The Cavalier Corporation had a long-standing history of providing high-quality vending solutions that catered to various beverage markets. Their commitment to innovation and excellence positioned them as a leader in the cooler industry.
The Coca-Cola Company, known for its iconic branding and global reach, has maintained a significant presence in the beverage industry. Their partnership with manufacturers like Cavalier ensured that customers received quality products that aligned with the Coca-Cola brand’s high standards.
Marrying the two together, it made sense that in April 1958, the Cavalier Corporation proudly unveiled a revolutionary series of nine coolers and merchandising vendors specifically designed for Coca-Cola. While a few upright models from this new series were initially released in 1957, this official launch marked the first comprehensive lineup offered by the company.
Each model represented a blend of style and functionality, delivering on the promise of quality that Cavalier was known for.
The new coolers featured a distinctive white top on the round-top upright models, a design that not only caught the eye but also set a new standard in cooler aesthetics. As part of the launch campaign, the company implemented four promotional ads from 1958 to 1959, showcased in multiple editions of The Coca-Cola Bottler magazine, the authoritative publication for Coca-Cola bottlers.
This marketing strategy aimed to highlight the innovative features and quality of the coolers while reinforcing brand loyalty among Coca-Cola distributors and vendors.
Table of Contents
- 1 A Complete Line of Quality Coca-Cola Coolers
- 2 Have a Coke in Exclusive Point-of-Purchase Merchandising on Cavalier Select Models
- 3 Proven Trouble-Free
- 4 Products Featured in the Point-of-Purchase Merchandising Product Line
- 5 Learn More About the Manufacturer and the Company Brand Featured in This Promotion
A Complete Line of Quality Coca-Cola Coolers
The inaugural ad campaign commenced in April 1958, prominently featured in The Coca-Cola Bottler magazine. This advertisement introduced an exciting new product line of high-quality coolers, designed to enhance sales for dealers, bottlers, and installation sites.
The cooler lineup included six upright round-top models adorned with fresh white top trim, two striking red and white floor models, and the portable “Carry-Cooler Junior,” which was perfect for on-the-go use. Each cooler was backed by a robust five-year warranty, showcasing the company’s commitment to quality and reliability.
The advertisement emphasized the coolers’ ability to deliver superior service to locations, their potential to significantly boost Coca-Cola sales, and the peace of mind provided by the five-year warranty. This influential advertisement was also reprinted in the June edition of The Coca-Cola Bottler, ensuring widespread visibility.

Have a Coke in Exclusive Point-of-Purchase Merchandising on Cavalier Select Models
As the calendar turned to 1959, the company reintroduced their advertisement in the February issue of The Coca-Cola Bottler magazine. This strategic move aimed to solidify their branding message, prominently featuring the renowned “Have a Coke” dial at the top of the advertisement.
This innovative feature was included in five new cooler models, designed to illuminate upon the insertion of a coin, thereby attracting the attention of consumers and enhancing the vending experience. The dial not only served as a functional element but also became a symbol of the Coca-Cola brand’s commitment to quality service.

Proven Trouble-Free
Following a successful introduction over a year earlier, the company was able to showcase in their advertisements how two of the standout models in the new product line, the CS-72 and the CS-96, had proven to be trouble-free for bottlers and retail outlets where they had been installed.
These models were highlighted for their reliability and ease of use, which significantly contributed to the positive brand perception among users. This advertisement served as the final promotion for 1959 before the company shifted their focus to the advertising of their new 1960 product line, which exclusively featured upright Coca-Cola coolers with a modern square top design.

Products Featured in the Point-of-Purchase Merchandising Product Line
The product line and corresponding advertisements prominently featured nine new coolers, each designed to dispense or store Coca-Cola bottles effectively. Each model in this series was crafted with the intention of enhancing the customer experience while ensuring optimal storage solutions for Coca-Cola products.
These innovative coolers not only boasted aesthetic appeal but also functionality that catered to the needs of both users and vendors.









- The CS-72 Selective Merchandising Vendor with the “Have a Coke” emblem that flashes when a coin is deposited and vended 72 bottles while pre-cooling 17 bottles
- The CS-96 Selective Merchandising Vendor with the “Have a Coke” emblem that flashes when a coin is deposited and vended 96 bottles while pre-cooling 17 bottles
- The CS-124 Selective Merchandising Vendor with the “Have a Coke” emblem that flashes when a coin is deposited and vended 124 bottles
- The CGD-C Horizontal Giant Dry Cooler that held 22 cases of Coca-Cola
- The Carry Cooler Senior Portable Cooler that held 30 bottles of Coca-Cola
- The CMD-C Horizontal Master Dry Cooler that held 12 cases of Coca-Cola
- The C-51 Vendor that vended 51 bottles while pre-cooling 50 bottles
- The C-124 Merchandising Vendor with the “Have a Coke” emblem that flashes when a coin is deposited and vended 124 bottles
- The C-144 Merchandising Vendor that vended 144 bottles
Each cooler in this innovative lineup was engineered with unique features tailored to meet diverse consumer needs. For example, the CS-72 Selective Merchandising Vendor was designed to vend 72 bottles while pre-cooling an additional 17 bottles, ensuring that beverages were always served at the optimal temperature. Meanwhile, the CS-96 variant not only held a similar capacity but also enhanced user interaction with its flashing “Have a Coke” emblem, which illuminated when a coin was deposited, making the vending experience more engaging. Similarly, the CS-124 model was crafted to vend 124 bottles, showcasing the company’s commitment to providing solutions that catered to different scales of operation.
Moreover, the CGD-C Horizontal Giant Dry Cooler held an impressive 22 cases of Coca-Cola, making it an ideal solution for high-demand locations. Its spacious interior combined with energy-efficient cooling technology provided not only convenience but also cost-effectiveness.
For more portable needs, the Carry Cooler Senior Portable Cooler could hold up to 30 bottles of Coca-Cola, making it a favorite for events and outdoor gatherings.
The CMD-C Horizontal Master Dry Cooler, designed to hold 12 cases of Coca-Cola, exemplified the versatility of the product lineup. Its design allowed for easy access while maintaining optimal cooling conditions, ensuring that Coca-Cola products were always ready to serve.
The C-51 Vendor, capable of vending 51 bottles while pre-cooling 50, showcased the company’s attention to detail and commitment to usability.
On the other hand, the C-124 Merchandising Vendor, with its eye-catching “Have a Coke” emblem, was designed to vend 124 bottles efficiently, further enhancing the point-of-sale experience for retailers.
Lastly, the C-144 Merchandising Vendor, which vended 144 bottles, rounded out the lineup with its robust design and capacity.
Learn More About the Manufacturer and the Company Brand Featured in This Promotion
For more information about their extensive product range, visit Cavalier Corporation.
To learn more about their history and product offerings, visit The Coca-Cola Company.
In January 1957, the Vendorlator Manufacturing Company, commonly known as VMC or Vendorlator, launched a series of six new coin-operated coolers for Coca-Cola. They conducted three promotional campaigns throughout the year to highlight the features of these coolers in the January, the February, and the May 1957 issues of The Coca-Cola Bottler magazine, targeting Coca-Cola bottlers.
Table of Contents
- 1 Start Calling Now to Make 1957 Your Greatest Profit Year
- 2 For a More Successful Treasure Hunt use VMC Coin Coolers
- 3 Modern Upright VMC Coin Coolers Give You King Size Capacity
- 4 Products Featured in the VMC Product Line
- 5 Learn More About the Manufacturer and the Company Brand Featured in this Promotion
Start Calling Now to Make 1957 Your Greatest Profit Year
The inaugural promotion for the new 1957 VMC complete product line was titled “Start Calling Now… to Make 1957 Your Greatest Profit Year.” This campaign appeared in the January 1957 edition of The Coca-Cola Bottler magazine, targeting Coca-Cola bottlers. It showcased a rotary dial phone with the six new VMC coin-operated coolers for Coca-Cola integrated into the dial and the yellow Vendorlator Manufacturing Company logo at the dial’s center. The promotion highlighted the coolers’ modernity and their readiness for immediate installation in retail locations.

For a More Successful Treasure Hunt use VMC Coin Coolers
The second promotion for the new 1957 VMC complete product line was titled “For a More Successful Treasure Hunt Use VMC Coin Coolers.” Featured in the February 1957 edition of The Coca-Cola Bottler magazine, this two-page advertisement was aimed at Coca-Cola bottlers. It showcased all six new coin coolers, emphasizing their readiness for shipment as part of a treasure hunt campaign. The promotion also highlighted that each cooler would be more cost-effective and space-efficient for dealers or outlets. Additionally, it provided an overview and the dispensing capacities for each cooler model.


Modern Upright VMC Coin Coolers Give You King Size Capacity
The third promotion featured an advertisement from Coca-Cola, showcasing three out of six new coin-operated coolers, emphasizing their capability to dispense King Size Coca-Cola bottles.

Products Featured in the VMC Product Line
The VMC product line and supporting promotions featured 6 new coolers dispensing bottles of Coca-Cola.






- The VMC V44 Semi-Automatic Coca-Cola Coin Cooler was perfect for the smallest outlet.
- The VMC 88 Semi-Automatic Coca-Cola Coin Cooler which could vend all sizes of Coca-Cola bottles.
- The VMC 144M Semi-Automatic Coca-Cola Coin Cooler was ideal for larger outlets needing to vend different sizes of bottles.
- The VMC 144SA Selective-Automatic Coca-Cola Coin Cooler was guaranteed for 50% capacity.
- The VMC 149A Fully-Automatic Coca-Cola Coin Cooler was able to vend bottles of Coca-Cola anywhere, anytime.
- The VMC 304A Fully-Automatic Coca-Cola Coin Cooler was the best cooler for a full-service program.
Learn More About the Manufacturer and the Company Brand Featured in this Promotion
In August of 1937, the Williams Oil-O-Matic Heating Corporation of Bloomington, IL who normally produced Oil-O-matic oil heaters or Air-O-Matic air conditioning units, introduced a Coca-Cola coin control dispenser called the Ice-O-Matic. The new dispenser came with 3 parts: a top unit, a bottle rack, and a compressor that could be added to a standard Coca-Cola ice cooler thus updating a cooler from ice to cooler that was constantly cooling. To introduce their new coin control dispenser, the company sent out the brochure below to dealers and bottlers of Coca-Cola. The theme of the brochure was an offer that the new Coca-Cola coin dispenser could help dealers make more money as it would help them get into new territories and new outlets. As the coin dispenser was introduced in August, this company promotion suggested to put the dispenser to work in the fall or winter in hospitals, laundries, post offices, city halls, service stations, department stores, manufacturing plants, and insurance offices with 50 or more employees. The brochure specifically called out putting the new Coca-Cola dispenser in Montgomery & Ward and Sears & Roebuck department stores. The company tagline read.
“Let Williams Ice-O-Matic Coin Dispenser help. Let it work for you.”
The sales brochure came with an offer to try the Ice-O-Matic noting that once the dealer tried 1 unit in one of their locations, they would want to place more units in different locations that could never sell just one case of Coca-Cola any other way. The offer wraps up by telling dealers that the units were available and ready to ship from their factory with an enclosed picture of the factory.




Table of Contents
Ice-O-Matic Features
When the Williams Ice-O-Matic Coca-Cola coin dispenser was introduced with the following features.
- 39 bottle capacity
- 45 bottle pre-cooling capacity
- Quick and easy installation of the top unit and lifetime compressor on a standard ice cooler
- Beverages stayed consistently cold below 40 degrees
- Self-service operation for industrial use

Product Featured in this Story
This promotion featured the brand new Williams Ice-O-Matic coin dispenser for standard Coca-Cola ice coolers.

Learn More About the Manufacturer and the Company Brand Featured in this Story


In October of 1957, Vendo introduced a groundbreaking promotion targeted at Coca-Cola bottlers and dealers to effectively sell their innovative line of 1957 coolers and pre-mix equipment. This promotion was prominently featured in The Coca-Bottler magazine, a key publication for bottlers during that period. The advertisement highlighted the excitement surrounding vending equipment treasures that were waiting to be discovered by dealers and other locations across the country. Many dealers had not even considered the potential for these treasures, which included a range of new and advanced cooling solutions from Vendo, designed to enhance the vending experience and attract more customers.
This promotion not only encouraged the sale of coolers but also emphasized the importance of strategic marketing in the vending industry. By educating dealers on effective sales techniques and customer engagement strategies, Vendo aimed to foster a stronger connection between the products and the end consumers. The initiative was well-timed, coinciding with the growing popularity of Coca-Cola products, making it an opportune moment for dealers to capitalize on the trend and increase their sales significantly.


Table of Contents
V-Line for 1957: An Innovative Approach to Vending
The promotion aimed to provide dealers with comprehensive assistance, encouraging them to reach out to a dedicated consultant for personalized guidance. This support was designed to help dealers maximize the sales potential of the 14 new products introduced in the V-Line, which were specifically tailored to meet the evolving needs of consumers seeking convenient access to refreshing beverages.

Products Featured in this Promotion
This promotion prominently featured a diverse lineup of 14 different types of coolers. Each model was specifically designed to support dealers in attracting customers and signing them up for the treasure hunt campaign. The coolers were not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing, ensuring they fit seamlessly into various retail environments. Their innovative designs catered to different customer preferences, thus enhancing the overall vending experience.
Moreover, each cooler in the lineup was equipped with modern features that set them apart from previous models. For instance, the V-340 Automatic Coca-Cola Cooler boasted advanced refrigeration technology, ensuring that beverages were kept at the optimal temperature for customer enjoyment. The design also allowed for easy accessibility, encouraging higher sales volumes as customers could quickly grab their favorite drinks on the go.
Additionally, the V-216 Multi-Drink Coca-Cola Cooler offered versatility, allowing dealers to stock a variety of beverages, appealing to a broader customer base. This adaptability was crucial during a time when consumer preferences were rapidly changing, making it essential for vending solutions to keep pace with demand.
The V-144 Multi-Drink Coca-Cola Cooler featured a sleek design that not only attracted attention but also blended well with modern retail aesthetics. Its successful reception among dealers showcased the effectiveness of the promotional strategies, which highlighted the unique selling points of each cooler.
As consumer demands evolved, the V-80 Automatic Coca-Cola Cooler addressed the need for speed and convenience. Its user-friendly interface and quick cooling capabilities made it a popular choice among busy consumers, further reinforcing the importance of understanding market trends.
The Vendo V-110 Multi-Drink Coca-Cola Cooler was equipped with enhanced security features, preventing tampering and ensuring that product integrity was maintained. This aspect resonated well with dealers, who could assure customers of the quality and safety of the drinks they were purchasing.
Meanwhile, the V-110 Multi-Drink Coca-Cola Cooler was equipped with enhanced security features, preventing tampering and ensuring that product integrity was maintained. This aspect resonated well with dealers, who could assure customers of the quality and safety of the drinks they were purchasing.
The V-44 Semi-Automatic Coca-Cola Cooler provided a balance between manual and automatic operation, allowing dealers to tailor their vending approach based on their specific business needs and customer preferences.
Additionally, the V-23 Mechanical Coca-Cola Cooler showcased a classic design that appealed to nostalgic customers, capitalizing on the vintage aesthetics that were becoming trendy during that era.
The Vendo 6-Case Vertical Open Coca-Cola Cooler was designed for high-volume locations, featuring an open front that allowed for easy access to multiple products, making it suitable for busy environments such as convenience stores and gas stations.
The Fully Automatic Coca-Cola Vender was a game-changer in the vending industry, allowing for seamless transactions and reducing wait times for customers. Its advanced technology was a significant selling point during the promotion.
Lastly, the Vendo Remote Counter Dispenser and the Vendo Remote Refrigeration Unit provided flexible solutions for dealers, allowing them to offer a variety of beverage options without the need for extensive space. This adaptability was a crucial aspect of the promotion, enabling dealers to cater to diverse customer needs effectively.
Learn More About the Manufacturer and the Company Brand Featured in this Promotion

For those interested in the legacy and innovation of vending solutions, The Vendo Company stands as a key player in the industry, committed to delivering high-quality products that enhance consumer convenience.

Additionally, The Coca-Cola Company has a rich history of branding and marketing that has shaped the beverage industry, making it a fascinating subject for further exploration by those curious about its impact on consumer culture.