Brief History of Coca-Cola

• Invented by pharmacist John Pemberton in 1886 in Atlanta USA. 
• Mixed with carbonated water and sold for 5 cents a glass.
• Pemberton's accountant Frank Robinson came up with the name Coca-Cola and even designed the famous trademark text.
• During its first year Coca-Cola sold an average of 9 drinks a day.
• In 1888 Pemberton sold the secret recipe to a business man called Asa Candler. 
• Candler built a corporation to produce and distribute Coca-Cola. He came up with countless ways to market the product.
• He came up with the idea of delivering the syrup in barrels painted red to be distinctive and unique.
• For years only available in soda fountains. Until Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead convinced Candler to sell them the bottling rights. Candler sold them the rights to bottle for just $1. He didn't however sell them the recipe and they would have to purchase the syrup from him.
• Coca-Cola was so successful in bottles that competitors tried to cash in on their success with similar named drinks etc. So in 1916 the bottlers came up with the Coca-Cola "contour bottle". People could then be sure they were getting the real thing. 
• The "contour bottle" was so unique it became instantly famous.
• in 1919 Candler sold the company to a group of investors. Robert Woodruff became the president of the company.
• Woodruffs goal was to make ice cold Coca-Cola available to anyone, any time, any where.
• Bottling plants soon begun to pop up all over the world.
• Coca-Cola became the first truly global brand.
• Over 100 yrs later the recipe is still a closely guarded secret. 
• Coca-Cola is the most recognised trademark in the world.
• It is in over 200 countries.
• Company has 3500 products worldwide.
• Coca-Cola once contained an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per glass. In 1903, it was removed.
• 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 bottlers throughout the world, who hold Coca-Cola franchises for one or more geographical areas. 
• Coca-Cola's advertising has significantly affected modern culture.
• 1941 saw the first use of the nickname "Coke" as an official trademark for the product, with a series of advertisements informing consumers that "Coke means Coca-Cola"
• The Coca-Cola Company purchased Columbia Pictures in 1982, and began inserting Coke-product images into many of its films. 

http://www.coca-colacompany.com/ (image and history)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola (history)