Coke Ads Blasted As Nostalgic For Germany's Nazi Era

(RTTNews) - Coca-Cola Co. (KO) has removed an ad from the German market that was initially meant to commemorate Fanta's 75th anniversary, after it sparked off a controversy linked to the Nazi regime.

The ad explains how Fanta came in to existence 75 years ago in Germany because of the scarcity of ingredients to make Coke during the 1940s. However, the ad did not mention that the syrup required to make Coke was scarce because of the World War II trade embargoes against Nazi Germany.

The advertisement called "Good Old Times" says that "75 years ago, resources for our beloved Coke in Germany were scarce. To celebrate Fanta, we want to give you the feeling of the good old times back."

But, the term "good old times" sparked an outrage as the related period was during World War II and the Holocaust when millions of people lost their lives and family.

Coca-Cola apologized for the ad and said it was only intended to evoke "positive childhood memories," reported The Express. A Coca-Cola spokeswoman said, "Fanta was invented in Germany during the Second World War but the 75-year-old brand had no association with Hitler or the Nazi Party."