On 22 January 1889, the name Coca-Cola appears in US trademark history in a form far removed from today’s brand.
Benjamin Kent, a druggist from Paterson, New Jersey, secured a trademark registration for Kent’s Coca-Cola, promoted as “A Nerve Tonic and Stimulant”. In the late 1880s, that positioning was typical. Tonics competed in a crowded marketplace where a memorable name could be the commercial advantage.
That registration soon put Kent on a collision course with the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta.
When the Coca-Cola Company later sought its own trademark registration, the US Patent Office treated the matter as a priority contest involving Kent’s earlier registration. Kent tried to push his start date back to earlier local use, but he had already sworn in his registration statement to continuous use only since 1 June 1888. The examiner held him to that date, which weakened the value of testimony aimed at earlier years. The Coca-Cola side could show earlier adoption through the Pemberton chain, and priority went to the Atlanta company.
It is a sharp trademark lesson. The story you tell in a filing, especially dates, can define what you are allowed to prove later. One avoidable misstep can decide who gets to scale a name into an international asset.
And even after winning, the Coca-Cola Company still paid to close the file. Reportedly, Kent asked for $10,000, but the company ultimately settled the matter by paying him $400 for his interest in the name to prevent any future litigation.
Last updated on 18 February 2026