Tommy was more like the 5th or 6th Rock Opera. The Pretty Things "S.F. Sorrow" was released in '68 and Nirvana ( not that one! ) released "The Story of Simon Sinopath" in '67.
And there were others... obscure to be sure, but still fits the format. I understand the story above is reprinted from Mental Floss.... but didn't the original author, Bill Demain, do any research? Not really that hard to find.

The White Rock beverage company created ads with the "Santa as we now know him" image in 1915. 16 years before Coke. Check out: http://www.whiterocking.org/santa.html
Yes, Coke promoted the image, but didn't invent it.