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墨書 Inktalez
If you mention Coca-Cola to people from future generations, they will definitely be familiar with it. In the latter half of the 20th century, the iconic image of Coca-Cola, the world-renowned soda beverage, had already become deeply ingrained in people's hearts. However, in 1927 in Europe, Coca-Cola's development was not smooth.
When Coca-Cola was first introduced in the United States in the 1880s, it was considered a healthful beverage. Part of its appeal was that it was non-alcoholic, making it a suitable alternative for those abstaining from alcohol. However, when the company attempted to expand its market to Europe in 1920, its product was met with suspicion of being harmful to health.
After all, it contains sugar and caffeine, and its target market is particularly focused on young people, and it contains a secret ingredient that the company is unwilling to disclose.
Regulators and drug associations have doubts.
In Europe, using Coca-Cola as an alternative to alcohol is not as effective as in the United States.
The demand for alcohol substitutes has not helped boost Coca-Cola's performance, but has instead exposed it to unfavorable opinions from the medical community. It has also faced protectionist pressure from liquor dealers and the wine industry (at least in France, where liquor dealers, backed by U.S. customs controls on wine and spirits exports, boldly demand that Coca-Cola should also comply with the beverage regulations that it has refused to accept in France). This marketing demand has other, more vague but significant, implications, namely that it has touched a nerve with nationalists. These individuals remind their compatriots to "eat what kind of people eat what kind of things," fearing that if young people give up wine or beer in favor of Coca-Cola, they will become less like the French or Germans.
This idea hindered Coca-Cola's development in Europe, and by 1927, there had still been no significant changes. Henry Ford had just been promoted to Chairman of the Coca-Cola Europe headquarters in Germany at the beginning of the year. Logically, with the promotion and increased salary, Henry should have felt happy.
On the contrary, the fact is quite the opposite. When Henry received the notification of his upcoming promotion, he felt like crying inside.
Before him, at least six vice presidents in the Germany division had taken over the position of the former president, all because the former president failed to turn around the company's financial losses.
The position of president of the Coca-Cola Germany division was once privately referred to by employees as an "altar," meaning that a president had to be sacrificed every year.
Initially, Henry was also one of those who privately mocked others. Although he was qualified to succeed as vice chairman, he had the least experience. Henry thought that with six old guys ahead of him, they could all turn the company's losses around. So he didn't care about this matter at all, and even took pleasure in the old predecessors' headaches after taking over.
I didn't expect it to be his turn to go up to the altar now. It's only now that Henry realizes that the joys and sorrows between people are not really shared. However, Henry doesn't want to give up because he really needs this job. A few years ago, the hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic scared him. His family was once unemployed, and it was Henry's job that supported the family.
Although the German economy is recovering, it is not easy to find a job with such generous benefits. Therefore, Henry did not sit idly by. After taking the position of chairman, he began to reform boldly. To turn losses into profits, there are only two choices: either increase revenue or reduce expenses.
Henry's predecessors have already told him with painful failures that there is no good way to open source, so he can only work on cutting costs. Of course, it is impossible to cut costs through technology. The only way Henry can think of is to reduce expenses by cutting staff, extending working hours, and lowering employee wages. This approach was effective at first, but it quickly met with resistance from the employees.
Angry workers raised banners for the Parade and marched directly toward the headquarters of the branch in Cologne. Hundreds of workers armed with shovels and hammers roared as they charged toward the company's entrance.
The security guards at the door sensed the danger and quickly gave up resistance; after all, their monthly salary was not worth risking their lives.
Thus, the army of workers swiftly occupied the entire building and dragged Henry, who was researching market preferences, out of his office.
Next, the workers conducted a class struggle against him, achieving a physical display by hanging a streetlight. Henry was hung upside down from a streetlight pole over three meters high, with a wooden sign attached to him that detailed his actions, ending with a denunciation of Henry as a "bourgeois stool pigeon." After completing these actions, the workers left, satisfied.
Henry, being hung upside down, was unable to free himself and could only cry out for help. Fortunately, the location of this utility pole was not remote, and there were many pedestrians passing by. However, the passersby not only did not rescue Henry but also pointed at him and mocked him as a traitor to the workers, a bourgeois stool pigeon.
Henry hung there from morning till evening, and in the end, it was the former chairman who happened to pass by and rescued him. Henry gratefully thanked the old senior, who was somewhat puzzled and asked why Henry was hanging there. Henry told him the truth. The old senior patted Henry's shoulder with a strange expression on his face, apparently unable to hold back a smile.
"Now, you know why our predecessors didn't do it this way. If it worked, someone would have tried it long ago." The old senior chuckled and shook his head, then left directly under the setting sun. Henry watched the senior leave, his face turning red and then pale, finally realizing his own foolishness.
His method is probably the same as the way the bourgeoisie in London exploited child labor about a hundred years ago. Now, even the most backward bourgeoisie doesn't do that anymore. But what else can he do? Henry feels at his wits' end, he has tried every method he can think of, but still hasn't found the right answer.
Frustrated, Henry returned to his office under the cover of night, collapsed on the sofa, and turned on the office's heirloom radio passed down from former colleagues. He twisted the knob and tuned to FM91The Voice of Berlin radio station, his favorite channel. Henry particularly enjoyed listening to the graceful program hosted by the early morning anchor Ivanna, whose warm greetings could make him forget all his troubles.
It was thanks to FM91's early morning radio that Henry managed to get through the most difficult time in 1923. As usual, Ivanna's voice rang out right after midnight. Henry took a deep breath, and this angelic voice dispelled his gloom, making him feel light and dreamy, with a feeling of wanting to fall asleep. However, Ivanna's next words completely startled Henry.
On December 25, 1926, was a great day. Not only because it was the day of Jesus' birth, but also because in the northern city of Berlin, a brand new political party was born. This party's predecessor was the National Socialist German Workers' Party, and there were some rebellious members within the party.
However, under the leadership of the illustrious Chancellor Strasser, the National Socialist Party purged the right-wing elements within the party, purifying itself and becoming one of the most powerful and revolutionary parties in Germany, occupying one-third of the seats in Congress.
The newly formed party bid farewell to its past. Now, it is called the Germanic People's Labour Party.
This party will fight for the interests of all German workers, regardless of their lineage, race, or nationality.
As long as you sincerely identify yourself as a Germanic person, recognize and accept Germanic culture, and are willing to fight for the rise of Germany for a lifetime, then the we party will accept you; you are a German.
Of course, all Jewish people and the bourgeoisie will not be included.
Join the Germanic people Labour Party, and we will wash away the shame of Versailles!
"Give us twenty years, and we will return to you a powerful Germany!"
Henry was somewhat surprised; the beautiful singing voice that once recited poetry was now discussing politics. However, he seemed to have some impression of this ethnic group and the Labour Party, its predecessor... its predecessor.
Henry slapped his forehead and finally remembered that he was a member of the National Socialist Party. In the autumn of 1923, during a period of hyperinflation, Henry, fueled by dissatisfaction with the government, angrily joined the National Socialist Party as its 8848th member. He also participated in the subsequent Beer Hall Putsch, which ended in failure. However, Henry was quite clever and managed to escape from the encirclement formed by the police who came to suppress the uprising.
After escaping, Henry immediately destroyed all items related to the Nazi Party, keeping only the original Our Party membership certificate, which he kept inside the bedroom safe. "The National Socialist Party has risen again? Now they have a third of the seats in Congress," Henry muttered to himself, then jumped up excitedly.
"I've got a solution! Hahaha! I've got a way to save The Coca-Cola Company!"
Henry, glowing with confidence in the night, rushed out of the office. He was going home.
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