COCA-COLA CELEBRATES 130 YEARS : DROPS OF KNOWLEDGE

Colombo:Dr.John Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, USA was the originator of Coca-Cola in 1886. Together with his partner Frank M. Robinson, Pemberton created the famous Coca-Cola syrup. Robinson was the one who wrote the name joining the two “C’s” in Spencerian script, because he thought it would work well in advertising. 130 years later, Coca-Cola still uses the very same script, the same logo, and delivers the same refreshing and delicious taste and brand promise. Coca-Cola has also created some of the most memorable advertising campaigns that have carried the brand’s message of positivity and happiness through radio jingles, TV commercials, songs and various other platforms.

• Creator Dr. John Pemberton’s new beverage was first sold at Jacobs’ Pharmacy in Atlanta, GA, close to where our headquarters stand today.

• The first year Coca- Cola was sold, in 1886, sales averaged a modest nine drinks per day. Today, 1.9 billion servings of Coca -Cola Company products are sold each day.

• In 1906, the first three countries to bottle Coca-Cola outside the United States were Canada, Cuba and Panama.

• A Coca- Cola bottling plant opened in the Philippines in 1912, our first in Asia.

• The first Coca -Cola bottling plants in Europe opened in Paris and Bordeaux, France, in 1919.

• In 1977, the contour bottle was granted registration as a trademark by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

• Introduced in 1993, the Coca-Cola Polar Bear has become a favourite part of Coca-Cola advertising, and can be seen in person at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta.

• In December 1895, Company leader Asa Candler proclaimed that Coca-Cola was sold and consumed in every state and territory of the United States.

• In 1887, Coca-Cola was promoted through an innovation developed by The Coca-Cola Company – coupons providing free samples of the new drink.

• When large-scale bottling began in 1899, in Chattanooga, Tennessee – marking the beginning of what is today the worldwide Coca-Cola bottling system – Coca-Cola Company leader Asa Candler was so skeptical about the success of bottling Coca-Cola that the Company charged only $1 for the bottling rights.

• The famous Coca-Cola contour bottle was introduced in 1915 to help differentiate Coca -Cola from imitators. Until the development of the contour bottle – so distinctive it could be recognized in the dark – Coca-Cola bottlers used straight-sided bottles in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

• The six-pack carrier, though common today, was an innovation developed by the Coca-Cola system in 1923. It was created to encourage people to take bottles of Coca-Cola home and drink it more often.

• Selling Coca-Cola in bottles from standardized coolers began in the late 1920s. Allowing people to get a bottle from a cooler – without having to be served by a store clerk – enabled Coca- Cola to be sold in locations outside of stores, such as in the workplace, sports arenas and gas stations. The cooler revolutionized our business, evolving from barrels full of ice to the vending machines we know today.

• The 1933 Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago marked the introduction of automatic fountain dispensers, in which syrup and carbonated water were mixed as the drink was poured.

• 1955 saw the debut of the King Size (10- and 12-ounce) and Family Size (26-ounce) contour bottles in the U.S., followed by Coca-Cola in 12-ounce cans in 1960. Until this point, Coca-Cola had been available only at the soda fountain and in 6½-ounce bottles.

• Until 1955, The Coca-Cola Company had only one product – Coca-Cola. In 1955, Fanta was introduced in Italy. In 1960, the Company acquired Minute Maid with its Minute Maid, Snow Crop and Hi-C brands, and acquired Tenco, maker of instant coffees and teas, expanding the Company’s beverages beyond soft drinks.

• In 1960, Coca- Cola in 12-ounce cans was introduced in the U.S. Early can graphics included a picture of the contour bottle so people would know the same Coca-Cola they found inside a bottle was inside the can.

• The Company’s first diet soft drink, TaB, was introduced in the U.S. in 1963. TaB spurred the early growth of the low-calorie soft drink segment – a novel idea at the time.

• History was made in 1982 with the introduction of Diet Coke, the first extension of the Coca-Cola and Coke trademarks. Within two years, Diet Coke had become the top low-calorie soft drink in the world, a position the brand maintains today.

• On July 12, 1985, Coca-Cola became the first soft drink to be consumed in space when astronauts tested the “Coca-Cola Space Can” aboard Space Shuttle Challenger. Working with NASA, The Coca-Cola Company invested more than $250,000 in the initial development of the space can technology.

• In 1991, The Coca-Cola Company introduced the first bottles made partially with recycled plastic, an innovation for the entire industry.

• The 20-ounce PET version of the contour bottle for Coca-Cola was introduced in 1993. The bottle helped distinguish Coca-Cola from other beverages, just as the glass contour bottle had done in 1915.

Coca-Cola’s journey in Sri Lanka began 61years ago in March1955. Today in Sri Lanka, Coca-Cola has become one of the most loved beverages in the soft drinks market. Following the introduction of Trademark Coca-Cola, other global brands were added to the company portfolio including Coca-Cola Light, Sprite, Fanta Orange, Fanta Portello, Fanta Cream Soda, Lion Soda and Lion Ginger Beer which provide consumers across the island with a variety of delicious and hydrating beverage options.

The constant passion to touch the lives of its consumers has made Coca-Cola one of the most preferred brands in Sri Lanka and the world. Coca-Cola is thankful for the continued support of its consumers and partners, and looks forward to many more years of refreshing the world with moments of optimism and positivity.