Dateline:
May 8, 1886 – Pharmacist John Pemberton first sells a carbonated
beverage named "Coca-Cola" as a patent medicine. Patent medicines are
compounds promoted and sold as medical cures that do not work as
promoted. "Patent medicine" is a misnomer since in most cases, although
products might be trademarked, they are not patented (the patent process
requires proof that something new has been discovered.
Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose
marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink
market throughout the 20th century. Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink
sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in every country
except Cuba and North Korea.It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of
Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke (a registered
trademark of The Coca-Cola Company in the United States since March 27,
1944).
