In 1979, a ** in the authoritative American magazine "National Geographic" attracted widespread attention. The protagonist is a young boy in a green military uniform, smiling, holding a red canned drink, and enjoying a straw.
And behind him are the majestic city walls, forming a beautiful picture.
This is a special **, which has become a global sensation in a short period of time. Although the ** itself looks ordinary, the story behind it is thought-provoking.
This little boy holding Coca-Cola was taken on the Great Wall of China. ** Filmed in 1979, and the little boy was the first Chinese to drink Coke on the Great Wall.
In that special historical period, such a ** naturally caused a huge response. And the popularity of the Great Wall itself also made this ** selected by National Geographic Magazine and named "the first can of Coke in Red China".
This resounding name makes this ** even more difficult to ignore. By understanding the reasons for the popularity, we can't help but start to question how Coca-Cola got to China.
China is Coca-Cola's second-largest market in the world, but its journey in China has not been easy. In 1927, Coca-Cola officially entered China, and the Chinese translation at that time was not the current one"Coca-Cola", rather"Tadpoles gnaw on wax", the name is derived from a direct transliteration of its English name.
For a while, this peculiar drink aroused the curiosity of Shanghai citizens, and they bought and tasted it one after another. However,"Tadpoles gnaw on wax"Although the name is unique, the taste is unacceptable, and some people even say"Only I can't think of it, and I can't do it without it", such a peculiar experience that many people will never forget.
A drink that catches people's attention with its unique taste and bubbles, but its quirky name puts many people off. Although it has an innovative taste, it does not attract the attention of most people among the many drinks such as orange soda, so it does not sell well in China.
It wasn't until the name was changed to Coca-Cola that the drink began to take on a new lease of life and gained popularity among high society. In an article at the time, Coca-Cola was seen as a luxury treat, with people wearing fancy suits, drinking Coca-Cola, and enjoying an elegant lifestyle.
Coca-Cola was very popular at that time, but due to the establishment of New China, Coca-Cola from the United States had to withdraw from the Chinese market. In China, Coca-Cola's influence waned, and for a while, it was almost forgotten that this unique drink had ever appeared in China.
It was not until 1979, when China and the United States established diplomatic relations and exchanges between the two countries became more and more frequent, that Coca-Cola was able to re-enter the Chinese market. At that time, the American journalist James came to China, and as one of the most famous cities in China, Beijing became his first place to visit.
When he first arrived in the capital, James couldn't wait to come to the Great Wall. The Great Wall, as a prestigious historical site in Beijing and even the whole country, is undoubtedly worth seeing. And *** once said: "If you don't go to the Great Wall, you are not a hero", this famous saying has inspired countless people to come to watch.
On that day, James used all his strength to climb the Great Wall, and looked into the distance, the mountains were coiled, and the momentum was breathtaking. Just as James was shocked by the magnificent scenery of the Great Wall, his eyes turned, and a **-year-old boy jumped into view.
The little boy was dressed in army green and looked refreshed and cute. Seeing that the little boy was so cute, James took Coca-Cola out of his backpack and tried to get close to him.
James pulled a bottle of Coca-Cola out of his bag, he smiled and walked up to a little boy, handed him the drink, and asked him if he had tried the drink called Coca-Cola.
James's tall stature and deep facial features stood out in the crowd, and the little boy looked at it twice because he was curious about the unfamiliar face. However, instead of embarrassing the little boy, James communicated with him in broken Chinese.
Hearing that the little boy was willing to try, James happily took out the straw, inserted it into the open drink, and handed it to the little boy.
The little boy holds the drink in his hand and sucks it gently, the reddish-brown liquid flows in the straw, and the moment it slides into his mouth, the bubbles in the drink seem to explode in his mouth, bringing an unprecedented sense of satisfaction, so that the little boy can't help but show a comfortable smile.
When James saw this scene, he immediately grabbed the camera and captured the moment when the little boy smiled.
With permission from the boy's parents, James brought ** back to the United States and immediately sent it to National Geographic. When the magazine saw **, it immediately realized the special meaning.
First of all, at that time, China and the United States had just established diplomatic relations, and the relationship between the two countries had eased, and if the cover of this Chinese face was published, it would undoubtedly attract widespread attention, thereby increasing sales and further enhancing the influence of the magazine.
Secondly, Coca-Cola, Little Boy and the Great Wall in ** represent the integration of the two cultures, symbolizing the witness of Sino-US exchanges in the context of that time.
National Geographic"Captured with a unique eye"The first can of Coke in Red China", this ** quickly became popular around the world, doubling Coca-Cola's sales.
And ** in the middle"Little boy"It attracted people's attention, and he became the first Chinese to drink Coke on the Great Wall, and his background and identity caused speculation.
Actually,"Little boy"Named Hei Jiantao, a native of Beijing, he accidentally took this ** when he was visiting the Great Wall with his parents.
The little boy's family didn't know that he was already a small Internet celebrity abroad until a book called "The Power of Time - A Collection of Images of the 40 Years of Reform and Opening-up" appeared in 2018.
The book contains more than 300 meaningful copies**, including James' first can of Coke in Red China, which even became the cover of the book.
This book takes the changes in China in the past 40 years since the reform and opening up as the main line, showing the clothing, food, housing and transportation of ordinary people, because of its strong sense of the times, it has caused widespread heated discussions in China.
As the popularity of the book grew, Hei Jiantao's relatives also recognized him through the book.
That's right, this is you, when I was a child, I met a foreigner when I took you up the Great Wall, and it was he who took a picture of you, I can't be mistaken. ”
Looking at the little boy in **, Hei Jiantao confirmed that he was himself. He was amazed to learn that he had become famous 39 years earlier. However, when he recalled the changes in the past 40 years, he was full of emotion.
He didn't expect this ** to make him popular again after 39 years. When asked by reporters how he felt about the fire, he said with deep feeling: "Everyone can be a witness to history, but we didn't realize it at the time. ”
He has become accustomed to this ordinary life, living an ordinary life of studying, working, starting a family, and slowly growing into an adult.
With his pragmatic spirit, Hei Jiantao not only established a happy family, but also founded his own company and realized his career ideals. Despite the passage of time, his relationship with Coca-Cola has not been interrupted, but has continued in a new intersection.
In 2017, he participated in the football game career as a ball game commentator, realizing his love for the ball game. It is worth mentioning that the sponsor of that game was none other than Coca-Cola.
However, it wasn't until the dusty history of 39 years ago was uncovered that he realized that there might be a certain number in the dark.
Many years ago, Hei Jiantao became popular on the Internet because of a **, which has recently caused a boom again. When the news reached Coca-Cola's headquarters, they immediately invited Hei Jiantao to visit.
This opportunity allowed Hei Jiantao to come to the headquarters of Coca-Cola in the United States and have a friendly conversation with the person in charge. This meeting changed the trajectory of Hei Jiantao's life.
Originally, he planned to retire and live a leisurely life, but this trip to the United States gave him a new plan. Due to Hei Jiantao's fate with Coca-Cola and the influence of that **, Coca-Cola headquarters decided to make Hei Jiantao their image spokesperson and carry out activities in China.
As it turned out, this choice was wise. After Hei Jiantao served as the image spokesperson, he frequently shuttled between China and the United States. The story of his relationship with the Great Wall added to Coca-Cola's promotional efforts, and people exclaimed: "What such a wonderful coincidence!" ”
China's propaganda work proceeded smoothly and rapidly promoted the progress of Hei Jiantao's cause. With such help, Hei Jiantao ushered in the peak of his career, and his family was also very harmonious.
It is often said that it is difficult to balance family and career, but Hei Jiantao has successfully achieved it, and he has maintained a good balance in both aspects. Today, Hei Jiantao, who is in his 50s, is still in good health, but he has gradually reduced his work and spent more time with his family and friends.
In Hei's eyes, the importance of family and friends transcends his profession. His accumulation of wealth has given him enough to take care of his family and meet his daily life without working.
He cherishes his time with friends and family, and often invites them to dine or travel together to enjoy a leisurely life. In his memories, the fate with Coca-Cola left a deep impression on him, and he sighed that time was rushing and fate was wonderful.
He may have been in his old age, sitting in a rocking chair, basking in the sun, reminiscing about the foreigner who handed him Coca-Cola on the Great Wall. Although he has gray hair, his fate with Coca-Cola will remain in his memory.
A childhood experience has created today's Hei Jiantao. And Hei Jiantao also gave Coca-Cola a new meaning. This kind of experience makes life full of expectations.
Over the past few decades, the world has changed, technology has developed, and perhaps inadvertently, you and I will become witnesses of history. Just like the encounter between Hei Jiantao and James on the Great Wall, it became a representative of that era.
This **, once unknown, is now popular all over the world and has become a symbol of historical change. This is the wonder of fate, let us understand that there are some things that cannot be forced, but what is destined to belong to you will come after all.
This ** is not only a witness of the times, but also a witness of the two of them.