How Coca-Cola gave the world red Santa Claus

'Twas the night before Christmas — or not. It was actually just another night in 1862 when the American cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus in red for Harper's Weekly, supporting the Union during the American Civil War. 

Before that, even after, Santa donned a green bishop's robe or even a Norse huntsman's animal skin. The myth of Santa Claus is derived from the benevolent Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra (Turkey) in the 4th Century, who is said to have often worn green. 

Where did the savvy admen of Coca-cola come into the picture then? 

In the 1920s, the beverage giant wanted to boost winter sales (hard to sell ice-cold soda in a blizzard, right?). They commissioned an illustrator named Haddon Sundblom to create a "wholesome" Santa. Drawing inspiration from Clement Clark Moore’s 1822 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," Sundblom debuted a Santa who was "plump and jolly" with twinkling eyes and a beard as white as carbonated foam.

Crucially, he dressed him in the brand’s signature Coke Red.

As mentioned earlier, Santa had been dressed in red before, but once Coca-Cola turned him into its Christmas mascot, the brand's repeated holiday marketing blitz was etched into the memory of generations of audiences.

While Santa Claus or Father Christmas (as he is popularly known in some parts of Europe) was inspired by the benevolent Turkish saint who helped poor families by secretly leaving behind money for their daughters' dowries in drying laundry or stockings, the image of Santa needed a more visual inspiration than just a telltale one. 

Initially, Coca-Cola's illustrator created Santa's images in the ads based on the likeness of his friend Lou Prentiss, a retired salesman. When Prentiss passed away, Sundblom turned to the mirror for inspiration. 

Soon, Coca-Cola's Santa Claus was no longer just a brand mascot; he had turned into a cultural icon, so when the models for Santa changed, people took notice.

"One year, Santa's large belt was backwards (perhaps because Sundblom was painting via a mirror). Another year, Santa Claus appeared without a wedding ring, causing fans to write asking what happened to Mrs Claus," reads Coca-Cola's official website. 

In these ads, Santa was portrayed as a relatable and real person coming down chimneys and raiding the family refrigerator, playing with toys under the tree, or pausing to read fan mail, all while taking a well-deserved break to enjoy a cold bottle of Coke.

So, while the legendary Bishop of Myra gave us the spirit of giving, it was Coca-Cola that gave him a permanent wardrobe. It turns out the greatest trick the Coke ever pulled wasn't just selling a soda in a snowstorm, it was convincing the whole world that the North Pole’s official dress code was Coke Red.