50 years of Coke's fishtail design

In the world of Coca-Cola collecting, it’s not unusual to hear people talk about a “fishtail.”

That refers to the Coke logo shown at the top of this calendar – red with indentions on both sides. (The “fishtail” term comes from the fact that each side looks like the tail of a fish.)

Technically it’s called the “Arciform” logo, but fishtail is more common.

The Arciform logo was unveiled in 1958 and used until 1965. You can see it on metal signs, in magazine ads, on coolers, on paper cups and more from that time.

We have one of these calendars (from 1962) in the Collectors Corner of the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, designed to look like the dream living room of a Coke collector.

A calendar like this one would sell for around $450.

Happy 50th birthday to the fishtail and, as always, happy collecting!

Who modeled for the Coca-Cola Santa?

Our Coca-Cola Santa Claus first appeared in advertising in 1931, and he continues to be a presence in our ads today. This Santa really helped shape the modern-day image of St. Nick. Before this, Santa appeared in a variety of images -- even as a scary elf.

Coca-Cola asked artist Haddon Sundblom to illustrate Santa Claus for our advertising, specifically to encourage people to drink Coca-Cola even in the cold weather months. (That may seem odd today, but -- at the time -- many people thought of Coke as a drink only for the hot summer.)

But who was the model for our jolly, very human image of Santa?

In the beginning, Sundblom painted Santa Claus using a live model -- his friend, Lou Prentiss, a retired salesman. When Prentiss passed away, Sundblom used himself as a model, painting by looking into a mirror. After the 1930s, he used photographs instead of his own image.

One year, Santa’s large belt was shown backwards in Coke ads. (Rumor has it, it was because Sundblom was painting while looking in a mirror, and painted the belt in reverse.) People loved the Coca-Cola Santa, and sent us letters about the belt. Another time, Santa appeared without a wedding ring, leading our fans to ask what happened to Mrs. Claus!

But Santa wasn’t the only image requiring a model.

The children who sometimes appeared with Santa Claus were based on Sundblom’s neighbors in Arizona. Although the two children living next door were both girls, the artist simply changed one to a boy in his paintings!

And the 1964 Santa Claus image I’ve shown here -- the last original artwork Sundblom created for Coca-Cola -- features a dog that also had a real-life model. The dog was actually a grey poodle belonging to the neighborhood florist. Sundblom changed the fur to black to make the dog stand out.

That’s what we would call “artistic license” today!

Coke's Holiday Caravan tours Germany

The other day I talked about the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan commercials and truck tour, and I mentioned that the trucks have toured around the world.

This year Germany is hosting its 12th annual Caravan truck tour!

Back in 1998, nearly 50,000 people gathered in Berlin to welcome the Coca-Cola Caravan as it entered the city through the Brandenburg Gate. That’s quite an impressive crowd!

Ten years later, this year the Caravan will visit more than 50 German cities between November 28 and December 21. And for the first time, the tour kicked off with a “truck parade”’ inspired by the TV commercial.

The theme of this year’s tour is “wishes.” At every tour stop, people will be invited to pass on the Christmas feeling by sending personal wishes to family and friends. One of the trucks even has a “studio” allowing people to send e-cards!

Another one of the Coca-Cola Christmas trucks will take a separate route as a charity truck. This truck will make 11 stops to collect wishes from kids and adults – compiling what is probably the world’s biggest wish list.

Coke in Germany is even celebrating the holidays in the virtual world (at www.coke.de). Through a link-up with Google Maps, you can virtually decorate your loved ones’ houses and send the pictures as a Christmas e-card. (I think that’s so cool!)

I loved what Germany is doing to continue the Caravan tradition. I don’t speak or read German, but I was able to figure out the Caravan information on the Coke Germany website. I could even find the schedule!

If you visit the Truck Tour in Germany or anywhere else, let me know how it was!

Sprite Spicy Punch recipe

If you’re looking for a special drink to serve at your holiday party, try this one!

This Spicy Punch recipe is from a 1965 magazine ad for Sprite, and I think it sounds great! I also love this line from the ad: “Holiday nogs and grogs take on a whole new dimension when you spark them with the natural tartness of Sprite.”

Sprite Spicy Punch

Try this Spicy Punch recipe just for openers.

¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh lemon juice
144 ounces of Sprite
(food coloring, if desired)

Combine all ingredients except Sprite. Add food coloring, if desired. Chill. Add cold Sprite just before serving.

Makes 38 4-ounce servings.

If desired, add 1 part blended whiskey to 5 parts punch. Also good with brandy or rum.

Enjoy! And if you serve this, let me know how your guests liked it.

See our other recipes.

Write your own caption - Polar Bear Parade

I’ve mentioned that our Coca-Cola Polar Bear turns 15 this year.

For this week’s Friday Fun contest, I have a very different polar bear. This parade float is from a “Spring Festival” parade in Peru in 1952. A polar bear wouldn't be part of a spring festival in Atlanta, but the picture is fun! (And I don’t understand the Spirograph behind the bear!)

The game: Write a funny, clever or “punny” caption for this photo. Send it to me using the “comments” section below. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

The prize: I’ll announce the winner (i.e., my favorite or the funniest) on Thursday, Dec. 18. The winner will receive a Coca-Cola prize from my “goodie closet.”

I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

See the winning caption.

Coca-Cola Santa dolls

This is the time of year when many Coke collectors bring out a great holiday piece: the Coca-Cola Santa doll.

A lot of people – even those who don’t consider themselves “collectors” – have these dolls. I’ve heard a lot of stories from people who have hung on to these Santa dolls specifically because they were a part of their annual holiday decorating traditions that has been extended to a new generation.

The original Santa Claus dolls, made by the Rushton Company, an Atlanta-based toy manufacturer, were first given out by Coca-Cola bottlers as promotional items in 1957. Additional “models” (with changes such as different colors of boots) were produced during the late 1950s and 1960s.

Though the dolls were first sold for just $3 each (in 1957), today Coca-Cola Santa dolls from the 1950s and 60s sell for around $125. There is an African-American Santa doll (such as the one I’ve pictured here, from 1971) that sells for around $100.

As with every kind of Coke collectible item, of course, condition impacts price. And you have to make sure you don’t have a recently made doll, such as the 75th Anniversary model from 2006.

If you can find a Coca-Cola Santa today for anything near the $3 original price, you have found a real bargain!

We have a winner - pun contest

Last week for the Friday Fun contest, I asked you to spot the food-related puns in this Coca-Cola image. The example I gave was “Angel Food Cake” – the slice of cake with the halo on it.

Well, this proved more of a challenge than I’d expected, but here are the puns I found:

1. Angel Food Cake
2. Apple Pie
3. Club Sandwich
4. Crown Roast
5. Diced carrots
6. Head Cheese
7. Hot Dog
8. Iced Tea
9. Key Lime Pie
10. Lox (Locks)
11. Mousse (Moose)
12. Wonton (One Ton) Soup
13. Peking Duck
14. Smoked Herring
15. Spring chicken
16. Sub Sandwich
17. TV Dinner

And the winner is: Ray, who identified 12 of the puns, including a few I had not found. (Those were: Bananas Foster, Chicken A La King and Toll House Cookies.)

Congratulations to Ray (who is a three-time repeat Friday Fun winner)!

I hope you’ll all check back tomorrow for our next Friday Fun contest. If finding these puns was too daunting, we’re returning to a caption contest tomorrow! I hope to hear from you then!

Coke's Holiday Caravan

Do you remember our holiday commercials with light-up trucks delivering Coke (and Santa, too)?

Well, it’s time again for the Holiday Caravan, which may be visiting your town. The real trucks that have toured in the U.S. and around the world are based on magical trucks from one of our commercials.

In November 1995, we launched a new ad that quickly became a holiday tradition. “Christmas Caravan” showed magical Coca-Cola trucks, delivering Coke and illuminating the landscapes they passed. Santa (painted on the truck) even gave a holiday toast at the end.

Created by ad agency W.B. Doner, “Christmas Caravan” featured the special effects of the renowned company Industrial Light and Magic, who had worked on the “Star Wars” movies, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Forrest Gump.”

In the commercial, three 18-wheel “props” were crafted into an endless caravan of Coke trucks, passing through hillsides, valleys and towns. Each truck was a 40-foot, 2-ton “light brite” on wheels with more than 30,000 bulbs.

Inspired by the commercial, we created actual Holiday Caravan trucks, and they continue to tour today. Though I’m not involved with the tour, my colleagues have a site set up letting you see where the Coca-Cola Caravan will be.

And, if you’re in Atlanta, you can visit the Caravan, donate food for the hungry and receive a discount at at World of Coca-Cola. (Find out more in the “Holiday Festivities” area.)

The truck stopped at our Coke headquarters offices recently, giving us a chance to see the trucks and see Santa. I’d highly recommend a visit!

Read about our Holiday Caravan in Germany.

Coca-Cola Gingerbread recipe

In honor of the holiday season, I’ve found a gingerbread recipe made with Coca-Cola and Minute Maid orange juice.

Making gingerbread houses is a holiday tradition in many families, though some eat the decorations instead of putting them on the house! While this recipe isn’t the kind of flat gingerbread you’d use to make houses, I found this 1953 holiday ad showing busy elves and their gingerbread house.

Gingerbread Deluxe

1 pkg. (14 oz.) gingerbread mix
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice (Minute Maid, of course!)
3/4 cup Coca-Cola

Combine all ingredients. Beat vigorously with spoon until very well blended, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into 8x8x2-inch greased and flour pan.

Bake in moderate oven, 350°F, 30 to 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan and set on rack. Serve as a hot bread or as a dessert with whipped topping.

Makes 6 servings (about 2x4 inches).

I’ll admit that I was amused that this recipe begins with a gingerbread mix! By adding the other ingredients, though, you’ll give the bread a homemade flavor, and save time in the process!

See our other recipes.

Coca-Cola Christmas bottles

Christmas Day this year marks an 85th anniversary for Coca-Cola.

On December 25, 1923, the patent on the contour bottle was renewed for the first time. The patent really is from Christmas Day, and the bottles are referred to as “Christmas bottles.”

The contour bottles with this date were not produced on Christmas Day, which some people believe. The date only relates to the patent.

The design for the Christmas bottle was patented in the U.S. Patent Office and released in the Office’s publication, Official Gazette, on December 25, 1923.

The date was a coincidence; the publication was issued every Tuesday, and in 1923, Christmas Day happened to fall on a Tuesday. Even though the Patent Office was closed on December 25 for the holidays, the patent was still registered on that day.

All contour bottles made between late 1923 and 1937 carried the Christmas patent date. “Christmas bottles” are actually quite common despite their age.

You may have seen on my blog that glass Coca-Cola contour bottles – even very old ones – are only worth a few dollars. Christmas bottles still won’t make you rich, but they are worth a bit more – around $10-$15 in really good condition. Any damage to the bottle will greatly reduce its value.