It’s a wonderfully memorable image - probably one the most memorable of the decade. The year is 1957, the scene is the hard Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and Stirling Moss (now Sir Stirling) stands beside EX181 with a bottle of Coca Cola in his hand. Many other companies (motoring related) had contributed greatly to the success of the world-famous record breaking attempt, and were keen to advertise their association, but I would bet that this is the one company which most immediately springs to mind.

However, the "coke" bottle was significant. Coca Cola had seen a unique marketing opportunity and decided to exploit it to their own gain. If somebody down the pub says, "you know that photograph of Stirling Moss standing by EX181?", you can visualise the "coke" bottle. Indeed, it is difficult for some to think of Moss and EX181, without the accompanying refreshment. This association was just about to change the way that advertising (particularly in the form of sponsorship) became much more obvious from non-motoring businesses.

From the early days of motoring, it wasn’t enough just to prove that you car could travel faster or more safely than the appropriate offering from another company, or the fact that it could take on the most arduous of hills and terrain. It became increasing more important to show that it was fitted with the latest tyres, or brakes, or lights, or whatever. The fact that the same make of tyres/brakes etc were fitted to the car that had just won the such-and-such event, was a powerful advertising attraction. It may not have been the exact same ones that were fitted, but if it was the same make, then the virtues would be similar Motorists were clearly influenced by this association. Just think - if those brakes had been fitted to the latest Grand Prix winning car (or whatever), they would certainly be more than adequate to stop my family saloon or road-going sports car.

Through the 1920s and 1930s, this "associated advertising" emphasis began to change. Car companies were still keen to advertise that their latest production was fitted with Lodge spark plugs or Dunlop tyres (e.g.), but those companies (Lodge and Dunlop) could see a reverse benefit by advertising that it was their products being used on the fastest and most successful vehicles of the day. Have a look through a magazine like "Autocar" from this period and you will see what I mean.

For companies producing component parts for the motor industry, having their products fully tested in high-test conditions was vital to development. They were keen to use any opportunity, and would donate their products to the various car companies who were involved with high performance sports cars and racers. The ultimate tests being long distances (6-hour, 12-hour or 24-hour events), high speeds (such as the record attempts), or a combination of both in a Grand Prix.

However, just by looking at a 1950s Grand Prix car, you couldn’t tell what spark plugs it used or what shock absorbers were fitted. From an advertising point of view, there was still a need to ensure that the public knew which components were fitted. Rather than relying on reading the advertising in magazines, there was another significant shift when sponsors were allowed to have their stickers on the outside of the cars. Advertising continued, but now in a different form - when you see the car you were more likely to associate the product.

This continued to develop through the 1960s and 1970s but this is where we come back to the Coca Cola link - non motoring products being linked with high performance cars. In the last few decades there has been an explosion of advertising costs and sponsorship - high performance cars require high levels of funding, so the bigger companies move in to monopolise the advertising opportunity. As the system moves full-circle, the most successful cars have the most expensive areas on them to stick your sticker.

Sponsorship in this form is not just restricted to the top end of motorsport. You are just as likely to see the same thing (at a much smaller level) at your local club meeting - Joe Bloggs Garden Machinery (hardly a motoring association there, unless the driver is not keeping to the grey part of the track all the time). Take a look around the paddock at an M.G. Car Club race meeting, and there will be several examples on display.

So, what has this all got to do with EX181 and Coca Cola?? Well, for me it was a pivotal event. 1. EX181 can been seen as the last in an era, as high-speed record breaking machines became more extreme and less easily related to normal road-going cars, the public could no longer believe that there were any improvements being fed back to their cars.

2. Coca Cola initiated the move for non-motoring related companies to become involved with high speed performance cars (you may have other examples of your own, but how do they compare to that image from 1957?).

3. Car component companies moved the emphasis of their advertising from "under the bonnet" to on top of the wings.