126. RC COLA: “The One with the Mad, Mad Taste!” TVC (1968)

ROYAL CROWN COLA or RC COLA, 1950s-70s bottles. Personal Collection.

Not very many know that the American soda brand,  RC COLA, was introduced in the Philippines by Cosmos Bottling Corporation, producer of such popular drinks as Cosmos Sarsaparilla (Sarsi), Cheers, Pop Cola, Sunta. RC COLA is actually a century-old brand, known originally as Royal Crown Cola, created by pharmacist Claud A. Hatcher of Georgia  in 1905. The flavor, as we know it, was reformulated by chemist Rufus Kamm in 1934.

By the 1950s, Royal Crown Cola was an established company, the first to sell soft drinks in a can, and later the first company to sell a soft drink in an aluminum can. It was advertised and marketed internationally with an updated brand name,  RC COLA, and found its way to the Philippines sometime in 1968.

The U.S. –made TV commercial made its appearance on local TV in the late 60s, bannering the line “RC COLA..the one with the mad, mad taste! RC!”.  Chanteuse Nancy Sinatra starred in 2 versions of RC COLA commercials, first aired in her TV special ‘Movin’ with Nancy’ in late 1967.  This is the version that hit the Philippine airwaves that showed Sinatra flitting from one column to another as she sang the upbeat jingle:

WATCH THE RC COLA "Nancy Sinatra", 1968

In 1996, Cosmos Bottling sold RC COLA to San Miguel Corp.  In 2001, when SMC acquired Cosmos, it sold its brands to Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils. Inc, but ended its license to produce RC COLA (along with Sunkist and Jolt Cola).

 

THE RC COLA LINE today. 

Former Cosmos executives who believe in the brand, partnered with Zest-O  to form Asiawide Refreshments Corp., which reintroduced RC COLA, under license  from RC Cola U.S.A. With 9 bottling plants,  80%-plus distribution level and a market share of RC COLA is the country’s third best-selling brand today.

 SOURCES:

 RC Cola: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC_Cola

ARC Refreshments Corp. : http://www.arc.com.ph/

Cosmos Bottling: http://listofcompanies.co.in/2011/12/28/cosmos-bottling-corporation/

RC Cola bottles and cans photo:

http://www.packwebasia.com/images/stories/brandowner/rc_cola_packages.jpg

Nancy Sinatra Blog: https://nancysinatra.com/blog/2015/06/things-go-better-with-nancy-the-cola-commercials/