World’s Largest Coca-Cola Logo
Wednesday, 14th November 2007 by Alex Turnbull
In northern Chile, in the desert near Arica, we couldn't possibly miss The World's Largest Coca-Cola logo. At 50m tall and 120m wide, this really is a massive Coke advert. Even better though, it's actually made from 70,000 empty Coke bottles!
Underneath it reads "100 años" (meaning "100 years"), as it was made to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary, and I imagine there won't be any competition for the title of world's largest coke logo in the next hundred years...
I mean, the Coca-Cola Company wouldn't ever dream of making a bigger one... right?
Thanks to hugolvagancia, Harald Norway and Adolfo.
About the author
Alex has decided that his title will be Senior Vice President of Stuff.
For who’s benefit is this for exactly? The odd pilot and eagle eyed astronaut maybe but it seems an awful lot of effort for something hardly anyone is going to see. Also, call me a smelly tree hugger but the idea of dumping 70 000 bottles in the desert in an effort to flog fizzy pop seems a little……erm…..erh……..wrong?
It would appear to be on a hillside and visible from the main road through the valley. Whilst it may not be a great idea environmentally it is probably less harmful than digging a chalk figure since glass is pretty inert.
The main road still doesn’t look like it carries vast amounts of traffic though … And while glass is inert, it could be recycled instead of being dumped … and if there is dry brush or grass around, those bottles might ignite it.
But I’m wondering if that compound a little ways to the south has anything to do with the placement. With the wall and guard towers it might be a prison … or barracks … or maybe the local Coke bottling outfit?
The main road is the panamericana. That sounds like it should carry a decent amound of traffic. And of course they probably managed to get quite some publicity in Chile for this stunt.
don’t know if I should laugh or cry……cry wins.
Wait… how do empty bottles ignite wildfire?
Actually quite a few wildfires are ignited by carelessly discarded bottles. Sunlight gets focussed by the glass and lights dry grass or other flammable materials …
For you worldly enviromentalist, the placement of the Coca-Cola sign is in the Atacama Dessert!!! One of the dryest places in the globe! If you ever bother to go to Chile you will quickly learn there is NOTHING there. So dry your eyes and dont fret, better yet find something useful to do.