Coca-Cola Hits 50 Million Facebook Fans, First Retailer To Do So

Coca-Cola set a social networking record today, becoming the first retail brand to pass 50 million fans on Facebook.

A spokesperson for Coca-Cola announced the record shortly after 9:00am Tuesday. Though it may not seem like a very big deal, what with the celebrity pages of Rihanna and Lady Gaga, as well as services like YouTube boasting well-over 50 million, Coca-Cola is actually the first retail brand to hit that milestone. To put this in perspective, Disney, Converse and Starbucks, three of the other most popular retail brands, each currently have fewer than 40 million fans on Facebook.

Coca-Cola also launched a new app on its Facebook page to celebrate the milestone.

“Throughout its history Coca-Cola has always had a role in bringing simple moments of happiness to people around the world every day,” said Joe Tripodi, Coca-Cola’s chief marketing and commercial leadership officer, in a press release. “Today we have an engaged global community more than 50 million strong connected through Facebook. This provides an opportunity to engage our most supportive and enthusiastic fans in a quest to find ways to make the world a happier place.”