Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by John Pemberton who, in his first year of business, spent more money on advertising than the company raised. This marked the start of what has to be one of the most effectively and aggressively marketed brands in history and so it is no surprise that the Coca-Cola logo is so instantly recognisable - a true household name. 

 

Here we see that iconic logo and colour-way displayed big and bold, measuring in at nearly 1.5m wide this is a real statement piece. The sign reads 'Buvez Coca-Cola' -French for 'drink' and 'Marque déposée' means 'Trade Mark'... In the lower right corner of the sign we see that the sign was produced by the Belgian company Plastemal (of Brussels) in 1973 and would most likely have been produced for the French market, though it may have remained in Belgium. The sign is litho-printed tin and has aged very nicely - there are patches of paint loss and corrosion scattered across the piece that add to it's character without affecting it's legibility or impact. Some surface scratches are also noticeable, primarily on the red to the sides. The sign would've originally hung from small tabs mounted to the corners - only the upper left one remains functional, the lower tabs are damaged and the upper right one is missing, though a hole drilled in the corner has replaced it's function and means the sign can be hung and displayed with ease. 

 

The sign measures 148cm wide x 98cm high and it has a 1.3cm return that adds to it's rigidity.