The Legend of Coca-Cola and Santa Claus

Submitted by SadInAmerica on Thu, 12/24/2015 - 7:49am.


The Santa Claus we all know and love - that big, jolly man in the red suit with a white beard - didn't always look that way. In fact, many people are surprised to learn that prior to 1931, Santa was depicted as everything from a tall gaunt man to a spooky-looking elf. He has donned a bishop's robe and a Norse
huntsman's animal skin. ~ Slad - Video

In fact, when Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly in 1862, Santa was a small elflike figure who supported the Union. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years, changing the color of his coat from tan to the red he's known for today.




1. Santa Has Been Featured in Coke Ads Since the 1920s


In 1930, artist Fred Mizen painted a department-store Santa in a crowd drinking a bottle of Coke. The ad featured the world's largest soda fountain, which was located in the department store Famous Barr Co. in St. Louis, Mo.



2. Coca-Cola Helped Shape the Image of Santa

In 1931 the company began placing Coca-Cola ads in popular magazines. Archie Lee, the D'Arcy Advertising Agency executive working with The Coca-Cola Company, wanted the campaign to show a wholesome Santa who was both realistic and symbolic.

So Coca-Cola commissioned Michigan-born illustrator Haddon Sundblom to develop advertising images using Santa Claus - showing Santa himself, not a man dressed as Santa.


Moore's description of St. Nick led to an image of a warm, friendly, pleasantly plump and human Santa. (And even though it's often said that Santa wears a red coat because red is the color of Coca-Cola, Santa appeared in a red coat before Sundblom painted him.)




Sundblom created his final version of Santa Claus in 1964, but for several decades to follow, Coca-Cola advertising featured images of Santa based on Sundblom's original works.

These paintings are some of the most prized pieces in the art collection in the company's archives department and have been on exhibit around the world, in famous locales including the Louvre in Paris, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the Isetan Department Store in Tokyo, and the NK Department Store in Stockholm.

Many of the original paintings can be seen on display at World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Ga.




3. The "New Santa" Was Based on a Salesman




The children who appear with Santa in Sundblom's paintings were based on Sundblom's neighbors - two little girls. So he changed one to a boy in his paintings.



4. Santa Claus Got a New Friend in 1942


Sprite Boy, who was also created by Sundblom, got his name due to the fact that he was a sprite, or an elf. (It wasn't until the 1960s that Coca-Cola introduced the popular beverage Sprite.)


5. Santa Became Animated in 2001






December 24, 2015 - KnowTheLies


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