“Coca-Cola Signs”: Collector’s Pride
When Dr. John Stith Pemberton created a cool and refreshing drink in Atlanta, Georgia on May 8, 1886, who would have known that he was producing one of the most well-known products in the world? When he sold his creation at his soda fountain, he named it because he thought the two C’s would look good together, thus giving birth to Coca-Cola signs.
Throughout the years, Coca-Cola has produced a huge variety of artwork and ad campaigns. Each successive generation added their own particular twist to the marketing, reflecting the passions of the times. Coca-Cola has created a timeline of collectible items which have been consistently collected by memorabilia hounds around the world.
The original creator of Coca-Cola’s Santa Claus was Haddon Sundblom, who drew him drinking from the iconic bottle. This image was used consistently for more than 30 years, dating back to the 1930’s. It still appears today on Christmas ornaments, billboards, signs, and other promotional material.
The soft drink from Atlanta and its red stripe have spawned many memorable slogans and jingles through the years. The Christmas advertisement with races singing together over the beverage, the computer generated polar bears and Santa toasting happy children with “The Friendliest Drink on Earth” are only a small percentage of the enduring images associated with the beverage.
From time to time different famous celebrities have been associated with the Coca-Cola campaign. Their contribution in making this drink popular among the masses cannot be overlooked. Spoke-animals also had a major role to play. In 2003, polar beers were introduced in the campaign and the concept was a big success. People just loved them.
The vast amount of advertising that the company produced over the years has led to a huge amount of collectible material being available. Coca-Cola has become a product which transcends generations and has inspired many collectors. Die-hard collectors insist on signage from all eras to be in mint condition. There are even books published on the values of these hot collectibles.
If you are looking to start a collection, start small. Decide on one area or timeframe. Then, focus your efforts on finding items that fit your category. Use online auction sites and forum boards to meet other collectors to set up a support network. Scour flea markets and garage sales for hard to find Coca-Cola signs.
Coca-Cola is known world wide as an icon meaning refreshment. The company’s advertisement signage has been used throughout its history to denote the good feelings that its clients enjoy. No matter which sign, a collector will desire it because of the positive feelings and memories it brings back.
Soda-Pop-Collectibles.com is the #1 online source for Coca-Cola signs & other items from throughout Coca-Cola history.
- Daniel Wright