Advertising from: 1900 – 1930

Coca-Cola – the longest continuous corporate partner of the Olympic Games

Robert Woodruff would spend 60 years as Coca-Cola’s leader introducing it to the rest of the world. Woodruff captured foreign markets with brilliant and creative campaigns, in one instance sending Coca-Cola with the U.S. team to the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and in another, emblazoning the company logo on racing dog sleds in Canada. He even plastered Coca-Cola banners over the walls of Spanish bull fighting arenas.

1928 Amsterdam Olympics

Poster at the entrance to the games

Coca Cola non-soda items

Coca-Cola allowed the use of its name and logo with a variety of non-soda items produced by outside manufacturers, such as candy and cigars. One such product was Coca-Cola chewing gum, a product that enjoyed some success in the early part of the 20th century. Eventually, though, Coca-Cola became more reticent about allowing the use of its trademarks with anything other than official company-sponsored products, especially when those products were of such low quality that they might reflect badly on Coca-Cola itself. Such was the case with Coca-Cola chewing gum, which by 1924 had so deteriorated in quality as to be an embarrassment to the company. Coca-Cola sought to remedy the situation by purchasing the nearly bankrupt chewing gum maker through an intermediary and quietly retiring the product.

Coca Cola Pepsin Gum, 1912

Foil Coca-Cola candy wrapper, 1925

Coca-Cola cigars were sold in the open market, and given away at company banquets in the 1930's.

Coca Cola ads on buildings 1911 – 1912

Elwood F. Bell, Chemist, office covered with Coca-Cola and other ads 1911

Covered roadside grocery store. Baton Rouge, LA 1911

Covered building in ruin. Petersburg, VA 1911

Coca Cola old delivery trucks

Coca-Cola truck from 1908

Rapid Motor Company Delivery Truck, 1909 First delivery of Coca-Cola to Knoxville, TN

Coca-Cola, trucks, Asheville, NC c1920s

Deposit Ticket for one Bottle

Turn of the Century Deposit Ticket for one Bottle of Coca-Cola, c.1903

Coca Cola century deposit ticket

Lillian Nordica – new face of Coca Cola

From 1904 to 1905, Lillian Nordica became the new face of Coca-Cola. Born Lillian Norton in 1857 in Farmington, Maine, Madame Nordica was also a singer who had performed with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as well as in many major musical venues in Western Europe and Russia. Early calendars and other promotional items featuring the divas of the time not only launched the popular Coca-Cola Girls advertising platform but Clark and Nordica items had also become some of the greatest hits with vintage Coca-Cola collectors over the years.

1905 Lillian Nordica Coca-Cola Ad with Coupon

Lillian Nordica, Opera Star, c. 1905

First Coca Cola Girl

Singer Hilda Clark became the first celebrity model for The Coca-Cola Company. Also known as the First Coca-Cola Girl, Hilda’s image was used on cardboard signs, tin trays, trade cards, bookmarks, drink tickets, and calendars from 1899 to 1903.

An 1890s advertisement showing model Hilda Clark in formal 19th century attire. The ad is titled Drink Coca-Cola 5¢.

Calendar with Hilda Clark

Hilda Clark actress