Some of the longest-serving employees of Тhe Coca-Cola System in Bulgaria shared unique personal and professional memories related to their work over the past few decades, during which they have built valuable friendships, gained exceptional experience and developed extensive skills and knowledge. A dream come true, a dreamed goal or a happy coincidence – for them Coca-Cola has become much more than an employer all these years, and their emotional stories prove that Coca-Cola is a family.
Some of the most popular and beloved Bulgarians from various fields of art and public life also shared their 55 words with which they associate Coca-Cola. Performers, actors, writers, TV presenters, vloggers and influencers including Maria Ilieva, Grafa, Lyuben Dilov Jr. , Kamen Vodenicharov, Krisko, Mihaela Fileva, Stan & Stefi, Silvia Petkova, Mitko Pavlov, Geri Turiyska, Emil Konrad and many others, made the 55th anniversary of Coca-Cola even more special by telling their personal stories. Some of the numerous partners and customers with whom Coca-Cola has been working for years shared in 55 words how valuable the partnership between them is – Fantastico Retail Chain, OMV Bulgaria, Ebag, Avanti Store Chain and Junior Achievement Bulgaria.
For 5 weeks, the stories were published in various online media in a series of 55 inspiring texts. In this way, readers became empathetic to the symbolic celebration of the anniversary of Coca-Cola in the country and had the opportunity to remember their Coca-Cola history.
At the end of the campaign we share the story without which these 55 years would not have been possible, the story from which everything begins – how Coca-Cola came to Bulgaria.
In 1965 Toncho Mihailov – a technologist in a soft drink company, traveled on a business trip to Paris. In a small French bistro, he ordered an orangeade for his dinner and they served him Fanta. The next day, he asked his colleagues to take him to the plant where Fanta was produced, as he wanted to offer this “orangeade” for production in Bulgaria as well. Thus he ended up in a Coca-Cola plant, where he was received by the company’s vice president in France. Mr. Mihailov was worried about how the drink would be received in Bulgaria, as the flavors of both Coca-Cola and Fanta were unknown here at the time, and the hosts on their turn were surprised by the interest of the Bulgarian. In Bulgaria, however, an even bolder idea was born – to produce Coca-Cola in our country. Thus, just a few weeks after Mr. Mihailov’s business trip to Paris, The Coca-Cola Company signed a contract for the production of the iconic drink in Bulgaria and the country became the first on the east side of the Iron Curtain to start producing Coca-Cola – in the autumn of 1965, and the logo on the contour bottles was in Cyrillic for the first time.
See all the stories of the campaign 55 Years of Coca-Cola in 55 Stories of 55 Words:
Part 1 – Capital.bg
https://www.capital.bg/biznes/kompanii/2020/09/14/4112787_55_godini_koka-kola_v_bulgariia_v_55_istorii_ot_55_dumi/
Part 2 – Vesti.bg
https://www.vesti.bg/lyubopitno/55-godini-koka-kola-v-bylgariia-6114969
Part 3 – GoGuide.bg
https://goguide.bg/koi-kakvo-zashto/7717-55-godini-KokaKola-v-Bylgariia-v-55-istorii-ot-55-dumi
Part 4 – 24chasa.bg
https://www.24chasa.bg/novini/article/9040078
Part 5 – Actualno.com
https://www.actualno.com/literature/55-godini-koka-kola-v-bylgarija-v-55-istorii-ot-55-dumi-news_1502715.html
Part 6 – Dnevnik.bg
https://www.dnevnik.bg/biznes/companii/2020/10/01/4120170_55_godini_koka-kola_v_bulgariia_v_55_istorii_ot_55_dumi/
Part 7 – Webcafe.bg
https://webcafe.bg/ad-blok/55-godini-koka-kola-v-balgariya-v-55-istorii-ot-55-dumi.html
Part 8 – Eva.bg
https://eva.bg/article/40381-55-godini-Koka-Kola-v-Balgariya-v-55-istorii-ot-55-dumi
Part 9 – Dnes.bg
https://www.dnes.bg/akoshtete-vqrvaite/2020/10/12/55-godini-koka-kola-v-bylgariia-v-55-istorii-ot-55-dumi.465416
Part 10 – ViewSofia.com
https://www.viewsofia.com/article/48999/55-godini-Koka-Kola-vBalgariya-
Part 11 – TheVoice.bg
https://thevoice.bg/news/55-godini-koka-kola-v-bylgariya-v-55-istorii-ot-55-dumi-n18445.html
