Pepsi:Cola

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Durham, NC	Wilmington, NC	Jacksonville, FL		Chattanooga, TN

Since 1898

Another pharmacist, Caleb Bradham from New Bern, NC, developed and marketed a cola drink as a digestive aid and energy booster. In 1898 he named it Pepsi:Cola and in 1902 he launched the Pepsi:Cola Co from the back room of his pharmacy. In 1903, he registered the PEPSI-COLA trademark. He started bottling his drink in 1905 and began awarding franchises, the first two in Charlotte and Durham, and by 1910 the business had expanded to 24 states and 280 bottlers. Shortly after WWI, some bad losses due to sugar prices, combined with poor marketing, forced him into bankruptcy. He sold the trademark and business in 1923 for $35,000. The company changed hands four times by 1928 and went bankrupt again in 1931. The trademark was resurrected by Charles Guth, owner of Loft Inc, a chain of candy stores and soda fountains along the East Coast, who tinkered with the recipe. Guth began the selling of the 12oz bottle for a nickel, twice as much soda for the same price of other soft drinks, and Pepsi became so popular that Loft Inc merged with the subsidiary to become the Pepsi-Cola Co. In the late 50s, the company began actively advertising using stars such as Joan Crawford, and in more recent years, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Michael J. Fox.

The company, which in 1965 changed its name to PepsiCo, expanded into other beverages, such as Mountain Dew and Lipton's Iced Tea, as well as acquiring Frito Lay's, and ventured into the restaurant business with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC. Now Pepsi is bottled in at least 150 countries.

Pepsi is second only to Coca-Cola in soda-pop collectibles. Unlike Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola serving trays and calendars were produced inconsistently over the years. Early examples are rare, as Pepsi-Cola Company did not consider calendars and serving trays as important advertising items. Signs produced by the company: tin, porcelain, cardboards and cutouts. Good selections of embossed, paper label, ACL and a Hutch bottle are also available. Six-pack carriers, glasses, novelty giveaways, clocks, thermometers and some great periodical advertising are just some of the many to find. Starting in the late '30s an advertising campaign starring two cartoon "cops" called "Pepsi & Pete" was featured on much of Pepsi's advertising. Today, most of the "Pepsi & Pete" stuff is among the most sought after of all. Pepsi & Pete also appeared in a regular newspaper comic strip.

First row of photos: Different embossed Pepsi:Cola bottles <Click to enlarge.>
Second photo: Pepsi:Cola crowncaps.
Left: Pepsi:Cola. 1912-1915 (Amethyst). Jacksonville Fla <Click to enlarge.>

First Photo: Porcelain dispenser typical of those used at soda fountains in the early 1900's. A pull on the handle dispensed one ounce of syrup concentrate into a glass. Five ounces of soda water were then stirred into the syrup to produce a six ounce glass of Pepsi:Cola.
Second Photo: "Top of the Case" card from Series One Pepsi:Cola Trading Cards produced in 1994 by Dart Flipcards Inc in Canada.
Third Photo: Pepsi:Cola tray from 1909, 11" X 14". Featuring a 'Gibson-style' girl from that era posing in a drugstore similar to the one in New Bern, North Carolina, where Bradham created the Pepsi:Cola formula.

First Photo: The 1908 tray pictured here is the FIRST serving tray issued by the Pepsi:Cola Co. There were three trays featuring lovely "Pepsi Girls" produced during this era. This tray is the oldest, rarest and considered to be the most beautiful.
Second Photo: The end of the 1930s signaled another trend in soft drink sales. The advent of electric refrigerators created a new take-home market, and for the first time, Pepsi was sold in the six-pack carriers. The bottles in this wood carrier sold for 25 cents a six-pack.
Third Photo: In 1923 Pepsi:Cola headquarters moved from New Bern, NC to Richmond, VA. During this period a new shape was designed for the Pepsi:Cola bottle. This rare metal sign featuring the new curved bottle was produced in 1930.

First Photo: In the early 1900s, many Pepsi:Cola bottlers created their own display ads for local newpapers. The unique ad pictured here was run by a bottler in Winston-Salem, NC, who selected his own text and artwork.
Second Photo: Pepsi and Pete's likeness appeared on promotional products as well. Before the advent of central air-conditioning, fan pulls were a popular way to advertise. This fan pull from the 1940s hung in a small grocery store.
Third Photo: Pepsi:Cola introduced their first cone-topped can in 1949. The can was designed to use the same crown cap as the bottles. These 12oz cans sold at three for a quarter. Lack of consumer interest prevented the wide-spread distribution until soda cans made a resurgence in 1960.

The early Pepsi:Cola Co experimented with various campaigns to promote Pepsi. This free drink coupon was one such promotion. Pepsi also gave away such premiums as silverware and appliances based on the number of crown caps a customer turned in.

Coupons were one of the earliest forms of advertising predated only by newspaper ads. Coupons like these were used from 1905-1915, and were redeemable at any soda fountain that sold Pepsi:Cola.

First Photo: Pepsi and Pete were also used as point-of-sale advertising. This cardboard cut-out sign is from 1940. Other point-of-sale items included bag holders, bottle toppers and festoons. Today these items are some of the most sought after Pepsi collectibles.
Second Photo: BRADHAM DRUG STORE. Pictured here is a very rare photograph of Caleb Bradham standing behind the counter of his soda fountain where he invented Pepsi:Cola. The friends and customers surrounding him were of the first to sample his new creation.

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