Some things are cool – even if you don’t know it yet. Andrew and I have prepared some stories today about some things you are probably familiar with but probably don’t actually know the whole story. We have each selected two things and we are going to share with you what we believe are some amazing stories …  Welcome to EP 162: Objects of Design

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Today we are going to share with you something we feel is meaningful to us and why, maybe, it should be meaningful to you. Rather than making this a list of things we like – and by extension – things we think you should like as well, we are going to dig a bit deeper and talk about the story behind each item we discuss today. In a sense, it’s that story that should make today’s podcast interesting … just that fact that WE think it’s interesting probably isn’t good enough, so we are stepping up our game.

Objects of Design - Bob #1 jump to 2:30

Evolution of Coca-Cola Bottles (image source)

The Coca-Cola bottle is one of the most recognizable designs in the world, and this story kicks off in 1915, at a time when Coca-Cola was exploding in popularity across the U.S. But they had a problem: competitors were copying their bottles and confusing consumers. They needed something unique, a design that wasn’t just about looking different, but one that could be identified by touch alone!

That’s when Coca-Cola issued a design challenge to glass manufacturers: come up with a bottle that would stand out, even in the dark or if it shattered on the ground. Enter Earl R. Dean from the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana. His team turned to an unexpected source of inspiration—the cocoa pod. Sure, the sexy and curvaceous cocoa pod had nothing to do with the ingredients of Coca-Cola, but it had the perfect form and ridges that made for a unique, tactile experience. The result? The “contour bottle,” a masterpiece of industrial design. Its exaggerated curves and slim waist immediately set it apart from anything else on the market. Patented in 1915, by 1916 it became the Coca-Cola bottle—the one we all know today.

But the story doesn’t end with the creation of this iconic design. In fact, things really start getting interesting right around this point.

A Global Symbol and Wartime Necessity

As Coca-Cola became a part of everyday American life, it wasn’t long before it spread globally. And during World War II, Coca-Cola made a brilliant strategic move: they supported American troops by providing them with Coca-Cola wherever they were stationed. They even set up mobile bottling plants in war zones to make sure soldiers could get “a taste of home,” no matter how far from home they were. This wasn’t just about quenching thirst; Coca-Cola became a symbol of American culture and morale during one of the darkest periods in history.

By the end of the war, Coca-Cola had solidified its dominance, but with that success came new problems. Overseas, as Coca-Cola became a prized commodity, counterfeiters jumped at the chance to exploit its popularity. What’s even more fascinating (and scandalous) is just how involved the black market became in producing fake Coca-Cola. This is one of those lesser-known stories, but at the time, it had a major impact.

The Black Markets and Counterfeiting Rings

During WWII, many countries were hit with strict rationing and import restrictions, especially those under the control of the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan). Western goods became scarce, and Coca-Cola was no exception. But where there’s scarcity, there’s demand—and the black market was all too happy to step in. In regions where American goods were banned or heavily restricted, underground factories started churning out fake Coca-Cola. These counterfeit operations were selling everything from watered-down soda to dangerous concoctions disguised as Coca-Cola, charging sky-high prices on the black market.

Here’s the kicker: Coca-Cola’s iconic bottle design was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it made the real thing easy to spot in a sea of knockoffs. On the other, counterfeiters began mimicking the contour shape, producing knockoffs that were hard to distinguish from the original. And the most outrageous part? In occupied Europe, some of these black-market operations were run by organized crime syndicates who used Coca-Cola as a front for smuggling contraband—everything from weapons to drugs to secret messages. Some fake Coca-Cola bottles were even used for espionage purposes. Imagine that: a simple soda bottle becoming an unlikely tool of wartime espionage. And yes, in some cases, even Nazi soldiers unwittingly drank the counterfeit product.

These black-market rings didn’t disappear after the war either. As Coca-Cola expanded into developing countries during the Cold War, counterfeiting ramped up in places where the genuine article was difficult to get. Coca-Cola had to pour resources into protecting its brand, suing counterfeit operations, and going after rogue bottlers in regions where they expanded.

Post-War Coca-Cola and Its Cultural Legacy

Despite all the drama with counterfeiting and the black market, Coca-Cola came out of the war stronger than ever. The bottle that had once been the target of so much imitation was now a global icon. In the years following the war, the Coca-Cola bottle wasn’t just a container for soda—it was a symbol of freedom, democracy, and American culture. It made appearances in ads, films, and pop art. Andy Warhol immortalized it in his paintings, turning the simple bottle into a symbol of American consumerism in the 20th century.

Today, the Coca-Cola bottle is more than just packaging; it’s a design object with a rich, layered history. It’s where branding, industrial design, and global politics intersect. From black-market espionage to pop-culture stardom, it’s a reminder of how even the most mundane objects can take on extraordinary significance given the right circumstances. Whether in times of war or peace, the Coca-Cola bottle remains one of the world’s most recognizable and celebrated design icons.

Supporting Links and References:

Coca-Cola's historical significance and the bottle’s origin story: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/history/the-history-of-the-coca-cola-contour-bottle

Coca-Cola sold in glass bottles for the First Time: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/coca-cola-sold-in-glass-bottles-for-first-time

Objects of Design - Andrew#1 jump to 21:38

Josef Pallweber Patent Images 1890 flip clock (image source)

My first Object is one that I had when I was probably in my early teens. It was a very popular item in the 1970s and 80s. The object is typically called a “Flip Clock” but also is known as a “flap clock” or even a “split-flap clock.” I have always thought this was a very interesting and simply cool design for time keeping. The version that I owned was probably a Sony or Panasonic brand that also included an AM/FM radio. Originally I supposed that this was a creation of the 1950s or 60s. But I would soon learn how incorrect I was. The first version of this flip style clock was created 1890 in Germany by Austrian watchmaker Josef Pallweber. He created a jump-hour mechanism that was the early predecessor to the flip clock technology. It was used in pocket watches and also produced in aa large clock format by Lenzkirch Clock Factory between 1893-1894.

Cifra 3 Model Red Flip Clock 1956 (image source)

The next phase of development was not much later as a mechanism was patented in 1903 by Friedrich W Heine. This mechanism did use a flap system to display time and worked with a rotating mechanism. This could be considered the first version of the modern style flip clock. Then in 1920 an American Eugene Fitch patents the rotating drum clock. The style of clock then goes along for several decades before there is resurgence in 1956 when Italian architect and designer created the Cifra 3 flip clock. This new sleek modern version introduced the split flap version where each of the numbers are all separate and split into separate flipping mechanisms. This clock design was thrust into mainstream culture due to its “big brother” the Cifra 5 that was used in airports, train stations, and schools and other methods of publicly displayed time pieces. The Cifra 3 is the version that most people probably imagine when thinking of a flip clock. The Cifra 3 is considered the height of flip clocks and has an original versions kept in the permanent collections of Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Design Museum of London.

GE Flip Clock Model 7-4305 1980s (image source)

This design hid the flipping drum mechanism within a cylinder type enclosure that would eventually be replaced by a “box” style enclosure as the clock worked into mass production. In the 1960s, 70s, and 80s many manufacturers produced flip clock for public consumption. Companies like Panasonic, Sony, GE, and Toshiba began producing affordable pieces for consumers. Again many of these began to incorporate elements like radios, glowing numbers, or lighted versions. Eventually in the mid-1980s the flip clock begins to be replaced with true digital LED and LCD digital clocks. I am sure we all can remember those red light numerical clocks as well. In 2018, the Cifra 3 clock began production again and can be purchased for a pretty penny of $600. Feel free to send me one as a holiday gift. I think this style of time-keeping device is definitely a unique Object of Design and I was astounded by its early origins and extensive history. So much so, that as mentioned in the podcast, there are now “digital” versions of this device on your phone or tablet. Iconic.

Objects of Design - Bob #2 jump to 31:18

Buckminster Fuller (image source)

Fuller, an architect and inventor, always aimed to rethink how we live, and in 1945, he introduced the Dymaxion House.