Coca-Cola has been in the mural business for over a century. The company commissioned its first wall sign in the 1890s and, by 1910, they accounted for 25 percent of the company’s total advertising budget.
To ensure consistency and protect the integrity of its trademark, Coca-Cola distributed how-to playbooks to local bottlers with detailed instructions to pass along to contract artists starting in 1923. The manuals included style guidelines, approved scripts and paint colors, and other do’s and don’ts to ensure a seamless look across the country.
But by the 1950s, small-towners flocked to larger cities, and busi