottles, and since 1955 in cans.
Stages of a long journey:
1886 - the invention of the drink
1888 Sale of business to Irish immigrant Ace Candler, who starts an aggressive advertising campaign
1893 - trademark registration
1894 - bottling
1920 - first plant in Europe
1922 - Creation of a 6-pack
1928 - Coca-Cola at the Amsterdam Olympics
1960 - the advent of the tin can
1977 - the introduction of two-liter plastic bottles
Pemberton, John Stith (eng. John Stith Pemberton) (July 8, 1831 - August 16, 1888) - American pharmacist, inventor of Coca-Cola:
It is said that there is a recipe written by Pemberton's own hand. It is stored in a special safe, access to which only senior leaders have. 
companies, and even they can only open the safe together. On the one hand, with the current scrutiny and strict requirements of various organizations for food and drink, it is strange that the recipe has not yet been disclosed.
Here is one of the options for deciphering the composition (based on the materials of the Vlast magazine):
First, the black elixir is compiled:
- 80 drops of orange essential oil
- 40 drops cinnamon essential oil
- 120 drops of lemon essential oil
- 20 drops coriander essential oil
- 40 drops of nutmeg oil
- 40 drops neroli oil
- Lime essential oil - to taste
Then, 42 grams of black elixir, 113 grams of caffeine citrate, 56 grams of phosphoric acid, 28 grams of vanilla extract are taken per 10 liters of water. Now it remains to add sugar - as much as 13.5 kilograms.
Impressive, of course, is the amount of sugar, for one glass of drink it accounts for as many as 9 tablespoons. Just because of this, perhaps, it should have been hidden, because one can only imagine how useful this “miraculous remedy” is for our body.
We can say with confidence that neither coca nor cola has been there for a long time.
Interesting Facts
If all the Coca-Cola produced over a hundred years is bottled, laid out in one line and wrapped around the near-Earth orbit of our planet, then it will wrap the Earth 4334 times. By the way, such a chain to the moon would reach back and forth 1045 times.
If all the produced Coca-Cola were distributed in bottles to all the inhabitants of the planet, each of us would receive 767 bottles.
If all the produced Coca-Cola were to fill a pool 180 centimeters deep, then its length would be 33 kilometers, and the width would reach almost 15 kilometers. 512 million people can enter such a pool at the same time.
Every second, 8,000 glasses of drinks developed by the Company are drunk around the world.
The huge Coca-Cola sign, located above the World of Coca-Cola pavilion in Atlanta, consists of 1407 ordinary light bulbs and 1906 linear neon lamps. The sign is 9 meters high, 8 meters wide, and weighs 12.5 tons.
The largest Coca-Cola sign is located in the Chilean city of Arica. It is set on top of a hill. The sign is 122 meters wide and 40 meters high. This sign is composed of 70 thousand bottles of Coca-Cola.
In 1989, Coca-Cola was the first foreign company to advertise its trademark on Pushkin Square in Moscow.
The two countries with the highest per capita consumption of Coca-Cola in the world have absolutely nothing in common. This is a huge continental subtropical Mexico and a tiny island subpolar Iceland.
The longest delivery route for Coca-Cola is in Australia. Truck drivers have to overcome the 1803-kilometer highway to deliver products from the city of Perth (South Australia) to the settlements of Karratha and Port Hedland.
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