Coca-Cola Shakes It Up For The Holidays

Did you know that Coca-Cola actually created the modern day image of Santa Claus?

Back in the 1920s, the Coca-Cola Company was having difficulty selling its soft drink during the winter months. So, to soften the seasonality of their product, they hired Haddon Sundblom, a successful commercial artist at D'Arcy Advertising, to create an ad campaign for them.

From the late 1930s until the mid-1950s Haddon created cuddly Santas in Coca-Cola advertising that were the spitting image of a salesman friend of his. Later when that friend passed away, Sundblom stood in front of a mirror and began to paint an image of himself. Standing on Santa's side was Mrs. Claus, who looked just like Haddon's wife. Both were adorned in red and white, the corporate colors of Coca-Cola.

Haddon's image of Santa was so successful that by the 1940s, it had become the essence of Santa Claus all over the United States. 

• He was the Santa used in the 1947 move, Miracle on 34th Street.
• He rode the Norelco shaver in Christmas commercials.
• He was on the front of Hallmark card after Hallmark card.
• He even became known as the Salvation Army Santa.

Haddon's image lives on in every element of Christmas we see today. And to this day, no one - and I mean no one - has created a more endearing image of Santa than Coca-Cola.

In this year's holiday commercial, Coca-Cola brings that quintessential image of Santa back into our homes and into our lives.  Featuring the Train song, "Shake Up Christmas," Santa shakes his magic snow globe, helping to push people towards each other at the holidays. An adorable puppy slides into the arms of a delighted young boy. Two young people sitting miles apart on a bench slide towards each other and embrace. A store clerk takes an adventurous shop cart ride through the city to arrive just in time for family dinner. Santa smiles because all is well.

Open happiness ... brought to all, complements of Coca-Cola.

Hold the Bus? No. Stop the Train!

Scott Walker, Republican gubernatorial candidate for the state of Wisconsin, is leading the polls for state governor by seven points. His new ad is causing a lot of chat, with news sources like Time, Fox News, PBS, The Atlantic, and The National Journal all throwing their two cents into the discussion.

His topic? Stop the train. Literally. He promises taxpayers that if he becomes governor, he will permanently derail the high-speed rail link between Milwaukee and Madison, currently scheduled to cost taxpayers $810 million in federal stimulus money and $10 million in annual maintenance fees.

Walker has dedicated a few websites to his quest at www.notrain.com and www.brownbagmovement.com. These sites are amazingly pointed, laying out the consequences of proceeding with this train line to the average Joe.

His TV commercial is a series of splices between President Obama and Scott Walker talking frankly about the train. (Obama's comments are spliced from speeches that have nothing to do with a train line coming to Wisconsin!!) In his commentary, Walker plays directly into the hands of the working man - an area traditionally considered to be fertile ground for Democrats.

While I find this campaign to be a bit hard-hitting, I also find it refreshing. I sense authenticity in Scott Walker's message. He not only shares facts, but he expresses heart-felt passion to do what's right for the state of Wisconsin.

Evidently, other Wisconsites agree.

P.S. I wasn't able to find Facebook or Twitter accounts linked to either "No Train" or "Brown Bag Movement" and with a common name like Scott Walker, I even struggled to find his Twitter account.)