Christmas: Coca Cola Created Modern Day Santa. #Christmas #holidays #cocacola #santa
In 1931 Coca-Cola decided they wanted a more “wholesome” depiction of Santa, and contracted illustrator Haddon Sundblom to give him a makeover. Sundblom (1899-1976), who created expressive paintings of the magical Mr. Claus for the Coca-Cola Company over a period of 33 years. In 1931, Coca-Cola employed illustrator, Haddon Sundblom, to create a happier image of Santa Claus and he drew a new advertisement each year.
Annual Coca-Cola advertisement created by the remarkable illustrator Haddon Sundblom. Clement Moore’s 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” may have describe the jolly old elf in detail, and Thomas Nast’s 1881 caricature of Saint Nick may have brought the image of Santa into focus, but not until the middle of the 20th century did one artist perfect the image of Santa and make it stick.
That artist was Michigan-native Haddon Sundblom (1899-1976), who created expressive paintings of the magical Mr. Claus for the Coca-Cola Company over a period of 33 years. Though he was not the first artist to create an image of Santa Claus for Coca-Cola advertising, Haddon Sundblom’s version became the standard for other Santa renditions and is the most-enduring.













