How Coca‑Cola Became Part of America's Story

From WWII battlefields to the upcoming America250 celebration, Coca‑Cola has shown up for the moments that shaped our country—not as a bystander, but as a bridge between people.

• During WWII, Coca‑Cola built 64 bottling plants overseas to get 5 billion bottles to American troops
• The brand took bold stands during the Civil Rights era, organizing MLK's Nobel Prize dinner and featuring integrated advertising
• As America250's signature partner, Coca‑Cola continues connecting communities through shared experiences

When America Needed a Taste of Home

Picture this: you're a GI stationed somewhere in the Pacific, and General Eisenhower himself has made sure you can get an ice-cold Coke for a nickel. That's exactly what happened during WWII, when Coca‑Cola built 64 bottling plants overseas and delivered over 5 billion bottles to American troops.

This wasn't just good business—it was a lifeline. Those bottles carried more than refreshment; they carried home. The logistics alone were staggering, but Coca‑Cola figured it out because they understood what mattered. A soldier sharing a Coke with a local became one of the war's most powerful images, showing American values in action: friendship, generosity, and hope.

The wartime effort also accidentally created Coca‑Cola's global footprint. Those bottling plants and relationships didn't disappear when the war ended—they became the foundation for bringing Coke to the world.

The Dinner That Changed Atlanta

Here's a story that doesn't get told enough: In 1964, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize, Atlanta's business leaders weren't sure they wanted to honor him. Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. called Coca‑Cola executives Robert Woodruff and Paul Austin, who didn't hesitate. They rallied the city's elite and organized an interracial dinner that sold out—1,500 people at the Dinkler Plaza Hotel.

Dr. King spoke, the crowd sang "We Shall Overcome," and Atlanta showed what it could become. It was a landmark moment for the city, and it happened because Coca‑Cola believed in bringing people together (even when it wasn't the easy choice).

Five years later, Coca‑Cola made another bold move with the "Boys on the Bench" ad—the first time they featured Black and white kids together, just sharing a Coke and laughing. Simple, powerful, and way ahead of its time. 

When Ads Become Anthems

In 1971, while America wrestled with Vietnam, Coca‑Cola put a multicultural chorus on an Italian hillside to sing "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke." The ad generated over 100,000 letters, radio stations played the song, and suddenly a commercial became a peace anthem.

That's the thing about Coca‑Cola's best campaigns—they don't just sell soda, they capture what people are feeling. The 2014 Super Bowl ad with "America the Beautiful" sung in seven languages did the same thing.

Space, Sports, and Presidential Bottles

Coca‑Cola has this knack for showing up everywhere, including space. In 1985, they spent nearly a year designing a special can for the Space Shuttle Challenger, making Coke the first soft drink consumed in zero gravity. (Because apparently, even astronauts need refreshment.)

Back on Earth, they've sponsored every Olympics since 1928 and saved the 1984 Los Angeles Games by becoming the first major corporate sponsor. Olympic pin trading? That started with Coca‑Cola.

Since 2005, they've commemorated every presidential inauguration with limited-edition bottles.

America250: The Next Chapter

Now Coca‑Cola's gearing up for America's 250th birthday as a signature partner of America250. Through July 4, 2026, they're helping create opportunities for all 350 million Americans to reflect on our heritage, celebrate what unites us and imagine the possibilities of the next 250 years.

It's not about selling more Coke—it's about what Coca‑Cola has always done best: creating moments where people connect. Whether that's troops sharing bottles overseas, kids on a bench, or families celebrating at community events, the pattern stays the same.

Your Turn to Join In

From wartime bottling plants to space shuttles to your local celebration, Coca‑Cola keeps showing up for the moments that matter. The America250 celebration is just getting started, and there's room for everyone.

Check out America250.org to see what's happening in your community. Because the best celebrations happen when we all show up together.