Coca-Cola and How it's Related to Progressivism

        Coca-Cola has been around and will continue to be around until the end of time. When Coca-Cola came to the booming town of Atlanta, Georgia, a new era dawned in America, the era of progressivism. The name, Coca-Cola derives from the word Coke, meaning cocaine, and kola (or cola) meaning the cola nut from which caffeine is extracted ("Coca-Cola, a Drug Drink" Jeffersonian).  According to America's Historical Newspaper, Coca-Cola was a wake up call for Americans, both good and bad. Many uptight journalists and businessmen thought that Coke was a horrible mistake and would corrupt American youth physically and mentally, while others thought the drink was an "agreeable tonic" or "a common cure for headaches and minor ailments" ("An Innocent Beverage" Times-Picayune). Coca-Cola was extremely controversial and served as a point of marketing, advertising, and entertainment that thrived because of the progressive era and it completely changed the game of economics and the year round lifestyles of families living in the 1890s-1920s.

       Marketing geniuses are the main reason Coca-Cola became such a symbol for Americans. Coke was seen as an amenity and was made all the rage because of the use of advertising.  Above, Santa Claus is seen enjoying a Coke by his Christmas tree and working hard under the watchful eye of a resting deer, everybody loved the images of Santa and it became a widely accepted drink because people thought, if Santa can drink Coke, then why can't I? The ads for Coca-Cola only included positives, claiming that it was "healthful," "innocent," and "cheap" ("Soda Water Profit Huge; Cost of Fountain Big" Plain Dealer). Coca-Cola began as a cure for common illnesses, as it was made by a chemist in a lab, and so it was believed that it was a healthy thing to drink. People marketed the drink all year round, using Santa Claus in the winter months, and beach scenes and advertisements in the summer. Cream sodas, Coke floats, and ice cream parlors took up the marketing for the soft drink in the summer and were able to form entire businesses around the drink because of the successful marketing campaigns. Below are some of the clever advertisements that were used to make Coca-Cola popular, not to mention appealing to Americans because it was seen as a medical need, not just as a drink.

        Other scientists, chemists, and pharmacists, however, didn't share the same innocent idea about Coca-Cola, many progressive adults and storeowners thought that Coke would corrupt the brains of the youth, because it was thought to contain amounts of cocaine and caffeine. Both of these allegations were true when tested, but Coca-Cola fought back by removing the cocaine from the drink and saying that the amounts of caffeine in the drink were no more than a normal glass of coffee or tea. The controversy caused because of the scientific research on Coke only made the drink more popular among Americans because it was still seen as new and fresh. Progressivism is shown by the fights that older Americans put up about the drink, because they didn't want a new and possibly impure drink. Journalists claimed that, "caffeine is posion, and should be banned" ("Dr. Kebler ... Declares it Has Poison" State). Plenty of angry businessmen had strenuous tests done concerning the drugs used in the drink because they didn't believe that the drink could make it in their society. Some people wanted to stick to the normal everyday tea and coffee, but without Coca-Cola, there would have never been the invention of Sprite, soda fountains, or a successful rise in marketing. People used gigantic headlines and long, jumbled doctors notes to try and convince others to stay away from Coke, claiming it contained, "opium and cocaine," and "it's influences are more lasting and damaging than whiskey" ("Worst Enemy to the Human Family..." Daily Herald). The progressives tried to completely shun Coca-Cola, but the marketing and advertising of the well-known company in Georgia was well knit and structured, so it did not fail. The progressive era proved to be an obstacle that the Coca-Cola company thrived and overcame, because of the fantastic marketing, the message in the bottle, literally, and the idea of a new drink that could cure all things.