Advertisement for Coke from Ebony Magazine: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A one-page advertisement for Coca-Cola created by Burrell Communications Group (art direction by Lowell Thompson, photography by Don Getsug) published in Ebony Magazine. The advertisement features actor Raphael "Roy" McIver as a shopkeeper. McIver stands in the doorway of a store, holding a broom and enjoying a Coca-Cola with two young boys. McIver wears an apron and the boys wear red and white baseball caps. All three are holding a bottle of Coke and smiling. The boy on the left side of the man is holding a baseball bat while the boy on the right is wearing a baseball glove. Printed at the bottom right corner is "Coke / adds life... / ...when old friends drop by." The reverse side has an advertisement for Virginia Slims.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1979
• Commissioned by: Coca-Cola Company, American, founded 1892
• Published by: Ebony, American, founded 1945
• Subject of: Ray McIver, American, 1911 - 1984
• Created by: Burrell Communications Group, American, founded 1971
• Created by: Lowell Thompson, American
• Photograph by: Don Getsug, American
• Type: advertisements
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W: 13 × 10 in. (33 × 25.4 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Advertising
• Topic: Black Press
• Topic: Business
• Topic: Cooking and dining
• Object number: 2016.103.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Strait Family
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.