Coca-Cola advertisements have always been unique and interesting. They have continuously followed current events and happenings across America and are, therefore, a rich source of cultural information. Coca-Cola is a classic example of an American icon. By collecting Coca-Cola magazine ads from their inception, you have a timeline of American history which is easily traceable. Few collectibles are as rewarding as vintage Coca-Cola magazine ads.

Earliest magazine ads
The first magazine ads for any product were in black and white, as when the process of adding color to paper came along, it was quite a bit more expensive to use. One of the earliest Coca-Cola ads featured a lovely young woman, smiling, dressed very nicely, wearing pearls, holding a glass that has the Coca-Cola logo etched on the side of it. The picture is framed by flowers along all four sides in a square. The message with the picture reads, “Delicious and Refreshing. Drink Coca-Cola at Soda Fountains and Carbonated in Bottles for 5¢.” This magazine ad was published in June 1904.

Coca-Cola is an all-American product and its Classic Coca-Cola beverage recipe has withstood the tests of time, even shaking off efforts to make an improved “New Coke” formula. The American public wasn’t having any of it. “Classic is better” and “Keep the original” were cries that could be heard from across the country, as well as around the world.

The American original
Coca-Cola is definitely an American original. The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage manufacturer of non-alcoholic drinks. The product, Coca-Cola, was first introduced in 1886 by a pharmacist, John Stith Pemberton. The Coca-Cola Corporation was founded six years later, in 1892, by Asa Griggs Candler and it has been going strong ever since. The beautifully illustrated Coca-Cola magazine ads of the early days were published in many popular magazines, one of which was The Saturday Evening Post.

Coca-Cola has always reacted to events in the world and marketed their advertisements to special occasions, such as the Olympic Games, the Kentucky Derby, NASCAR sporting events, and Christmas, just to name a few; they are varied.

Santa Claus drinks Coca-Cola
Beginning in 1931, Coca-Cola came up with ads that pictured Santa Claus in one image that remained consistent throughout their magazine ads: a jolly, rather rotund fellow with a white beard in a red suit. Some people believe that Coca-Cola gave us the image of Santa Claus we know and love today. Before Coca-Cola’s ads, Santa Claus was pictured in a variety of ways, from tall and gaunt, to, admittedly, a little bit scary-looking. Perhaps Santa Claus, as well as the rest of us, has Coca-Cola to thank for his much kinder, gentler image. Some Coca-Cola impassioned collectors will tell you Santa’s suit is red because that is the color of Coke.

Successful marketing campaigns
A magazine ad from 1937 advertises Coca-Cola as “the pause that refreshes.” This was a great marketing phrase that was repeated often by the American consumer and it continues to be known today. That phrase is now synonymous with its intended product, Coca-Cola, which is the result of a very successful marketing strategy. Coca-Cola has enjoyed several successful marketing strategies through the years, many of which have played out through the ad pages of magazines.

Collecting Coca-Cola magazine ads is not only nostalgic, but historical and educational. You can learn a lot about American culture and society from collecting Coca-Cola ads published during the various time periods through which America has traveled. Coca-Cola has represented many of them, quite well. Coca-Cola magazine ads from the early years make wonderful gifts for any collector.

Alana Morgaine
Our Vintage Ads

A History Of Cola Marketing

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