Dr Max's hospitality industry secret about Coca Cola

Coca Cola needs very little excuse to celebrate and promote the world's most recognizable product. In the year 2000 Coca Cola will celebrate it 114th birthday. We are sure the world's largest soft drink company will feel that's a good enough reason for a major celebration! It could be and should be at YOUR place! In our book, 365 Marketing Ideas For the Hospitality Industry, we suggest annually celebrating Coca Cola Day on the 8th of May. This is the day Coca Cola was first sold. Here is a little more history about this incredibly successful company…..….

John Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta Georgia, invented Coke in 1886. His bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, named the product after 2 ingredients, coca leaves and kola nuts. By 1891, Asa Candler had bought the company, and within 4 years the soda fountain drink was available in all states of America. By 1895, Coca Cola had conquered Canada and Mexico. Today, Coca Cola and it's many other products are sold in over 200 countries.

In 1899, the US bottling rights were sold, for $1, to Benjamin Thomas and John Whitehead of Chattanooga. (Now that was a reasonable buy, eh!) Together with the John Lupton, they developed the regional franchise bottling system. They created over 1,000 bottlers within 20 years.

These are the current executive officers of Coca Cola: Chairman and CEO: Roberto C. Goizueta President and COO: M. Douglas Ivester SVP; President, North American Group: Jack L. Stahl SVP and Chief Marketing Officer: Sergio S. Zyman SVP; President, Greater Europe Group: E. Neville Isdell SVP; President, Africa Group: Carl Ware SVP; President, Latin America Group: Timothy J. Haas SVP; President, Middle and Far East Group: Douglas N. Daft

Check out the web site at http://www.cocacola.com

Contact Coca Cola at: 1 Coca-Cola Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30313 Tel: 404-676-2121 Fax: 404-676-6792