On May 8, 1886, the pharmacist John S. Pemberton put on sale for the first time a syrup that would later be baptized by his accountant with the name of “Coca-Cola” and that would become years later in the cola soda more consumed of the world.

Advertising has marked a milestone in the history of the company. Personalities from the world of cinema, music, fashion and politics have been seduced by the flavor and magic of the brand. Familiar faces like Penelope Cruz, Carmen Sevilla, Marisol and David Bisbal have participated in advertisements made by the brand in recent years.

On May 8, Coca-Cola celebrates the 125th anniversary of the sale for the first time, in an Atlanta pharmacy, of a syrup to make people feel good, and that years later it would become the most valuable brand in the world. world according to Interbrand and the most pronounced word after the expression OK.

It was in 1886, when the pharmacist named John S. Pemberton developed in Atlanta (Georgia) the formula of a new syrup that shortly after would be marketed in soda sources. His accountant, Frank Robinson, was the responsible and author of the name, who thought that two letters “C” would look good in advertising and suggested the name “Coca-Cola”. The first sales of Coca-Cola were 9 units per day. Since then, The Coca-Cola Company has become the largest beverage company in the world, offering consumers more than 500 brands and 3,000 products. Present in 206 countries, 1,700 million drinks of the different brands owned by the Company are consumed daily in the world.

The bottle contour is not only a container of Coca-Cola products but its image is a universal icon. It was in 1915, when the Company, with the aim of unifying the packaging of the brand, convened a contest within the bottlers’ system to create a bottle that differentiated the product from

its competitors even in the dark or when the container is broken. The winner was Alexander Samuelson of the Root Glass Company, who, inspired by the photography of a nut berry (similar to the cocoa pod), created the contoured bottle.

Coca-Cola and advertising

Three weeks after Coca-Cola was put on sale in 1886, the first advertisements were inserted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper that read: “Coca-Cola …. Delicious! Refreshing! Stimulating! Invigorating! ” Since then, the history of Coca-Cola has run parallel to that of advertising. In fact, according to a study carried out by Sondea last April, the announcement and the slogan that most identify with Coca-Cola in its 125-year history.

In 1894 the first mural was painted in Cartersville (Georgia), becoming the precedent of the thousand murals that spread throughout the country until the billboards began to be used. In 1931, Coca-Cola marked another advertising milestone when the illustrator Haddon Sundblom presented on a Coca-Cola poster for Christmas those images of Santa Claus as we know it today.

In the 1950s, Coca-Cola’s first television advertising spot appeared during a special issue dedicated to Thanksgiving in the United States and, as early as the 1960s, Coca-Cola was advertised in more than 60 languages.

Other faces known nationally and internationally have been seduced by the magic and publicity of the brand. Among them are Greta Garbo, Judy Garland, Spencer Tracy, Joan Crawford, Whitney Houston, Elton John or Demi Moore Julio Iglesias, Penelope Cruz or David Bisbal in the national.

The secret formula

One of the best kept secrets by the company is its secret formula, which has remained unchanged since 1886 and which is locked in the Sun Trust Bank Building in Atlanta. Only two people know the formula and how to properly mix all its ingredients. They never travel together, they do not coincide in the same places, they do not eat the same dishes, they do not sleep in the same hotel.

Since its inception, there have been numerous people and media who have claimed to have discovered the secret formula. All these versions have been denied by the company.

Coca-Cola has had many imitators. Afri-Kola, Café-Kola, Candy-Cola or True-Cola are just some examples of the variety of brands that have emerged wanting to imitate the original. However, none has managed to connect with the consumer as Coca-Cola, known by 94% of the world’s population and the third world brand with the largest number of followers on Facebook with 20.7 million followers, after Facebook and YouTube itself .