The Most Recognised Shape in the World – The Coca-Cola Bottle

Coca-Cola began in 1886 in Atlanta, USA and since then it has become one of the most successful brands in the world. North Korea and Cuba are the only countries where Coca-Cola is not sold and the global popularity of the drink combined with the distinctive shape of its bottle make it a heavyweight contender for the prize of most recognised shape in the world.

It is no accident that the Coca-Cola bottle is so distinctive. In 1915 Coca-Cola decided to design a unique shaped bottle because of the large number of imitators who were trying to pass off as Coca-Cola. Their executives wanted a bottle that was so unique it could be identified in the dark simply by its shape. Using the cocoa pod as inspiration designer Earl R Dean at the Root Glass Company turned their wish into reality and the ‘contour bottle’ hit the shelves in 1916.

It is the first bottle to be given trademark status in the USA and has become so iconic that one of only two remaining prototypes sold for US$240,000 in 2011 with the original concept drawing reaching a cool US$228,000 at the same auction.

For Coca-Cola the bottle shape has been a stroke of branding genius that is still in use after almost 100 years.

The original bottle prototype was slimmed down before going into production in 1916.

Posted 25 August 2015