Coca Cola Lights Its
Christmas Tree
Families gathered Sunday
for the lighting of the
Christmas tree of the
Coca Cola company, the
company that actually
helped shape this
modern-day image of
Santa through its
advertising.
The 20 metre (65 foot)
tree stands tall across
the front of the
Gimnasio Nacional and
the start of Avenida 10
at east end of the
Sabana park and more
than 3.000 light bulbs
to make it shine.
The magic of Christmas
was full of Christmas
carols, musice, dance
and fireworks in the
third annual celebration
by the Cocal Cola
company, as way of
restoring public
confidence, according to
company officials.
2007 marks the 76th
anniversary of the
famous Coca-Cola Santa
Claus. Starting in 1931,
magazine ads for
Coca-Cola featured St.
Nick as a kind, jolly
man in a red suit.
Because magazines were
so widely viewed, and
because this image of
Santa appeared for more
than three decades, the
image of Santa most
people have today is
largely based on that
advertising.
Did you know?
It's a common
misconception that Santa
wears a red coat because
red is the color of
Coca-Cola. In fact,
Santa appeared in a red
coat before artist
Haddon Sundblom painted
him for Coca-Cola
advertising.
People loved the
Coca-Cola Santa images
and paid such close
attention to them, that
when anything changed,
they sent letters to The
Coca-Cola Company. One
year, Santa's large belt
was backwards (perhaps
because artist Haddon
Sundblom used himself as
a model and painted by
looking in a mirror).
Another year, Santa
Claus appeared without a
wedding ring, causing
fans to write asking
what happened to Mrs.
Claus. |
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