thesodafizz
Posts: 147
Joined: 1/13/2008
Status: offline
|
Actually, it began with Royal Crown, but it was a golden ginger ale (made at Claud Hatcher's grocery store). Chero Cola was the first cola and outsold Coke in it's heyday. Later, when they had "perfected" Chero cola, they brought the ginger ale's name back and called it Royal Crown.
To quote the article I did ages ago for Blair Matthew's Soda Pop Dreams:
. Originally called the Union Bottling Works [1905, Columbus, Ga.), the first line of beverages was named Royal Crown, a ginger ale and the first cola was called Chero-Cola. Also produced were Royal Crown Strawberry. It remained Union Bottling Works until the name changed to Chero-Cola Co, and expansion led to a decision to incorporate the company. A charter was granted by Judge S. Price Gilbert in Muscogee County Superior Court of Columbus in 1912.
The whole thing is (with some missing links to photos that Angelfire "lost") here :
http://www.angelfire.com/tn/traderz/chero.html
Iintroduced in 1924, Nehi became so successful that the company changed name to Nehi Corp. in 1928 and later changed again to Royal Crown Co. (according to the company) in 1965 (although, for some reason, I thought it was earlier than '65).
Chero/Nehi was in a lawsuit (with Coca-Cola) from 1914 to 1944 over using the word "Cola" (why you see some bottles with Chero Cola and some without, having only Chero) The courts decided that Cola was generic enough a word that other companies could, indeed, use it. I've always heard the rumor that it was because the word "trademark" appeared in only the tail of the "C" in Coca, not Cola. But I suspect it is more what was actually registered with the patent office in relation to the name than where the word trademark appeared and/or the definition of "cola.". But either way, 30 years is about 29 years too long to decide something that isn't lfe threatening - and just goes to show how deep Coke's pockets are to pay attorneys for so long. (And we all know how I feel about Coke and their stupid attorneys.)
Also, does anyone have an example of the Royal Crown ginger ale? Or even an ad. I'd love to have a photo to go with my little write-up about it. (You wouldn't believe the people who have argued me into the ground that Royal Crown wasn't a ginger ale. And this info came from the company itself.....so, I assume they know what they are talking about. But if I had a photo, or something - anything, it would make it easeir for those ones to accept.:)
Anyway....just my two cents worth. And if anyone has more info to add, please do let me know. I'd love to add it, or correct what I have.
K
|
royal crown - 
. Had to be here. Here's the back. If ya noticed he said " a RC Co Cola" everything down here's a Coke. 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread