Does anybody know the story behind Coca-Cola's bottle? Coca-Cola's bottle is considered to be a worldwide symbol. It has a fluted and distinct design. Anybody can determine it is Coca-Cola by the bottle, even if the brand's name is not written on it.
In the 20th century, that's when the drink took off in the market. The bottle was sold in the market in usual straight-designed bottles with brown or clear color. Imitators like Ma Coca-Co, Toka-Cola, Koka-Nola or Koke were mostly ignored by consumers.
During 1912, the company decided to stop the imitators from mimicking their product. The company's lead attorney, Harold Hirsch, convinced the company to create a better bottle. Coca-Cola essentially needed to have a container that can separately and certainly identify and authenticate their product.
According to MSN, Hirsch said, "We are not building Coca-Cola alone for today. We are building Coca-Cola forever, and it is our hope that Coca-Cola will remain the National drink to the end of time. The heads of your companies are doing everything in their power at considerable expense to bring about a bottle that we can adopt and call our own child, and when that bottle is adopted I ask each and every member of this convention to not consider the immediate expense that would be involved with changing your bottle, but to remember this, that in bringing about that bottle, the parent companies are bringing about an establishment of your own rights. You are coming into your own and it is a question of cooperation."
After Hirsch's statement, the company paid $500 to a number of glass companies across the US to make a unique bottle. The company that successfully made a distinct design was the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Ind. The team tasked to create the bottle was under the supervision of a Swedish glass blower, Alexander Samuelson. The design was inspired from a drawing of a cocoa bean with elongated shape and grooves. After the patent was granted, the bottling company accepted the design.
The color of the bottle was at first "German Green", as stated in the initial contract. But then it was changed to "Georgia Green" embracing the place where the company originated. In the contract, the bottle weighs no less than 14.5 ounces when empty. And when the bottle is filled, it weighed over a pound.
Since it's a custom-made design, the bottles were expensive. At first, the company showed hesitation. But when it began to roll out in the market, the unique design was made known. In 1951, the Trademark was granted to the bottle.
Throughout the years, the bottle has been minimally changed. But without a doubt, no matter what the design is, it will forever be part of consumer history.