Coca-Cola celebrates 100 years of its iconic bottle design

The Coca-Cola Company celebrates the hundred-year journey of its bottle design with a year-long campaign that involves a new anthem and a series of art exhibits.

In a slideshow on its website, Coca-Cola shows the evolution of its bottle. While the drink was first bottled in 1899, it wasn't until 1915 that the bottle's now iconic curves were created by the Root Glass Company. According to the softdrink giant, the creative brief given to Root was to create a bottle "that could be recognized when broken on the ground or by touch in the dark."

The new anthem that will play in TV ads all year round is "Nobody Like You" by 19-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter Francesco Yates. "The anthem's lyrics tell both a traditional love story and serve as an ode to the contour shape of the Coca-Cola bottle and the specialness of shared moments," the company said in a statement.



Coca-Cola has also organized two art events: the exhibit "The Coca-Cola Bottle: An American Icon at 100" at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia; and a traveling tour, "The Coca-Cola Bottle: Inspiring Pop Culture for 100 Years."

The former is a four-part exhibit that pays homage to the Coca-Cola bottle and its place in the worlds of art, design, and commerce over the past 100 years. It features two original Andy Warhol Coke bottle paintings alongside more than 100 original bottle-inspired artworks and photographs. It will also showcase original bottle prototypes and sketches. It has been open to the public since February 28 and will close on October 4.  

The traveling tour features an array of Coca-Cola bottle themed art, historical artifacts, and interactive experiences to emphasize the brand's role in pop culture. The exhibition will visit more than 15 countries around the world in 2015.

Other campaigns: films, images of icons, book, app

The legacy of the Coca-Cola bottle will also be explored in 14 TV and digital ads and a campaign called "Kissed By" featuring iconic celebrities Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Ray Charles being "kissed" by the Coca-Cola bottle.
 
Coca-Cola also partnered with French publishing house Assouline to release a limited edition book, "Kiss the Past Hello," that highlights the bottle's history. It features famous artwork of the bottle as well as new interpretations from contemporary artists and designers.
 
The beverage company also takes its consumers on an interactive virtual journey on the bottle that includes a look through the company's archives, giving consumers access to stories about the brand and the bottle. — Trisha Macas/BM, GMA News