Abstract This research considers The Coca-Cola Company from an ...

The Coca-Cola Company
Coca-Cola 2
In one year, Coca-Cola will be celebrating its 125 th anniversary, and as a brand, there is a
lot to celebrate. Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta, Ga. in 1886 as a combination of local
pharmacist Dr. John Stith Pemberton’s unique syrup and carbonated water. The product was first
sold at Jacob’s Pharmacy as a soda fountain drink for five cents per glass. The Coca-Cola logo
was invented by Dr. Pemberton’s partner Frank Robinson, who drew it himself (“Coca-Cola,”
2009). One of the reasons that Coca-Cola continues to be successful is its aggressive brand
management. The company has been an active sponsor of the Olympics since the 1984 games,
which includes being on key committees and involved in key partnerships that organize the
games. Other sports activities are also sponsored by the company, which provides global and
frequent opportunities to promote the brand (Wedekind, 2008).
The Coca-Cola Company operates in more than 200 countries and markets more than 500
brands and 3,300 beverage products. These products include sparkling beverages and still
beverages such as waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees, sports drinks and energy drinks.
The Company has four of the world’s top five nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands: Coca-
Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta (2009 Annual Review).
The Coca-Cola System
The Coca-Cola Company is a global business that operates on a local scale in every
community where they do business. Coke created global reach with local focus because of the
strength of the Coca-Cola system, which comprises of the Company and the bottling partners,
more than 300 worldwide. The Company manufactures and sells concentrates, beverage bases
and syrups to bottling operations; owns the brands; and is responsible for consumer brand
marketing initiatives. The bottling partners manufacture, package, merchandise and distribute the