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==Local competitors==
==Local competitors==
[[Pepsi]] is often second to Coke in terms of sales, but outsells Coca-Cola in some localities. Around the world, some local brands do compete with Coke. In [[South America|South]] and [[Central America]], [[Kola Real]], known as [[Big Cola]] in [[Mexico]], is a fast growing competitor to Coca-Cola.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ricardo|last= Mireles |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= In Mexico, Big Cola is the real thing |url= http://www.logisticstoday.com/sNO/6366/iID/20876/LT/displayStory.asp|work= |publisher=Logistics Today |date= |accessdate=2007-01-15 }}</ref> On the French island of [[Corsica]], [[Corsica Cola]], made by brewers of the local Pietra beer, is a growing competitor to Coca-Cola. In the [[France|French]] region of [[Bretagne]], [[Breizh Cola]] is available. In Peru, [[Inca Kola]] outsells Coca-Cola. However, [[The Coca-Cola Company]] purchased the brand in 1999. In [[Sweden]], [[Julmust]] outsells Coca-Cola during the [[Christmas]] season.<ref>[http://kristallbeverage.com/KBJulmust.html "About Kristall Beverage"]. Retrieved June 14, 2006.</ref> In [[Scotland]], the locally-produced [[Irn-Bru]] was more popular than Coca-Cola until 2005, when Coca-Cola and Diet Coke began to outpace its sales.<ref>Murden, Terry (Jan. 30, 2005). [http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=112872005 Coke adds life to health drinks sector]. ''Scotland on Sunday''. Retrieved [[February 14]], [[2006]].</ref> In [[India]], Coca-Cola ranks third behind the leader, Pepsi-Cola, and local drink [[Thums Up]]. However, [[The Coca-Cola Company]] purchased [[Thums Up]] in 1993.<ref>Kripalani, Manjeet and Mark L. Clifford (February 10, 2003) [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_06/b3819080.htm "Finally, Coke Gets It Right in India"]. ''[[BusinessWeek]]''. Retrieved August 9, 2006.</ref> [[Tropicola]], a domestic drink, is served in [[Cuba]] instead of Coca-Cola, in which there exists a United States embargo. [[Mecca Cola]], in the [[Middle East]], is a competitor to Coca-Cola. In [[Turkey]], [[Cola Turka]] is a major competitor to Coca-Cola. In [[Iran]] and also many countries of Middle East, [[Zam Zam Cola]] and [[Parsi Cola]] are major competitors to Coca-Cola. In some parts of [[China]], [[China Cola|Future cola]] or 非常可乐 can be bought. In [[Slovenia]], the locally-produced [[Cockta]] is a major competitor to Coca-Cola, as is the inexpensive Mercator Cola, which is sold only in the country's biggest [[Supermarket|supermarket chain]], [[Mercator (retail)|Mercator]]. Finally, in [[Madagascar]], Classiko Cola made by Tiko Group the largest manufactured company in the country is a serious competitor to Coca-Cola in many regions. In the [[UK]] Coca-Cola stated that [[Pepsi]] wasn't it's main rivalry, infact it turned out to be [[Robinsons]] drinks.
[[Pepsi]] is often second to Coke in terms of sales, but outsells Coca-Cola in some localities. Around the world, some local brands do compete with Coke. In [[South America|South]] and [[Central America]], [[Kola Real]], known as [[Big Cola]] in [[Mexico]], is a fast growing competitor to Coca-Cola.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ricardo|last= Mireles |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= In Mexico, Big Cola is the real thing |url= http://www.logisticstoday.com/sNO/6366/iID/20876/LT/displayStory.asp|work= |publisher=Logistics Today |date= |accessdate=2007-01-15 }}</ref> On the French island of [[Corsica]], [[Corsica Cola]], made by brewers of the local Pietra beer, is a growing competitor to Coca-Cola. In the [[France|French]] region of [[Bretagne]], [[Breizh Cola]] is available. In Peru, [[Inca Kola]] outsells Coca-Cola. However, [[The Coca-Cola Company]] purchased the brand in 1999. In [[Sweden]], [[Julmust]] outsells Coca-Cola during the [[Christmas]] season.<ref>[http://kristallbeverage.com/KBJulmust.html "About Kristall Beverage"]. Retrieved June 14, 2006.</ref> In [[Scotland]], the locally-produced [[Irn-Bru]] was more popular than Coca-Cola until 2005, when Coca-Cola and Diet Coke began to outpace its sales.<ref>Murden, Terry (Jan. 30, 2005). [http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=112872005 Coke adds life to health drinks sector]. ''Scotland on Sunday''. Retrieved [[February 14]], [[2006]].</ref> In [[India]], Coca-Cola ranks third behind the leader, Pepsi-Cola, and local drink [[Thums Up]]. However, [[The Coca-Cola Company]] purchased [[Thums Up]] in 1993.<ref>Kripalani, Manjeet and Mark L. Clifford (February 10, 2003) [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_06/b3819080.htm "Finally, Coke Gets It Right in India"]. ''[[BusinessWeek]]''. Retrieved August 9, 2006.</ref> [[Tropicola]], a domestic drink, is served in [[Cuba]] instead of Coca-Cola, in which there exists a United States embargo. [[Mecca Cola]] and [[Qibla Cola]], in the [[Middle East]], is a competitor to Coca-Cola. In [[Turkey]], [[Cola Turka]] is a major competitor to Coca-Cola. In [[Iran]] and also many countries of Middle East, [[Zam Zam Cola]] and [[Parsi Cola]] are major competitors to Coca-Cola. In some parts of [[China]], [[China Cola|Future cola]] or 非常可乐 can be bought. In [[Slovenia]], the locally-produced [[Cockta]] is a major competitor to Coca-Cola, as is the inexpensive Mercator Cola, which is sold only in the country's biggest [[Supermarket|supermarket chain]], [[Mercator (retail)|Mercator]]. Finally, in [[Madagascar]], Classiko Cola made by Tiko Group the largest manufactured company in the country is a serious competitor to Coca-Cola in many regions. In the [[UK]] Coca-Cola stated that [[Pepsi]] wasn't it's main rivalry, infact it turned out to be [[Robinsons]] drinks.


==Advertising==
==Advertising==

Revision as of 13:20, 9 April 2007

Coca-Cola
The official Coca-Cola logo
TypeCola
ManufacturerThe Coca-Cola Company
Country of origin  United States
Introduced1886
ColorCaramel
Related productsPepsi
RC Cola
Websitewww.coca-cola.com Edit this on Wikidata

Coca-Cola is a cola (a type of carbonated soft drink) sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO), which is often referred to as simply Coca-Cola or Coke. Coke is one of the world's most recognizable and widely sold commercial brands; its major rival is Pepsi.

Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft drink market throughout the 20th century. Although faced with critiques of its health effects and various allegations of wrongdoing by the company, Coca-Cola has remained a popular soft drink to the present day. The company actually produces concentrate for Coca-Cola, which is then sold to various Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold territorially-exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners. The bottlers then sell, distribute and merchandise Coca-Cola in cans and bottles to retail stores and vending machines. Such bottlers include Coca-Cola Enterprises, which is the single largest Coca-Cola bottler in North America and Europe. The Coca-Cola Company also sells concentrate for fountain sales to major restaurants and food service distributors.

The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most famous of these is Diet Coke, which has become a major diet cola but others exist, including Caffeine free Coke, Cherry Coke, Coke ZERO, Vanilla Coke and special editions with lemon and with lime, and even with coffee. The Coca-Cola Company owns and markets other soft drinks that do not carry the Coca-Cola branding, such as Sprite, Fanta, Pibb, Powerade, and others.

The Las Vegas World of Coca-Cola museum in 2000

History

Early years

The first recipe Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta, Georgia, by John Stith Pemberton, originally as a cocawine called Pemberton's French Wine Coca in 1885.[1][2] He may have been inspired by the formidable success of European Angelo Mariani's cocawine, Vin Mariani.

In 1885, when Atlanta and Fulton County passed Prohibition legislation, Pemberton responded by developing Coca-Cola, essentially a carbonated, non-alcoholic version of French Wine Cola.[3] The beverage was named Coca-Cola because, originally, the stimulant mixed in the beverage was coca leaves from South America. In addition, the drink was flavored using Penuts the beverage's source of caffeine.[4] Pemberton called for five ounces of coca leaf per gallon of syrup, a significant dose, whereas, in 1891, Candler claimed his formula (altered extensively from Pemberton's original) contained only a tenth of this amount. Coca-Cola did once contain an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per glass but after 1904 Coca-Cola started using, instead of fresh leaves, "spent" leaves - the leftovers of the cocaine-extraction process with cocaine trace levels left over at a molecular level.[5][6] However, as cocaine is one of numerous alkaloids present in the coca leaf, it was nevertheless present in the drink. Today, the flavoring is still done with kola nuts and the "spent" coca leaf. In the United States, there is only one plant (in New Jersey) authorized by the Federal Government to grow the coca plant for Coca-Cola syrup manufacture.[7]

Coca-Cola was initially sold as a patent medicine for five cents a glass at soda fountains, which were popular in the United States at the time thanks to a belief that carbonated water was good for the health.[8] Pemberton claimed Coca-Cola cured a myriad of diseases, including morphine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence. The first sales were made at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886, and for the first eight months only nine drinks were sold each day. Pemberton ran the first advertisement for the beverage on May 29 of the same year in the Atlanta Journal.[9]

By 1888, three versions of Coca-Cola — sold by three separate businesses — were on the market. Asa Griggs Candler acquired a stake in Pemberton's company in 1887 and incorporated it as the Coca Cola Company in 1888.[10] The same year, while suffering from an ongoing addiction to morphine, Pemberton sold the rights a second time to four more businessmen: J.C. Mayfield, A.O. Murphey, C.O. Mullahy and E.H. Bloodworth. Meanwhile, Pemberton's alcoholic son Charley Pemberton began selling his own version of the product.[11]

In an attempt to clarify the situation, John Pemberton declared that the name Coca-Cola belonged to Charley, but the other two manufacturers could continue to use the formula. So, in the summer of 1888, Candler sold his beverage under the names Yum Yum and Koke. After both failed to catch on, Candler set out to establish a legal claim to Coca-Cola in late 1888, in order to force his two competitors out of the business. Candler purchased exclusive rights to the formula from John Pemberton, Margaret Dozier and Woolfolk Walker. However, in 1914, Dozier came forward to claim her signature on the bill of sale had been forged, and subsequent analysis has indicated John Pemberton's signature was most likely a forgery as well.[12]

In 1892, Candler incorporated a second company, The Coca-Cola Company (the current corporation), and in 1910 Candler had the earliest records of the company burned, further obscuring its legal origins. Regardless, Candler began marketing the product — the efficiency of this concerted advertising campaign would not be realized until much later. By the time of its 50th anniversary, the drink had reached the status of a national icon for the USA. In 1935 it was certified kosher by Rabbi Tobias Geffen, after the company made minor changes in the sourcing of some ingredients.[13]

Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time on March 12, 1894, and cans of Coke first appeared in 1955.[14] The first bottling of Coca-Cola occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Biedenharn Candy Company in 1891. Its proprietor was Joseph A. Biedenharn. The original bottles were Biedenharn bottles, very different from the much later hobble-skirt design that is now so familiar. Asa Candler was tentative about bottling the drink, but the two entrepreneurs who proposed the idea were so persuasive that Candler signed a contract giving them control of the procedure. However, the loosely termed contract proved to be problematic for the company for decades to come. Legal matters were not helped by the decision of the bottlers to subcontract to other companies — in effect, becoming parent bottlers.[15]

New Coke

File:Newcoke.jpg
New Coke stirred up a controversy when it replaced the original Coca-Cola in 1985. Coca-Cola Classic was reinstated within a few months of New Coke's introduction into the market.

On April 23, 1985, Coca-Cola, amid much publicity, attempted to change the formula of the drink. Some authorities believe that New Coke, as the reformulated drink was called, was invented specifically to respond to its commercial competitor, Pepsi.[10] Double-blind taste tests indicated that most consumers preferred the taste of Pepsi (which had more lemon oil, less orange oil, and used vanillin rather than vanilla) to Coke. In taste tests, drinkers were more likely to respond positively to sweeter drinks, and Pepsi had the advantage over Coke because it was much sweeter. Coca-Cola tinkered with the formula and created "New Coke". Follow-up taste tests revealed that most consumers preferred the taste of New Coke to both Coke and Pepsi. The reformulation was led by the then-CEO of the company, Roberto Goizueta, and the president Don Keough.

It is unclear what part long-time company president Robert W. Woodruff played in the reformulation. Goizueta claimed that Woodruff endorsed it a few months before his death in 1985; others have pointed out that, as the two men were alone when the matter was discussed, Goizueta might have misinterpreted the wishes of the dying Woodruff, who could speak only in monosyllables. It has also been alleged that Woodruff might not have been able to understand what Goizueta was telling him.[citation needed]

The commercial failure of New Coke therefore came as a grievous blow to the management of the Coca-Cola Company. It is possible that customers would not have noticed the change if it had been made secretly or gradually, and thus brand loyalty could have been maintained. Coca-Cola management was unprepared, however, for the nostalgic sentiments the drink aroused in the American public; some compared changing the Coke formula to rewriting the American Constitution.

The new Coca-Cola formula subsequently caused a public backlash. Gay Mullins, from Seattle, Washington, founded the Old Cola Drinkers of America organization, which attempted to sue the company, and lobbied for the formula of Old Coke to be released into the public domain. This and other protests caused the company to return to the old formula under the name Coca-Cola Classic on July 10, 1985. The company was later accused of performing this volte-face as an elaborate ruse to introduce a new product while reviving interest in the original. Donald Keough, company president at the time, responded to the accusation by declaring: "Some critics will say Coca-Cola made a marketing mistake. Some cynics will say that we planned the whole thing. The truth is we are not that dumb, and we are not that smart."

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest consumer of natural vanilla extract. When New Coke was introduced in 1985, this had a severe impact on the economy of Madagascar, a prime vanilla exporter, since New Coke used vanillin, a less-expensive synthetic substitute. Purchases of vanilla more than halved during this period. But the flop of New Coke brought a recovery.

Meanwhile, the market share for New Coke had dwindled to only 3% by 1986. The company renamed the product "Coke II" in 1992 (not to be confused with "Coke C2", a reduced-sugar cola launched by Coca-Cola in 2004). However, sales falloff caused a severe cutback in distribution. By 1998, it was sold in only a few places in the Midwestern U.S.

21st century

On February 7, 2005, the Coca-Cola Company announced that in the second quarter of 2005 they planned a launch of a Diet Coke product sweetened with the artificial sweetener sucralose ("Splenda"), the same sweetener currently used in Pepsi One.[16][17] On March 21, 2005, it announced another diet product, "Coca-Cola Zero", sweetened partly with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium.

Production

Formula

The exact formula of Coca-Cola is a famous trade secret. The original copy of the formula is held in SunTrust Bank's main vault in Atlanta. Its predecessor, the Trust Company, was the underwriter for the Coca-Cola Company's initial public offering in 1919. A popular myth states that only two executives have access to the formula, with each executive having only half the formula.[18] The truth is that while Coca-Cola does have a rule restricting access to only two executives, each knows the entire formula and others, in addition to the prescribed duo, have known the formulation process.[19]

Franchised production model

File:Mexicoke!.JPG
A Mexican bottle of Coca-Cola. The Mexican formula still uses the original recipe with cane sugar instead of the high-fructose corn syrup.

The actual production and distribution of Coca-Cola follows a franchising model. The Coca-Cola Company only produces a syrup concentrate, which it sells to various bottlers throughout the world who hold Coca-Cola franchises for one or more geographical areas. The bottlers produce the final drink by mixing the syrup with filtered water and sugar (or artificial sweeteners) and fill it into cans and bottles, which the bottlers then sell and distribute to retail stores, vending machines, restaurants and food service distributors.[20]

The Coca-Cola Company owns minority shares in some of its largest franchisees, like Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coca-Cola Amatil, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) and Coca-Cola FEMSA, but fully independent bottlers produce almost half of the volume sold in the world. Since independent bottlers add sugar and sweeteners, the sweetness of the drink differs in various parts of the world, to cater for local tastes.[21]

Bottle and logo design

File:Contour prototype.gif
The prototype never made it to production since its middle diameter was larger than its base. This would make it unstable on the conveyor belts. Dean reduced the middle diameter...and famous Contour Coca-Cola Bottle was born.

The famous Coca-Cola logotype was created by John Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson, in 1885.[22] It was Robinson who came up with the name, and he also chose the logo’s distinctive cursive script. The typeface used, known as Spencerian script, was developed in the mid 19th century and was the dominant form of formal handwriting in the United States during that period.

The equally famous Coca-Cola bottle, called the "contour bottle" within the company, but known to some as the "hobble skirt" bottle, was created in 1915 by bottle designer, Earl R. Dean. In 1915, the Coca-Cola Company launched a competition among its bottle suppliers to create a new bottle for the beverage that would distinguish it from other beverage bottles... "a bottle which a person could recognize even if they felt it in the dark, and so shaped that, even if broken, a person could tell at a glance what it was".[23] Chapman J. Root, the company’s president, turned the project over to members of his supervisory staff including company auditor T. Clyde Edwards, plant superintendent Alexander Samuelson and Earl R. Dean, bottle designer and supervisor of the bottle molding room.

Root and his subordinates decided to base the bottle’s design on one of the soda’s two ingredients, the coca leaf or the cola nut, but were unaware of what either ingredient looked like. Dean and Edwards went to the Emeline Fairbanks Memorial Library and were unable to find any information about coca or cola. Instead they were inspired by a picture of the gourd-shaped cocoa pod in the Encyclopedia Britannica which Chapman Root approved as the model for the prototype.[24]

Faced with the upcoming scheduled maintenance of the mold-making machinery, over the next 24 hours Dean sketched out and created the mold for the bottle. Dean then molded a small number of bottles before the glass-molding machinery was turned off.

Chapman Root approved the prototype bottle and a design patent was issued on the bottle in November, 1915. The bottle was chosen over other entries at the bottler’s convention in 1916 and was on the market the same year. By 1920, Dean’s contoured bottle was the standard for the Coca-Cola Company. Today, the contour Coca-Cola bottle is one of the most recognized packages on the planet..."even in the dark!"[25]

As a reward for his efforts, Dean was offered a choice between a $500 bonus or a lifetime job at the Root Glass Company. He chose the lifetime job and kept it until the Owens-Illinois Glass Company bought out the Root Glass Company in the mid 1930s. Dean went on to work in other Midwestern glass factories.

Earl R. Dean died in January, 1972. [26]


Although endorsed by some, this version of events is not considered authoritative by many who cite its implausibility as difficult to believe. One alternative depiction has Raymond Loewy as the inventor of the unique design, but although Loewy did serve as a designer of Coke cans and bottles in later years, he was in the French Army in the year the bottle was invented and did not migrate to the United States until 1919. Others have attributed inspiration for the design not to the cacao pod, but to a Victorian hooped dress.[27]

In 1997, Coca-Cola also introduced a "contour can", similar in shape to their famous bottle, on a few test markets, including Terre Haute, Indiana.[28] This new can was however never widely released.

A new slim and tall can has begun to appear in Australia as of December 20, 2006, which costs an average of $2AUD. The cans have a distinct resemblance to energy drinks that are popular with the teenage demographic. It is unknown if this design is of limited edition or may soon replace the current 375 ml cans that have been used in the past (the new slim cans are 300 ml, making the volume to cost ratio even smaller).

In January 2007, Coca-Cola Canada changed "Coca-Cola Classic" labelling, removing the "Classic" designation, leaving only "Coca-Cola". Coca-Cola stated this is merely a name change and the product remains the same.

Local competitors

Pepsi is often second to Coke in terms of sales, but outsells Coca-Cola in some localities. Around the world, some local brands do compete with Coke. In South and Central America, Kola Real, known as Big Cola in Mexico, is a fast growing competitor to Coca-Cola.[29] On the French island of Corsica, Corsica Cola, made by brewers of the local Pietra beer, is a growing competitor to Coca-Cola. In the French region of Bretagne, Breizh Cola is available. In Peru, Inca Kola outsells Coca-Cola. However, The Coca-Cola Company purchased the brand in 1999. In Sweden, Julmust outsells Coca-Cola during the Christmas season.[30] In Scotland, the locally-produced Irn-Bru was more popular than Coca-Cola until 2005, when Coca-Cola and Diet Coke began to outpace its sales.[31] In India, Coca-Cola ranks third behind the leader, Pepsi-Cola, and local drink Thums Up. However, The Coca-Cola Company purchased Thums Up in 1993.[32] Tropicola, a domestic drink, is served in Cuba instead of Coca-Cola, in which there exists a United States embargo. Mecca Cola and Qibla Cola, in the Middle East, is a competitor to Coca-Cola. In Turkey, Cola Turka is a major competitor to Coca-Cola. In Iran and also many countries of Middle East, Zam Zam Cola and Parsi Cola are major competitors to Coca-Cola. In some parts of China, Future cola or 非常可乐 can be bought. In Slovenia, the locally-produced Cockta is a major competitor to Coca-Cola, as is the inexpensive Mercator Cola, which is sold only in the country's biggest supermarket chain, Mercator. Finally, in Madagascar, Classiko Cola made by Tiko Group the largest manufactured company in the country is a serious competitor to Coca-Cola in many regions. In the UK Coca-Cola stated that Pepsi wasn't it's main rivalry, infact it turned out to be Robinsons drinks.

Advertising

Coca-Cola's advertising has had a significant impact on American culture, and is frequently credited with the "invention" of the modern image of Santa Claus as an old man in red-and-white garments; however, while the company did in fact start promoting this image in the 1930s in its winter advertising campaigns, it was already common before that.[33] In fact, Coca-Cola was not even the first soft drink company to utilize the modern image Santa Claus in its advertising – White Rock Beverages used Santa in advertisements for its ginger ale in 1923 after first using him to sell mineral water in 1915.[34][35]

In the 1970s, a song from a Coca-Cola commercial called "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", produced by Billy Davis, became a popular hit single.

Coca-Cola has a policy of avoiding using children younger than the age of 12 in any of its advertising. This decision was made as a result of a lawsuit from the beginning of the 20th century that alleged that Coke's caffeine content was dangerous to children. However, in recent times, this has not stopped the company from targeting young consumers.

Coke's advertising has been rather pervasive, as one of Woodruff's stated goals was to ensure that everyone on Earth drank Coca-Cola as their preferred beverage. Advertising for Coke is now almost ubiquitous, especially in southern areas of North America, such as Atlanta, where Coke was born.

Some of the memorable Coca-Cola television commercials between 1960 through 1986, were written and produced by former Atlanta radio veteran Don Naylor (WGST 1936-1950, WAGA 1951-1959) during his career as a producer for the McCann Erickson advertising agency. Many of these early television commercials for Coca-Cola featured movie stars, sports heroes, and popular singers of the day.

During the 1980s, Pepsi-Cola ran a series of television advertisements showing people participating in taste tests essentially demonstrating that: "Fifty percent of the participants who said they preferred Coke actually chose the Pepsi". Statisticians were quick to point out the problematic nature of a 50/50 result; that most likely all this really showed was that in blind tests, most people simply cannot tell the difference between Pepsi and Coke. Coca-Cola ran ads to combat Pepsi's ads in an incident sometimes referred to as the cola wars; one of Coke's ads compared the so-called Pepsi challenge to two chimpanzees deciding which tennis ball was furrier. Thereafter, Coca-Cola regained its leadership in the market.

Selena was a spokesperson for Coca-Cola from 1989 till the time of her death. She filmed three commercials for the company. In 1994 to commemorate her 5 years with the company, Coca-Cola issued special Selena coke bottles.[36]

In an attempt to broaden its portfolio, Coca-Cola purchased Columbia Pictures in 1982. Columbia provided subtle publicity through Coke product placements in many of its films while under Coke's ownership. However, after a few early successes, Columbia began to under-perform, and was dropped by the company in 1989.

Coca-Cola has gone through a number of different advertising slogans in its long history, including "The pause that refreshes", "I'd like to buy the world a Coke", and "Coke is it" (see Coca-Cola slogans).

Sponsorship of sporting events

Coca-Cola was the first-ever sponsor of the Olympic games, at the 1928 games in Amsterdam and has been an Olympics sponsor ever since.[37] This corporate sponsorship included the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted in Atlanta, which allowed Coca-Cola to spotlight its hometown. Since 1978 Coca-Cola has sponsored each FIFA World Cup and other competitions organised by FIFA. In fact, one of the FIFA tournament trophy: FIFA World Youth Championship from Tunisia in 1977 to Malaysia in 1997 was called "FIFA - Coca Cola Cup".[38] In addition, Coca-Cola sponsors the annual Coca-Cola 600 for the NASCAR Nextel Cup auto racing series at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. Coca-Cola has a long history of sports marketing relationships, which over the years have included Major League Baseball, the National Football League, National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League, as well as with many teams within those leagues. Coca-Cola is the official soft drink of the Georgia Bulldogs.

In England, Coca-Cola is the main sponsor of The Football League, a name given to the three professional divisions below the Premier League in football (soccer). It is also responsible for the renaming of these divisions- until the advent of Coca-Cola sponsorship, they were referred to as Divisions One, Two and Three. Since 2004, the divisions have been known as The Championship (equiv. of Division 1), League One (equiv. of Div. 2) and League 2 (equiv. of Division 3). This renaming has caused unrest amongst some fans who see it as farcical that the third tier of English Football is now called "League One." A Fukuoka City rugby team are known as the Coca Cola West Red Sparks.

Criticisms

The Coca-Cola Company has been criticized for the alleged adverse health effects of its flagship product. However, a common criticism of Coke based on its allegedly toxic acidity levels has been found to be baseless by most researchers; lawsuits based on these criticisms have been dismissed by several American courts for this reason.

Most nutritionists advise that Coca-Cola and other soft drinks can be harmful if consumed excessively, particularly to young children whose soft drink consumption competes with, rather than complements, a balanced diet. Studies have shown that regular soft drink users have a lower intake of calcium (which can contribute to osteoporosis), magnesium, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, and vitamin A.[39] The drink has also aroused criticism for its use of caffeine, due to the possibility of physical dependence.[40]

Although numerous court cases have been filed against The Coca-Cola Company since the 1920s, alleging that the acidity of the drink is dangerous, no evidence corroborating this claim has been found. Under normal conditions, scientific evidence indicates Coca-Cola's acidity causes no immediate harm.[41]

Like most other colas, Coca-Cola contains phosphoric acid. One study has shown that this hastens bone loss, contributing to illnesses such as osteoporosis.[42]

There is also some concern regarding the usage of high fructose corn syrup in the production of Coca-Cola. Since 1985 in the U.S., Coke has been made with high fructose corn syrup, instead of sugar glucose or fructose, to reduce costs. This has come under criticism because of concerns that the corn used to produce corn syrup may come from genetically altered plants.[43] Some nutritionists also caution against consumption of high fructose corn syrup because of possible links to obesity and diabetes.[44]

In India, there exists a major controversy concerning pesticides and other harmful chemicals in bottled products including Coca-Cola. In 2003, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-governmental organization in New Delhi, said aerated waters produced by soft drinks manufacturers in India, including multinational giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, contained toxins including lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifospesticides that can contribute to cancer and a breakdown of the immune system. Tested products included Coke, Pepsi, and several other soft drinks, many produced by The Coca-Cola Company. CSE found that the Indian produced Pepsi's soft drink products had 36 times the level of pesticide residues permitted under European Union regulations; Coca-Cola's soft drink was found to have 30 times the permitted amount. CSE said it had tested the same products sold in the US and found no such residues.[45] After the pesticide allegations were made in 2003, Coca-Cola sales declined by 15%. In 2004, an Indian parliamentary committee backed up CSE's findings, and a government-appointed committee was tasked with developing the world's first pesticide standards for soft drinks. The Coca-Cola Company has responded that its plants filter water to remove potential contaminants and that its products are tested for pesticides and must meet minimum health standards before they are distributed.[46] In the Indian state of Kerala, sale and production of Coca-Cola, along with other soft drinks, was initially banned, before the High Court in Kerala overturned the ban ruling that only the federal government can ban food products.

In 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration responded to reports that the carcinogen benzene was present in unhealthy levels in certain soft drinks by conducting a survey of more than 100 soft drinks and other beverages. Based on this limited survey, the FDA stated that it "believes that the results indicate that benzene levels are not a safety concern for consumers."[47][48][49][50]

Coca-Cola as a political and corporate symbol

Coca-Cola advertising in the High Atlas mountains (Morocco).

The Coca-Cola drink has a high degree of identification with the United States itself, being considered by some an "American Brand" or to a small extent as an item representing America. The identification with the spread of American culture has led to the pun "Coca-Colanization".[51] The drink is also often a metonym for the Coca-Cola Company.

There are some consumer boycotts of Coca-Cola in Arab countries due to Cokes early investment in Israel during the Arab League boycott of Israel (this contrasts sharply to Pepsi which stayed out of Israel).[52] Mecca Cola has been successful in the Middle East as an alternative.

The art group monochrom as part of their 2005 "Experience The Experience" tour created a "Brick Of Coke". To do this, they put several gallons of Coca-Cola into a pot and boiled it down until the residue left behind could be molded into a brick.[53]

See also

Types of Coke

Notes

  1. ^ "A Green Party USA Perspective on the Coca-Cola Boycott". Retrieved 2007-01-07.
  2. ^ "Coca-Cola - Our Brands". Retrieved 2007-02-11.
  3. ^ Hayes, Jack. "Coca-Cola Television Advertisements: Dr. John S. Pemberton". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 2007-01-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ "The History of Coca Cola". Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  5. ^ "Is it true Coca-Cola once contained cocaine?". Retrieved 2007-02-27.
  6. ^ "The Rise and Fall of Cocaine Cola". Retrieved 2007-02-27.
  7. ^ "The Legal Importation of Coca Leaf". Retrieved 2007-02-11.
  8. ^ "Themes for Coca-Cola Advertising (1886-1999)". Retrieved 2007-02-11.
  9. ^ "Coca-Cola at Home". Retrieved 2007-01-21.
  10. ^ a b Mark Pendergrast (2000). For God, Country and Coca-Cola. Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-05468-4.
  11. ^ Mark Pendergrast (2000). For God, Country and Coca-Cola. Basic Books. pp. 41–45. ISBN 0-465-05468-4.
  12. ^ Mark Pendergrast (2000). For God, Country and Coca-Cola. Basic Books. pp. 45–47. ISBN 0-465-05468-4.
  13. ^ "Beyond Seltzer Water: The Kashering of Coca-Cola". American Jewish Historical Society. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
  14. ^ "COKE CAN HISTORY". Retrieved 2007-01-21.
  15. ^ "History Of Bottling". Retrieved 2007-02-23.
  16. ^ "DIET COKE SWEETENED WITH SPLENDA®". Retrieved 2007-01-06.
  17. ^ "PEPSI BRANDS - Pepsi ONE". Retrieved 2007-01-06.
  18. ^ "Urban Legends Reference Pages: Cokelore". Retrieved 2007-02-10.
  19. ^ "Urban Legends Reference Pages: Cokelore (Have a Cloak and a Smile)". Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  20. ^ "Coca-Cola - Our Company - About Bottling". Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  21. ^ "WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COCA-COLA ENTERPRISES AND THE COCA-COLA COMPANY". Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  22. ^ "Coca Cola Company - Red Spencerian Script". Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  23. ^ "History of Coca-Cola Bottles". Soda Museum.com. Retrieved April 2, 2007. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  24. ^ "History of Coca-Cola Bottles". Soda Museum.com. Retrieved April 2, 2007. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  25. ^ "1916 … Birth of the Contour Bottle". The Coca-Cola Company. Retrieved April 6, 2007. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  26. ^ "History". Vigo County Public Library. Retrieved April 2, 2007. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  27. ^ Cite error: The named reference snopes bottle design was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  28. ^ "Coke Debuts Contour Can".
  29. ^ Mireles, Ricardo. "In Mexico, Big Cola is the real thing". Logistics Today. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  30. ^ "About Kristall Beverage". Retrieved June 14, 2006.
  31. ^ Murden, Terry (Jan. 30, 2005). Coke adds life to health drinks sector. Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved February 14, 2006.
  32. ^ Kripalani, Manjeet and Mark L. Clifford (February 10, 2003) "Finally, Coke Gets It Right in India". BusinessWeek. Retrieved August 9, 2006.
  33. ^ Barbara Mikkelson and David P. Mikkelson, "The Claus That Refreshes," snopes.com, February 27, 2001 (accessed June 10, 2005).
  34. ^ The White Rock Collectors Association, "Did White Rock or The Coca-Cola® Company create the modern Santa Claus Advertisement?," whiterocking.org, 2001 (accessed January 19, 2007).
  35. ^ White Rock Beverages, "Coca-Cola's Santa Claus: Not The Real Thing!," BevNET.com, December 18, 2006 (accessed January 19, 2007).
  36. ^ Orozco, Cynthia E. Quintanilla Perez, Selena. The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved on June 5 2006
  37. ^ "INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE - ORGANISATION - FACTS AND FIGURES". Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  38. ^ "Marketing & TV > FIFA Partners > Coca Cola". Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  39. ^ Jacobson, Michael F. (2005). "Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks are Harming Americans' Health". Retrieved June 10, 2005.
  40. ^ Center for Science in the Public Interest (1997). "Label Caffeine Content of Foods, Scientists Tell FDA." Retrieved June 10, 2005.
  41. ^ Mikkelson, Barbara & Mikkelson, David P. (2004). "Acid Slip". Retrieved June 10, 2005.
  42. ^ ASBMR (2003). "Cola Soft Drinks May Contribute to Lower Bone Mineral Density in Women". Retrieved May 16, 2006.
  43. ^ Forristal, Linda Joyce (2003). "The Murky World of High Fructose Corn Syrup". Retrieved May 16, 2006.
  44. ^ "Single food ingredient the cause of obesity ? New study has industry up in arms". (Apr. 26, 2004). FoodNavigator.com. Retrieved February 27, 2007.
  45. ^ PTF (2003). "Pepsi, Coke contain pesticides: CSE". Retrieved June 12, 2006.
  46. ^ Coca-Cola website (2006). "The Coca-Cola Company addresses allegations made about our business in India". Retrieved June 12, 2006.
  47. ^ "Benzene in Beverages". Retrieved 2006-02-27.
  48. ^ "Letter Regarding Benzene Levels in Soft Drinks". Retrieved 2007-02-27.
  49. ^ "Data on Benzene in Soft Drinks and Other Beverages". Retrieved 2007-02-27.
  50. ^ Meadows, Michelle (September–October 2006). "Benzene in Beverages". US FDA. Retrieved 2006-12-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  51. ^ "Word Spy - Coca-Colanization". Retrieved 2007-01-03.
  52. ^ "Boycott Israel Campaign page on Coca-Cola". Retrieved 2007-08-03.
  53. ^ "Experience The Experience Of A Brick Of Coke". Retrieved 2007-01-03.

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