April 29, 2013

This Would Make My Great-Grandfather Roll Over In His Grave...


My mother's side of the family is from the Midwest.  Well, they actually came from Norway in the late 1800's and settled in Minnesota.  According to my mom, my great-grandfather was a stately gentleman, who had 12 children with his lovely bride.  Can you even imagine raising 12 children?  Anyway, they ultimately settled in Pine City, Minnesota and owned several Coca-Cola Franchises throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.  They were a well-known family in their community, as "pop" was quite a luxury in those days.  So, the family that produced and distributed the sugary beverage had celebrity status in their Midwestern neck of the woods.

My mom tells stories about lazy summers in her grandparent's home town with scads of cousins playing in and around the Coke Distribution Plant and participating in parades and festivals throughout July and August.  The grandchildren had any and all flavors of Coke products available to them at all times.  I recall one particular story my mom tells about the time she and her cousin snuck down to the corner market and purchased small packages of sugary crystals similar to Kool-aid.  When her grandfather discovered it, he was furious because he fully believed that Coke products were the one and only beverage, and immediately made the girls wash their treat down the drain.

Now fast forward decades later and we have come to find that pop, as we still call it in our home, is a beverage that is causing all sorts of problems due to this country's high consumption rate.  I can't even recall the last time I drank pop. Frankly, I just can't justify drinking calories that do not come from a bottle that reads Pinot Noir.

I stumbled upon this fictitious ad for Coke and got a kick out of it.  I am sure Coca-Cola would not approve, and I'm fairly certain that my great-grandfather would be equally shocked and dismayed since he lived and breathed everything Coke.  For that matter, he would probably take one look at my 64 ounce daily water intake and my morning kale~spinach smoothie and wonder where it all went wrong...

http://www.upworthy.com/the-brutally-honest-coca-cola-commercial-youll-never-see-on-the-air?c=upw1

3 comments:

  1. Grandpa Nelson and Many more in the family would be truly upset by this even though it is fake advertising. I still like Coke best over other soft drinks but only as an occasional treat with pizza. I remember my dad saying that one of the family sayings was "Lips that touch Pepsi shall not touch mine." (He still has Coke in the frig.) And Dad worked in the Pine City bottling company and also for Marshal in Eau Claire at the 7-Up Bottling factory. Do you remember drinking Old Smoothie? The Absolute Best! But I, too, have my large bottle of water with me all of the time. And I refuse artificial anything but especially artificial sweeteners and have for years. They seem to be really bad for fibromyalgia. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Julie!
    Sara

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    1. I remember Old Smoothie and the terrific stories that my mom tells about her childhood. Thanks for your note, Sara!

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  2. I haven't had a Coke for years and years but I do remember the lovely sweet taste.
    I also remember the challenges we did with Coke against Pepsi to see which tasted the best. Those were the days :)

    I wasn't able to watch the video as my computer kept stopping whilst trying to play it, but it's amazing how back in the day we ate and drank so much without thinking, then years later we find that the same products caused us harm when we look to the ingredients.

    It's the same with smoking, I remember people smoking everywhere and they enjoyed it, and it wasn't even seen or promoted as something bad. Now it's been banned from most places, adverts are no more, and everyone can see the after-effects of those days.

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