Recommended by: WiseSuit Staff

The Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink and the Company That Makes It!!

Coca-Cola is arguably the most recognizable and valuable brand in the world. Few brands have such international appeal and recognition. Where did it all begin? How did a simple cola mixture take on such power? How was the brand built?

These questions are answered in this excellently-written detailed account of the growth of Coca-Cola. The author takes us on a journey where we learn:

• How it all began with the original secret Coca-Cola mixture
• Selling through Coke fountains and bottles
• The war over who actually owned the rights to the Coca-Cola mixture
• The fight with Coca-Cola bottlers
• Allegations of traces of cocaine in the mixture
• Innovative advertising and marketing as well as marketing blunders
• Profiles of its legendary leaders: Robert Woodruff and Roberto Goizueta
• And much, much more...

This book answers all the questions we may ever ask about this incredible business that has survived and thrived since its inception in 1886. A must-read.

Reviews: 

"Detailed and marvelously entertaining." - Los Angeles Times

"An encyclopedic history of Coke and its subculture. [Pendergrast] has used Coca-Cola as a metaphor for the growth of modern capitalism itself. His research and storytelling skills are prodigious." - Washington Post

About the Author:

Mark Pendergrast, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, grew up on West Paces Ferry Road, known locally as "Coca-Cola Row." He developed a forbidden thirst for Coke when his health-conscious mother refused to allow it in the house. This book is his revenge. A Harvard graduate, Pendergrast has written extensively from his home in Vermont and is the author of Victims of Memory: Incest Accusations and Shattered Lives and Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World.

Categories:  Leadership ,  Biography,  Marketing