Сoca-cola more than just a soft drink

According to the BBC the two most recognisable symbols in the world today relate not to the great religions but to a rather famous brown fizzy drink and a humble hamburger. The red can is now recognised by more people around the world than any other symbol. The shape of the bottle is recognised second only to the egg and the spoken name is the world's most recognised word after 'OK'. Such is the power of advertising ... or is it? There comes a point where a brand develops a life of its own and the associations surrounding the brand become more than the product itself. Never has this been truer than with Coca-Cola.

Launched in 1886 Coca-Cola became one of the earliest examples of a national brand in the USA. Following the liberation of Europe and South East Asia in 1945 it was American cigarettes, nylon stockings and Coca-Cola that became the currency of freedom. Collecting the empties became a source of income and new companies were born on the proceeds. Is it little wonder then, that this humble soft drink originally sent over to remind American soldiers of home has become such a worldwide symbol of freedom in more than 200 countries with over 225,000,000 litres being drunk every day. When Coca-Cola appeared in Moscow just after the fall of the Berlin Wall sales rocketed as the red can became an affordable icon of change. It became the gift; no self respecting male would offer his girlfriend flowers if the magic red can was available. Sales rose from nothing to 44% of market share in 6 months and all because it epitomised the yearning for freedom.

Coca-Cola arrived here officially in 1992 just after independence; the company was one of the first sizable foreign investors in Ukraine. By 1998 Coca-Cola in conjunction with the Hellenic Bottling Company had built one of the largest bottling plants in Europe and today has invested over $280 million. Over 80 % of all the raw materials used are sourced in Ukraine. Even the water comes from 390m below the factory in the lime stone rocks of the Jurassic period. Cynics would say ''Ah but the local product is not as good as the original''... they would be wrong as product quality is always well within the 2 % tolerance set down by Coca-Cola production standards. Coca-Cola in Ukraine employ over 1000 people directly, only three of which are non-Ukrainian. Such is the nature of the product that for every job directly created a further 12 people are employed as collateral benefit. Today Coca-Cola is sold through over 50,000 outlets including just about every supermarket, gastronome, bazaar and kiosk in the country. As in the rest of the world Coca-Cola is now Ukraine's favourite non alcoholic drink.

In the 20th Century no single product has evolved to become such a symbol of freedom and enjoyment. No single brand has become more directly associated with the aspirations of the young and no product has done more to enhance the values of freedom of choice, thought and action than the humble bottle of brown fizzy liquid we have all come to enjoy.

Exercise 1. Match the words from the text (1-10)with their definitions (a-j).

1. fizzy a. the percentage of the total market sales of a product in a given period

2. humble b. advantage

3. brand c. circulation

4. currency d. unpretentious

5. sales e. lofty hopes

6. market share f. tradename

7. standard g. a place where products or services are sold or distributed

8. benefit h. criterion

9. outlet i. sparkling

10. aspirations j. volume of selling

Exercise 2. Complete the passage using words from Exercise 1 in the correct form.