The Birth of Coca-Cola: From Cure-All Tonic to Global Icon
By Jude Obuseh Dr. John Stith Pemberton, an American pharmacist, created Coca-Cola on May 8, 1886, forever changing the world of beverages. Initially marketed as a cure-all tonic, Coca-Cola's name derives from two of its original ingredients: coca leaves (a legal source of cocaine at the time) and kola nuts (a source of caffeine). Pemberton, based in Atlanta, had access to a wide range of chemicals and natural ingredients. One day, he concocted a dark liquid and took it to Jacobs' Pharmacy. There, it was mixed with soda water and served to customers. The response was overwhelmingly positive—they found it wonderfully refreshing! Thus, Pemberton began selling his creation, the precursor to today's Coca-Cola, for five cents per glass as a take-out drink. The iconic Coca-Cola logo was designed by Frank M. Robinson, Pemberton's accountant. Robinson believed that the two Cs would make for an attractive advertising brand. The brand, with its distinctive italic ty...