Advertising from: 1930 – 1950

Coca-Cola Santa Claus 1931 – 1949

Although many credit our modern day Santa to Thomas Nast, Santa’s jolly look all started in 1931 with Haddon Sundblom and Coca-Cola.
Legendary illustrator Haddon Sundblom created the rosy-cheeked figure – today’s traditionally accepted appearance of the jolly old elf – in 1931 for a Coke holiday advertising campaign. Since that time, the Coca-Cola Santa has become one of the most beloved cultural icons and an anticipated part of holiday tradition.

My hat's off to the pause that refreshes 1931

It will refresh you too 1932

Away with a tired thirsty face 1933

Coca-Cola Uncle Remus Cutout 1931

1932 Coca-Cola Uncle Remus Cutout That Sparked Copyright Lawsuit

In 1932, the Coca-Cola Company issued a children’s cutout based on the Uncle Remus stories. The Company had negotiated rights with the publisher, Appleton, to use the Arthur Frost illustrations on the advertising. Mrs. Harris sued for copyright infringement. Ultimately, the courts ruled in favor of the Company. While Mrs. Harris had the rights to the stories, the illustrations belonged to the publisher.

Coca-Cola War bonds

In 1943, Coca-Cola put out an advertisement urging people to buy U. S. War Bonds and War Stamps.Coca-Cola strongly aligned itself with the war effort. The newly created elf-looking Coca-Cola mascot named “Sprite” appears in the new advertisements.

Coca-Cola War Bonds - For Victory

Buy more War Bonds = A quicker Victory

Who invented fanta?

Coca Cola (GmbH) were the German bottlers for Coke under the leadership of the CEO Max Keith. After the US entered the war in 1941 Max Keith couldn’t get Coca Cola syrup from America to make Coke so he invented a new drink out of the ingredients he had available to him and made it specifically for the Nazi market and the Third Reich. The drink was called Fanta.

Fanta was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company in 1960.

Old Fanta advertisement

Coca-Cola airplane spotter cards

Airplane spotter’s plane identification tips and hints on playing cards with Coca Cola advertising. These cards were prepared by Coke to “assist you in learning the characteristics of United Nations and Enemy Aircraft.”

Coca-Cola airplane spotter cards

Coca-Cola airplane spotter cards 2

Coca-Cola airplane spotter cards 3

Coca-Cola airplane spotter cards 4

Spotter cards are still used by the armed forces today. For example, personality identification playing cards were recently distributed in Iraq in order to train soldiers to spot individuals such as Saddam Hussein.

Coca Cola World War II

Coca Cola was involved in the Second World War. In 1941, when the United States entered the war, Woodruff decided that Coca Cola’s place was near the front line.He sent an order to
“See that ever man in uniform gets a bottle of Coca Cola for 5 cents wherever he is and whatever the cost to the company”.
Coca Cola had not only lifted the spirits of the US Armed Forces, it had also introduced itself to new markets. When the war ended the bottling plants and a little bit of America stayed too.

Coca-Cola goes along

Have a Coca-Cola = Howdy, Neighbor

Coca-Cola Compares the Wartime experiences of Three Wars, c.1943