Coca-Cola's Iconic Contour Bottle Rolls into Philadelphia in Curvy Two-Liter Form
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coca-Cola's famous curvy contour bottle hits Philadelphia store shelves this week, and it is bigger and better than ever! The Philadelphia market is the first in the northeastern U.S. to introduce the convenient two-liter version of the iconic package. After successful pilots in Birmingham, AL and Chattanooga, TN, the curvy bottle was rolled out in several southern cities last year.
The new two-liter form of Coca-Cola's famous package was preferred over the straight wall two-liter bottle overwhelmingly in consumer tests* and offers a significant advantage beyond its classic good looks - it is also easier to hold and easier to pour. The new Coca-Cola two-liter contour plastic bottle will be available in stores throughout the Philadelphia area beginning this week. All Coca-Cola trademark brands will be available in the new two-liter contour package, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Caffeine Free Coca-Cola and Caffeine Free Diet Coke. Importantly for customers, research conducted by Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) with consumers suggests that the two-liter contour package has the potential to re-energize sparkling beverage sales in their stores as well**.
"Along with Coca-Cola's one-of-a-kind real cola taste, the iconic shape of the contour bottle is what people love most about the brand. They are both a part of its timeless magic," said Hendrik Steckhan, president and general manager, Sparkling Beverages, CCNA. "We want to offer our brands to consumers in a special way that fits their needs for all contemporary beverage occasions. When you enjoy your family meal together, sharing an ice-cold Coke from a contour bottle is just 'the real thing'."
"Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company is pleased to introduce the new version of Coca-Cola's iconic bottle to our consumers and customers," said Francis X. McGorry, president and CEO, Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company. "Consumers love this package innovation, and we feel that it will directly benefit our customers by creating additional interest and demand among their shoppers for our two-liter portfolio of brands. I am particularly proud of the leadership that the launch team from Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company and CCNA has demonstrated as we worked together to bring this innovative opportunity to our customers and consumers."
Nearly 92 years after its creation, the contour bottle remains a symbol of innovation, instantly differentiating the world's best known sparkling beverage from all other products. Widely recognized as a pioneering example of package-driven branding, the contour bottle is one of the few packages to ever receive a trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Leveraging Coca-Cola's iconic shape to further differentiate its two-liter package is one part of CCNA's ongoing efforts to revitalize the sparkling beverage category.
In addition to the new two-liter Coca-Cola contour bottle, CCNA's other sparkling beverage brands will also have new two-liter versions of their proprietary packages as part of the Philadelphia launch. The familiar shapes of Sprite's signature bottle and the distinctively shaped bottle for CCNA's brands like Fanta, Fresca, Seagram's and others will all be offered in a two-liter package. The launch is supported with in-store media, out-of-home and newspaper advertising.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, POWERADE, Minute Maid and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our Web site at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
*Internal CCNA Research
**Internal CCNA Research
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Source: The Coca-Cola Company
Released May 21, 2009