Is Coca Cola Kosher?
Is it Kosher for Passover?
The answer to both questions is yes, thanks to the late Rabbi Tobias Geffen. Born in Kovno Lithuania, he ended up in Atlanta by way of Canton, Ohio; and if you want to read the full story of how Coke became Kosher, here’s a link.
We’re not fans of Coke consumption, although we do indulge in the occasional glass, like a teetotaler who falls off the wagon with a semi-annual drop of Sherry.
But we are big fans of Coke’s marketing. They have set the standard for innovative marketing for well over a century.
And they are still at it.
Our son was in a mall yesterday where the local Coke folk were running a terrific promotion. They snap your picture and a minute later you are handed a free 2-liter bottle of Kosher-For-Passover Coke with your face on the label.
We’re saving that bottle for the Seder.
Think of all the famous Coke advertising slogans that you remember. Here’s the definitive list.
My personal favorite: 1891’s “The Ideal Brain Tonic”. That was really truth in advertising since a single glass of Coke contained 9 milligrams of cocaine until 1893. We have a framed Coke magazine ad in our office from 1941 with the slogan “Work Refreshed“.
Take a look at the photo at the top of this post and you can see the original hand-written Kosher For Passover certification of Rabbi Geffen on the top of a bottle of Coca Cola.
Rabbi Geffen (Full Disclosure: the Rabbi’s grandson is my physician and lives in Beersheva) was willing to go the extra mile to make a popular product available to Kosher-observant Jews and Coca Cola was willing to go to extraordinary lengths to accommodate a group of potential clients.
And that’s what leads to great marketing.
A healthy, happy and Kosher Passover to all.
David