Dr. Pepper Soft Drink and Soda
Dr. Pepper soda was invented by Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas in 1885 at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store and soda fountain. Mr. Morrison, the store’s owner, is credited with naming the beverage ‘Dr. Pepper.’ It’s believed to be the oldest of all major brand soft drinks in America.
The drink caught on with Morrison’s patrons and to meet demands for the syrup Morrison and chemist Robert Lazenby formed the Artesian Manufacturing & Bottling Company of Waco in 1891. The company later became Dr. Pepper and was a hit at the 1904 World’s Fair Exposition in St. Louis. Lazenby subsequently moved operations to Dallas in 1923.
Advertising milestones can be helpful in dating Dr. Pepper items. The slogan “King of Beverages” was adopted in 1910 and “Old Doc” became the Dr. Pepper trademark in the 1920s and 30s. In the decade prior to WWII, research revealed that sugar could provide an energy boost throughout the working day at 10:30 AM and 2:30 & 4:30 PM. Capitalizing on this research Dr. Pepper came up with the slogan, “Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4″ and the 10-2-4 clock logo was born. The period in Dr. Pepper was dropped in 1950 to simplify the name. “The friendly Pepper-Upper” slogan was used in the 1960s and “Be a Pepper” was adopted in 1977.