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Coca-Cola 1888 advertisement. Miracle drink. Cures all things. WOW!

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Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

1888 Advertisement for Coca-Cola!

1888 coke ad old historic  

Look at this interesting advertisement for Coca-Cola.  My blog buddy, Don Thompson, from way back sent it to me after he read the blog I wrote about the Coca-Cola Mailbox holder.  Read it if you'd like.   Click this.  https://activerain.com/droplet/JFgK     Then go to google and search the history of Coke. The history says this Mr. Pemberton died in 1888 and sold all his interest in Coca-Cola and from then on it gradually became the national treasure as it is now.

This ad makes me remember my going to a tiny movie house and seeing western movies with the traveling salesman coming through a town and pushing a miracle drink as this one sounds like it was.

I think you will enjoy reading some of the history.  Than you for sharing, Don!

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Adam Feinberg
Howard Hanna Elegran - Manhattan, NY
NYC Condo, Co-op, and Townhouse Advisor

I love old coke ads. I have an upcoming replay of my podcast for Christmas about how Harlem (where I live) influenced the current image of Santa Claus. A lot of people attribute the modern image of Santa to Coke- and it is true that Coke did update the image of Santa to some degree- but the image was largely redefined, especially the red clothing, by the combination of the poem "Twas the night before Christmas" (Clement Clark Moore wrote it- and he rests eternally in Trinity Church Cemetery in my neighborhood) and the illustrator Thomas Nast- who drew Santa based on Clements poem- redefining how Santa Clause looked. Nast had a studio where he drew his version of Santa on 125th st in Harlem. 

So it is true that Coca Cola did redraw Santa- it wasn't a huge change from Nast's version. 

Nov 11, 2025 07:24 PM
Barbara S. Duncan

Interesting!

Nov 12, 2025 09:05 AM
Don Thompson
Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA
Coca Cola has always had a very successful advertising campaign.
According to ChatGPT, In 2024, the Coca-Cola Company spent approximately $5.15 billion on advertising globally. This amount was a slight increase from the $5.01 billion spent in 2023. 
 
Coca-Cola consistently invests heavily in marketing to maintain its brand presence and market share, averaging around $4 billion annually on worldwide advertising over the last several years.
Key advertising expenditure figures:
  • 2024: $5.15 billion
  • 2023: $5.01 billion
  • 2022: $4.32 billion
  • 2019 (Peak year): $4.24 billion 
The company has shifted its strategy, with its digital media spend increasing from less than 30% in 2019 to approximately 65% of its total media budget in 2024. This shift includes using generative AI to produce ads faster and at a lower cost. 
Nov 12, 2025 09:53 AM
Barbara S. Duncan

Don, you are so amazing !

Nov 12, 2025 10:53 AM
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