Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink that originated in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. First introduced in 1886, the drink has been manufactured by The Coca-Cola Company since its founding in 1892. Today, Coca-Cola is sold throughout the world, with roughly a billion beverages sold each day, and is one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
1886–1887[]
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Unknown
Launched:
May 8, 1886
Coca-Cola originated with the 1885 invention of Pemberton's French Wine Coca, an imitator of popular French patent medicine Vin Mariani, which consisted of wine and coca leaves (the primary source of cocaine). After prohibition laws were passed in Georgia later that year, the wine content was replaced with a sugary syrup made from kola nuts (a source of caffeine), and the new beverage, now named Coca-Cola, would be introduced on May 8, 1886.
1887–1890[]
Designer:
Frank Mason Robinson
Typography:
Unknown
Launched:
June 6, 1887
In 1887, the now-familiar 'Spencerian' script was first used. In those days, the script varied depending on its application, and the word 'Trademark' also commonly appeared at the bottom of the first 'C'. Many variations of this logo were drawn up for use in advertisements, but this version of the logo was copied and used most; the same is true with the 1892 and 1903 logos.
1889–1892[]
This logo was used on some printed advertisements from that time.
1890–1903[]
1890–1899[]
In 1890, Coca-Cola introduced an updated script.[1] By this time, the company began to be associated with the color red, as barrels of Coca-Cola syrup were often painted that color so tax agents could distinguish them from alcohol during transport.[2]
1890–1891[]
An alternate logo was used for Coca-Cola in 1890, styled in Art Nouveau lettering. It was used on a series of calendars from 1890–1891.
This lighter version of the script was used concurrently with the previous logo, mostly seen in advertisements during the late 1890s and early 1900s.
1899–1903[]
The 1890 script was revised nine years later.
1903–present[]
1903–1934[]
As it grew, Coca-Cola began to tighten down on its advertising at the start of the 20th century, eschewing most of the variations of its script and adopting this bolder style. During this period, the formulation of the drink was altered to remove any trace amounts of cocaine from the coca leaves used in its production.
This logo was used on bottles from 1906 until Coca-Cola stopped using paper labels in 1919. From 1973 until 1985, commemorative bottles for some companies' and bottling plants' anniversaries were produced with this logo. In 2008 and 2012, it was used for holiday bottle cartons, albeit inaccurately recreated.
1934–present[]
1934–1946[]
In 1934, a new version of the Coca-Cola script was introduced.
Coinciding with the firm's designing of streamlined vehicles and dispensers for Coca-Cola, industrial design firm Raymond Loewy Associates also drafted a standardized script wordmark, slightly italicized with more consistent widths. This would become the company's current and longest-used design to date as well as one of the most recognizable logos in history.
In 1986, the wordmark was modified with a bolder, slightly more upright version of the script. This was used until a 2002 rebrand, but briefly returned in 2006 during The Coke Side of Life campaign alongside the main logo. It disappeared again with the launch of 2009's Open Happiness campaign.
