Royal Crown Company Inc., originally named Union Bottling Works, was founded in Columbus, Georgia, in 1905. The company’s journey began with a beverage called Chero Cola, and over the years, it evolved into the well-known RC Cola brand. Today, RC Cola ranks as the third-largest soft drink manufacturer in the United States, known for its consistent quality and adherence to American standards.

Meaning and History

The story of RC Cola began when pharmacist Claude Hatcher created soft drinks in the basement of his home. The first drink, Chero Cola, was produced until the early 1930s. In 1934, Hatcher was succeeded by H.R. Mott, who realized the need for an improved product. He invited chemist Rufas Kamm, who developed a new concentrate that became a major success. The new drink was named Royal Crown, a tribute to Hatcher's original creation, and was later shortened by consumers to "RC," a name that remains today.

Royal Crown Cola Logo History

1905 – 1930

The first RC Cola logo, introduced in 1905, featured a rectangular badge divided into red and yellow sections, with a black square in the center. The upper part displayed the “Royal Crown” inscription in a narrow sans-serif, while the lower part had the “Cola” text in a bolder, sharper font. A yellow "RC" monogram appeared within the black square.

1930 – 1969

In 1939, the logo was updated to a white inscription placed inside a solid red rhombus. The wordmark, in a clean sans-serif font, was paired with a geometrically sharp crown emblem, reinforcing the brand’s identity.

1969 – 1989

The logo underwent another redesign in 1969, introducing a more professional and friendly design. The new logo featured bold, scarlet-red “RC” letters inside a blue oval frame, with a sans-serif “Royal Crown Cola” inscription above. This design set the stage for future logo iterations.

1982 – 1985

This version retained the same "RC" emblem but added a turquoise-blue trail to the left side of the letters. The “Royal Crown Cola” text appeared in thin blue letters above the emblem.

1989 – 1998

In 1989, the brand was officially renamed RC Cola, and the logo was updated with custom “RC” lettering in a sharp, modern font. The bright red color was outlined in white, and the logo was underlined with a thick red line on a blue background. A cursive "Cola" was placed beneath the emblem, using the patriotic red, white, and blue color scheme.

1998 – 2009

The 1998 redesign gave the logo a sharper, more modern look. The “RC” monogram adopted a gradient white color to add volume, and the red underline became smoother with an arrow-like peak pointing to the right. The blue background was softened to create better contrast.

2009 – Today

Introduced in 2009, the current logo retains elements from the 1998 design but with improvements. The typeface became wider and bolder, while the lines were cleaner and more geometric. The underline was removed but is now executed in two shades of red. The “Cola” tagline is written in a bold lowercase sans-serif font.

2018 – Today (Secondary)

A secondary logo, introduced in 2018, draws inspiration from the 1982 design. It features the emblem and the full name written in blue above it. However, this version lacks the trail and skew, instead placing the emblem inside a white circle within a dark blue oval.

Font and Color

The RC Cola logo’s main element, the "RC" monogram, is designed using a custom font, unique to the brand. The "Cola" tagline uses a slanted sans-serif typeface, similar to fonts like Belle Sans or Unitexxtrade.

The color palette of RC Cola consists of patriotic red, blue, and white, creating a bold and confident visual identity. These colors are strongly associated with American values, reinforcing the brand's national identity and its longstanding presence in the U.S. soft drink market.