These include chewing the leaves to mitigate the rigours of Bolivia's bleak Altiplano, 4, 000 metres (13, 100 feet) above sea level, as well as the coca tea given to tourists on arrival in La Paz.

ECONOMIST: Bolivia

When Coca-Cola wanted to experiment with a supposedly healthy green-tea-flavoured drink, it targeted young Japanese women first.

ECONOMIST: The fad for functional foods

Or consider how Honest Tea, the organic tea company that is an independently run wholly owned subsidiary of Coca-Cola, combined web video technology and a thought-provoking purchase experiment to cut through the clutter in the over-crowded beverage market.

FORBES: Can You Hear Me Now? Web-Enabled Brand Experiences That Cut Through The Clutter