STORY - 2 UNFOLDING THE SUCCESS STORY OF COCA-COLA

 

There is a famous saying that “NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION”. This man’s necessity led to this invention of the drink enjoyed by all young and old all over the world.

We are looking at the story of one of the most successful brand and the most sought after beverage of the world.

It all started during the battle of Columbus in April 1865.Mr. Jhon Stith Pemberton an American pharmacist was serving the US army. He was addicted to morphine, a drug used to ease pain caused by wounds afflicted in the war. Being a pharmacist he wanted to find a substitute for the problematic drug. He therefore experimented with pain killers and toxins and invented a recipe which eventually was made in to the famous carbonated drink.  

The 1^st recipe or prototype formulated by Mr. Jhon Pemberton was called “Dr Tuggle's Compound Syrup of Globe Flower”.  Thereafter, he came up with another formula with coca leaf extracts and caffeine from the kola nut which he called “Pemberton's French Wine Coca” as a substitute to morphine for pain relief.  

This recipe was founded in Columbus and was carried to Atlanta.  Here Pemberton took the help of temperance movement – a Social movement against consumption of alcoholic beverages to launch his product. Obviously, Pemberton had to come up with a non-alcoholic alternative to his French Wine Coca and Cocaine was removed from Coca-Cola’s formula.

On May 8, 1886, Dr. John Pemberton sold the first glass of Coca-Cola at Jacobs' Pharmacy in downtown Atlanta. Drugstore soda fountains were popular in the United States during those days due to the belief that carbonated water was good for the health.  Pemberton's new drink was marketed and sold as a medicine. It was prescribed as a medicine for Headaches, nerve disorders, morphine addiction, indigestion, and impotency etc. About nine servings of the soft drink were sold each day.  The soft drink made $50 in its1^st year. The first year of business wasn't much of a success; Moreover, it cost Pemberton over $70 in expenses to create the drink resulting in a loss.

However, that was just the beginning of the story.

In due course, it has come to become one of the popular and leading brands in the world. It has multiple brands across different beverage categories​and offers a variety of drinks including still and sparkling water, dairy, fruit juices, organic and plant-based drinks, teas and coffees etc.

Presently, Coca-Cola sells 2800 products which available in 200 countries.

The name of Coca-Cola was a suggestion given by Pemberton's bookkeeper Frank Robinson. Robinson, who was known for having excellent penmanship, thought that using two Cs in the name would look striking in advertising. As such kola became cola, and the brand name was born. Robinson was the one to design the Trade Mark / Brand "Coca-Cola" using the flowing letters that serve as the famous logo of today.

The Trade Mark “Coca-Cola” was registered in the year 1893 and its popular Bottle design was registered in the year1960.

COCA-COAL BOTTLE

In 1899 signed an agreement with bottling company. They bought the syrup and produced the cola drink. All though, the company has changes hands in between; the brands popularity has not changed. Which strongly emphasizes that if you have a famous brand; it is a property and can be sold in times of need. Even Pepsi’s ownership has changed a few times.

 “If you can create such brands, it’s worth millions”.

When it started it was a small entity but today it is an empire.  Hence, do not under estimate the value of your ideas or your trademarks or brands.

 “Have Big Ideas, Big Targets & Big Dreams. Who knows where you can reach.”

There is so much that Coca-Cola has thought the world of business and there is so much learning from it. In my future posts we shall see what Coca-Cola has in store for us to learn.