Annually on 8 May, millions of people across the world celebrate National Have A Coke Day.

Coca-Cola, often referred to as Coke, is a carbonated soft drink produced by the Coca-Cola Company. Since 27 March 1944, Coke has been a registered trademark of the Coca-Cola Company in the United States.

Since 2013, this popular soft drink can be found in over 20 countries around the world, and consumers down approximately 1,8 million servings a day.

John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola at Pemberton’s Eagle Drug and Chemical House in Columbus, Georgia, in the late 19th century. His intention was to patent it as medicine, but Asa Griggs Candler, a businessman, bought the product.

Candler’s marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world’s soft drink market throughout the 20th century, and it is still very popular today.

Some interesting Coke facts:

• The first bottling of Coca-Cola occurred at the Biedenham Candy Company in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1891.

• The first outdoor wall advertisement promoting the soft drink, Coca-Cola, was painted in Cartersville, Georgia in 1894.

• The longest-running commercial Coca-Cola Soda Fountain was Atlanta’s Freeman’s Pharmacy, which started in 1914. The pharmacy closed its doors in 1995 – after 81 years.

• On 12 July 1944, the one-billionth gallon of Coca-Cola syrup was manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company.

• The first cans of Coke appeared in 1955.

To celebrate today, get together with a group of your favourite friends to have some fun and share a glass (or two) of ice-cold Coca-Cola.