Word: coke
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...most Coke skits, carefully rehearsed, revolve around simple, symbolic characters strongly reminiscent of medieval morality plays. Typical was a dramatic production put on at a recent meeting of 55 Egyptian and other Near Eastern bottlers in Cairo. Protagonist was Barsoum, a Coca-Cola Dealer with a fine Egyptian mustache and an uncertain faith in the product; for possession of his soul contended, like angel and devil, the Good Coca-Cola Salesman and a salesman of a competing soft drink, obviously representing the Forces of Evil. Another character was the Confused Coca-Cola Salesman, neither good nor bad but caught...
...epilogue (on the importance of refrigeration) showed evidence of greater theatrical cunning, reminiscent of Pirandello. Discovered at stage center is a bright red Coca-Cola cooler. Enters a Coke field man, who begins talking about refrigeration. Suddenly a loudspeaker hidden in the cooler's cool interior cries out: "Stop talking! I can speak for myself." Coke man hurriedly exits, Cooler continues: "I'm a 24-hour salesman ... I advertise the product, I cool the product, I present your product attractively...
...sample the merchandise in the store, does not interrupt when the dealer says something, does not make remarks to women customers. He keeps his mind on the cooler (a subject which takes six hours of lectures and demonstrations alone), sees that it is properly stocked, and that the Coke is placed nearest the cooling unit...
...good salesman carries a special slide rule (called "profit meter") with which he can figure in a trice the dealer's profit on any given number of Coca-Cola bottles, personally puts up Coke advertising ("don't leave your sign for the dealer to put up-he might give it away to one of his friends"), keeps his truck in perfect order and drives carefully. Curves must be taken smoothly so that Coke cases won't slide off; pedestrians must not be frightened, much less injured-they are all potential Coke customers...
Signor Pretti. To see how the point was sinking in, a TIME correspondent last week accompanied a Coke salesman on his round of Milan. A few minutes before 8, dark, heavy-set Giovanni Pretti, 30, had put on his tan & red uniform and cast a last look into the mirror from which signs asked him: "Hair Combed? Shaved? Uniform Clean and Neat? Shoes Shined? Friendly Smile?" He lovingly polished his brand-new Bianchi truck (one of 62 now covering Milan) and climbed into his seat...