The Story of Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola’s transformation from a local medicinal tonic to a globally recognized cultural icon is a remarkable story of innovation, strategic marketing, and global cultural resonance. Originally conceived in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, by pharmacist John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was intended as a medicinal remedy. Pemberton’s new “brain tonic,” a combination of coca leaves and kola nuts, was introduced during an era when soda fountains were the heart of social life. Though Pemberton’s early attempts to find a successful product had failed, he worked with Frank Robinson, a Union Army veteran with a knack for advertising, who designed Coca-Cola’s signature script logo and devised the brand’s name. With Robinson’s help, Pemberton’s creation gained a foothold in the burgeoning soda fountain culture of the time.