Essay on “Coke: A Long Journey” Complete Essay for Class 9, Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Coke: A Long Journey

One-man affair to begin with Coca Cola is now a 50-billion-dollar business. Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, invented Coca-Cola. He concocted the formula in a three-legged brass kettle in his backyard on May 8, 1886. He mixed a combination of lime, cinnamon, coca leaves, and the seeds of a Brazilian shrub to make the fabulous beverage. Coca-Cola debuted in Atlanta’s largest pharmacy, Jacob’s Pharmacy, as a five-cent non-carbonated beverage. Later on, the carbonated water was added to the syrup to make the beverage that we know today as Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola was originally used as a nerve and brain tonic and a medical elixir. Frank Robinson, one of Pemberton’s close friends, named Coca-Cola; he also penned the famous Coca-Cola logo in unique script. Candler acquired the whole company for $2,300.

In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company made what has been known as one of the biggest marketing blunder. The Coca-Cola company stumbled onto the new formula in efforts to produce diet Coke. They put forth 4 million dollars of research to come up with the new formula. The decision to change their formula and pull the old Coke off the market came about because taste tests showed a distinct preference for the new formula.

Robert Woodruff’s death was a large contributor to the change because he stated that he would never change Coca-Cola’s formula. Another factor that influenced the change was that Coke’s market share fell 2.5 per cent in four years. Each percentage point lost or gain meant 200 million dollars. A financial analyst said, “Coke’s market share fell from 24.3 per cent in .1980 to 21.8 per cent in 1984”.

The change to the world’s best selling soft drink was heard by 81 per cent of the United States population within twenty-four hours of the announcement. Within a week of the change, one thousand calls a day were flooding the company’s eight hundred number (1-800-GET-COKE). Most of the callers were shocked and/ or outraged, many said that they were considering switching to Pepsi. Within six weeks, the eight hundred number was being jammed by six thousand calls a day. The company also fielded over forty thousand letters, which were all answered and each person got a coupon for the new Coke. A retired Air Force officer, explained in a letter to the Coca-Cola company that he wanted to be cremated and interred in a Coke can, but now that this change had come about he was reconsidering. Sharlotte Donneally, a thirty-six year old anthropologist said, “I hate the new stuff”. Wendy Koskela, a thirty-five year old vice president of an insurance company said, “It’s too sweet. It tastes like Pepsi.” She also stated, “Real Coke had punch. This taste almost like it’s flat”. Many American consumers of Coca-Cola asked if they would have the final say. When Pepsi heard that the Coca-Cola company was changing its secret formula they said that it was a decision that Pepsi tastes better. Coca-Cola officials said, “The new formula will boost Coke’s share by 1 per cent. That is worth 200 million dollars a year.” Coca-Cola management had to decide: Do nothing or “buy the world a new Coke”. They decided to develop the new formula. Roberto Goizueta, the president of the Coca-Cola Company stated, “The old Coke formula, with its secret flavoring ingredient, called Merchandise 7X, will stay locked in the Trust Company of Georgia bank vault in Atlanta, never to be used again”. This is what many Coke officials said, “This is the most significant soft drink development in the company’s history”. The change back to the old Coke was known as the Second Coming. Roberto Goizueta said, “Today, we have two messages to deliver to the American consumer, first, to those of you who are drinking Coca-Cola with its great new taste, our thanks…But there is a second group of consumers to whom we want to speak to today and our message to this group is simple: We have heard you”. On July 10, 1985, eighty-seven clays after the new Coke was introduced, the old Coke was brought back in addition to the new one. In the mid-1970, more than half Coca-Cola sold was outside of the U.S. Coca-Cola products outsell closest competitor by more than two to one. One in every two colas and one in every three soft drinks is a Coca-Cola product. The best-known trademark in the world is sold in about one hundred and forty countries to 5.8 billion people in eighty different languages. This is why Coca-Cola is the largest soft drink company in the world. The Coca Cola company has sponsored games, given scholarships and performed charity. It continues to remain the best-loved drink of not millions but billions.