Smoking, branding, and the meaning of life

Citation

Hastings G & MacFadyen L (1998) Smoking, branding, and the meaning of life. Tobacco Control, 7 (2), pp. 107-108. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc.7.2.107

Abstract
First paragraph: What are the best known words in the world? . . . Sex? . . . Life? . . . Death? . . . Jesus? No. They're Coca Cola. This is a tribute to the immense power of branding. In essence, Coke (notice we even have a pet name for it) is just a fizzy drink, but it has a turnover approaching £9000 million (US$ 14 000 million) in some 185 countries and its familiar bottle, font, and red and white livery are symbols of fun, freedom, and the American way of life across vastly different cultures. And Coke is not alone: Kodak, Sony, Gillette, Levi, Marlboro, and countless other brands each provide mundane products with distinctive values and personalities.

Notes
Output Type: Editorial

Journal
Tobacco Control: Volume 7, Issue 2