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THE HISTORY OF THE COCA-COLA BOTTLE

Why was the Coca-Cola Bottle Created?

In 1899, the decision was made to offer Coca-Cola in a bottle, in addition to

the traditional soda fountain, capitalizing on its popularity and making it

available to everyone. Soon after, due to the popularity of the new Coca-Cola

bottle - which featured a simple, easily replicable design - competitors began

imitating the bottle. This created confusion among consumers and led to the

development of a “distinctive package” for Coca-Cola.

A Star is Born.

In 1915, The Coca-Cola Bottling Company challenged glass companies

across the US to develop a “bottle so distinct that you would recognize it by

feeling in the dark or lying broken on the ground.” Inspired by the shape and

lines of the cocoa bean, the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana

developed a bottle concept that would become the distinctive Coca-Cola

bottle. A committee of bottlers and Coca-Cola executives selected the design

and, in 1916, the Coca-Cola bottle was born.

Georgia Green.

To protect the secrecy of the bottle, the patent submissions were made

without the signature embossed Coca-Cola script lettering. The Coca-Cola

Company officials called for the new bottle to be colored “Georgia Green,” in homage to the home state of

The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company called for all bottles to weigh no less than 14.5

ounces. When filled with 6.5 ounces of the Coca-Cola liquid, each bottle weighed over a pound.

In 1918, The Coca-Cola Company launched its first national advertising campaign featuring the new

Coca-Cola bottle. The primary purpose of the campaign was to convince reluctant bottlers to begin using

the new design.

A National Symbol.

A 1949 study showed that less than 1% of Americans were unable to identify the Coca-Cola bottle by its

shape alone. A year later, in 1950, the Coca-Cola bottle appeared on the cover of Time Magazine – the first

commercial product to appear on the cover of the publication, cementing Coca-Cola as an American

symbol. The magazine originally wanted to place former Coca-Cola Company CEO, Robert Woodruff, on

the cover, but he refused, saying the brand was more important and Coca-Cola itself should be featured.

By 1951, the distinctly shaped contour was so well known, it was granted trademark status.

A Pop Culture Icon.

Throughout history, the Coca-Cola bottle has been dubbed the “hobbleskirt bottle,” named for the popular

fashion trend during the 1920s, and the “Mae West” bottle - after the actress’s famous curves. The first

reference to the bottle as a “contour” occurred in a 1925 French Magazine, La Monde, which described the

Coca-Cola bottle with a distinctive contour shape. To the general public, the shape is just “the Coke bottle.”

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While Andy Warhol is best known for using the Coca-Cola bottle in art, the first popular artist to incorporate

the Coca-Cola bottle in a painting was Salvatore Dali, who included the bottle in his 1943 work, Poetry in

America. Andy Warhol’s use of the bottle in his 1962 show, The Grocery Store, confirmed the bottle as a

pop culture icon.

Coca-Cola Bottle Timeline of Key Events

1915 To thwart the efforts of copycats, the now famous contour bottle for Coca-Cola was patented by the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana. Until the development of the contour bottle – so distinctive it could be recognized in the dark or lying broken on the ground – Coca-Cola bottlers used straight-sided bottles in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. 1923 Though common today, the 6-pack bottle carrier was an innovation developed by The Coca-Cola Company to encourage people to take contour bottles of Coca-Cola home and drink it more often. The evolution of the 6-pack was a result of the expanded availability of home refrigeration. December 25, 1923 The patent on the contour bottle was renewed for first time in 1923. This particular mold design for the bottle was patented in the U.S. Patent Office and released in the publication of that office, Official Gazette, on December 25, 1923. This date was a coincidence, in that the publication was issued every Tuesday, and in 1923 Christmas Day fell on Tuesday. All contour bottles produced between late 1923 and 1937 carried the Christmas day patent imprint and are referred to as “Christmas Bottle”. 1928 The volume of Coca-Cola sold in bottles first exceeded the volume amount sold through soda fountains. 1950 The Coca-Cola bottle was the first commercial product to appear on the cover of Time magazine. The appearance solidified Coca-Cola as an international icon. 1955 Until this time, Coca-Cola was available only as a soda fountain drink and in 6 1/2-ounce contour bottles. 1955 saw the debut of the King Size (10- and 12-ounce) and Family Size (26-ounce) contour bottles in the U.S., marking an important step in giving consumers packaging options to meet their needs. 1960 The idea of putting Coca-Cola in cans was tested before World War II, but the testing stopped when materials were not readily available during the war. It was not until 1960 that Coca-Cola in 12-ounce cans was introduced to the U.S. public. Early can graphics included a picture of the contour bottle, so people would know the same Coca-Cola they found inside a bottle was inside the can. 1993 The 20-ounce PET version of the contour bottle for Coca-Cola was introduced. This bottle helped distinguish Coca-Cola from other beverages just as the glass contour bottle had done in 1916.

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1996 For years, folk artists used Coca-Cola as a subject for their artwork because of its popularity. During the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Company orchestrated the Coca-Cola Olympic Salute to Folk Art exhibit, which included the work of folk artists from 54 countries, who used indigenous materials to create Coca-Cola contour bottles. These three-dimensional sculptures ranged from 2- to 12-feet tall. 1997 The Coca-Cola Company test-marketed an innovative contour can, inspired by the glass contour bottle. 2005 The Coca-Cola Company introduced an aluminium version of the contour bottle. Partnering with leading-edge design firms from five continents, The Coca-Cola Company launched a marketing campaign featuring a series of designs for the new aluminium contour bottle, called “M5” (Magnificent 5). November 16, 2015 The Coca-Cola Bottle celebrates its centennial anniversary.

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For further information, please contact Exposure US on behalf of Coca-Cola:

COCA-COLA GLOBAL Alison Brubaker: T: (1) 404 676-2526 E: abrubaker@coca-cola.com EXPOSURE US DJ Hardy: T: (1) 646 895 7017

E: darryl.hardy@exposure.net

Content available:

Archival imagery of the Coca-Cola Bottle

Advertising campaigns featuring the Coca-Cola bottle

Vintage press clippings

Archival TVC content

20th century artwork featuring the Coca-Cola bottle

Formal timeline of the history of the Coca-Cola bottle

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About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with

more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, our

Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero,

vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider

of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest

beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of more

than 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our

Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living,

create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of

the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10

private employers with more than 700,000 system employees. For more information, please visit

www.thecoca-colacompany.com or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo.