Coca Cola has been a household name for more than 130 years, and its famous logo is instantly recognisable across the globe – but many don’t realise it has a hidden detail
Coca Cola is arguably one of the most recognisable brands on the planet, instantly identifiable by its iconic red packaging and distinctive, swirly white font. The brand, which just recently launched a new flavour in UK stores, is known for its unique taste.
Naturally, throughout the years, as the company has launched fresh versions of its legendary drink – from Diet Coke and Coke Zero to limited editions and innovative new flavours – the famous logo has been adapted to complement each product. Nevertheless, Coca Cola consistently maintains its own unmistakable style. Companies worldwide aspire to achieve similar recognition, and a crucial element of reaching this goal lies in the strength and prominence of a firm’s logo.
“Businesses cannot overlook the value a great logo holds; they are the connection between a company and potential customers, and what customers will remember most,” explains Richard Lau, president of LOGO.com, an industry leader in logo design and marketing strategy.
While the Coca Cola logo might simply appear to be a stylised version of the brand’s name, the flowing tail of the letter ‘C’ is believed to symbolise a smile, emphasising the brand’s focus on happiness and joy. Richard added: “This subtle message may go unnoticed, but it subconsciously creates a positive association with the brand in the minds of consumers.”
Coca Cola is transparent about its origin story, particularly regarding how the celebrated logo came to be, and provides insight into its evolution over the years on its website. The iconic beverage’s formula was perfected by Dr John S Pemberton in May of 1886.
He worked as a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, and succeeded in developing the syrup for Coca Cola. The cherished drink combined fizzy water with the innovative syrup to create a beverage described as “delicious and refreshing”.
According to the Coca Cola website, Dr Pemberton “carried a jug of the new product down the street to Jacobs’ Pharmacy in Atlanta. There, it was sampled, pronounced ‘excellent’ and placed on sale as a soda fountain drink for five cents a glass”.
His bookkeeper, Frank M Robinson, suggested the name “Coca Cola” and “penned the flowing script that is famous today”. His inspiration for the iconic brand name stemmed from his conviction that “the two Cs would look well in advertising” – a strategy which also worked brilliantly for Coco Chanel when she established her legendary fashion empire in 1910.
Frank tried his hand at crafting the company’s name in Spencerian script, which was a fashionable writing style at that time. Multiple versions of the logo existed, featuring bold redesigns and fresh shapes, right up to the late 1960s.
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In 1969, the instantly recognisable design known and adored today was created. Launched as the Arden Square logo, it was “presented in a red box, with [Robinson’s] Coca‐Cola script underlined with a white ‘wave’, or ‘Dynamic Ribbon Device’.”
This remains in use to this day.
Since the revelation, the topic has been hotly debated on Reddit. Recently, a user praised Coca Cola’s timeless design.
Another pointed out: “Also cool to see how it translates across different languages.”
A third user confessed: “Ever since someone told me about the faces in the logo I can’t unsee it whenever I look at it.”
While a fourth admirer gushed: “Perfect logo.”
And another added: “Coca Cola is a cool logo that’s why they didn’t change it.”
