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(Apologies for the delay on this one, I have been sitting on it since Wednesday, because there was, still is, a possibility for a bigger scoop. So if it happens I’ll just post it separately). This is possibly one of the biggest rebrandings that will take place over the next months/years as was announced this week that Pepsi will be revamping the design and identities of their key brands, in light of the decrease in sales with drops between 2% and 5% in different beverage categories. No visuals, other than the logo above, have been released so this is definitely a preemptive review of the work done by New York-based Arnell Group. There is plenty of quotables from the only two sources that have reported on the imminent change, so let’s get to those.
PepsiCo today said it will pour some $1.2 billion over three years into a push that will include sweeping changes to its brands, including what Chairman-CEO Indra Nooyi characterized as a revamp of “every aspect of the brand proposition for our key [carbonated soft drink] brands. How they look, how they’re packaged, how they will be merchandised on the shelves, and how they connect with consumers.”
“Tropicana will also be differentiated, enabling us to re-engage consumers with this iconic brand.”
“We’re initiating similar upgrades for the entire Gatorade line, which will have an entirely new contemporary identity, and there will be exciting innovations for both G2 and Tiger and a renewed Propel platform.”
The white band in the middle of the logo will now loosely form a series of smiles. A “smile” will characterize brand Pepsi, while a “grin” is used for Diet Pepsi and a “laugh” is used for Pepsi Max. Also, Mountain Dew will be rebranded as Mtn Dew. The news was first reported in Beverage Digest.
And from BevNET.com:
The brand’s blue and red globe trademark will become a series of “smiles,” with the central white band arcing at different angles depending on the product. Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max will use all lower-case fonts for name brands. Gatorade will also receive a redesign, focusing the brand on the letter G.
Changes will include a graphical redesign of core Pepsi CSDs Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Sierra Mist and a rebranding of some products. Mountain Dew will be renamed as “Mtn Dew” on packages, and Diet Pepsi Max will be known as simply Pepsi Max.
Maybe some extended quoting going on, but since there is little information and no visuals I figured this was the best way to share the news.
I feel this has the potential to be quite good and groundbreaking — specially when you consider the masiveness of Pepsi — but just as well it can easily be trite, corny and lame. I know, great insight right? I do like the idea of the smiling logo as it clearly retains the equity of the old logo and it signals a move towards a friendlier and more adventuresome attitude. However, they are setting themselves up for endless parodies of the logo, and I’m sure we will see some naughty things come up. Should be interesting to see this story develop.
Jump to Most Recent Comment
Neil Martin’s comment is:
I'm quite surprised at how well it actually works. I mean you'd think taking such an iconic logo and changing it would be a bad thing, but their reasoning behind the change is actually fairly sound. I believe they can pull this off.
On Oct.20.2008 at 06:05 AM
plamen’s comment is:
OK, that would be the second runner for the title of "queerest rebranding effort" besides Pizza Hut changing name to Pasta Hut.
On Oct.20.2008 at 06:28 AM
Rodrigo Müller’s comment is:
I don't know if it's beacause I haven't seen the full version of the logo with the lettering, but I didn't get it yet...
On Oct.20.2008 at 07:01 AM
JP’s comment is:
This move is in danger of being seen as a bit pac-man-ish
On Oct.20.2008 at 07:15 AM
Rebyn’s comment is:
It's nothing meaningful but a helmet instead :))
Bravo!
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:07 AM
Roiby Gonzalez’s comment is:
Id like to see the rest of them.
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:38 AM
Dave J’s comment is:
Is it too late (or too soon) for a April Fools joke?
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:39 AM
designscene’s comment is:
Gosh. never expected pepsi to change their logo. need to see more to decide if i love or hate it. please post it soon.
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:45 AM
Ben Carlson’s comment is:
I was pretty excited about this all until I read "Mtn Dew." Not sure that sits with me too well, they're trying to force it. I dunno.
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:54 AM
Kris’s comment is:
I'll have to see more, but I'm not digging it just based on that mark alone.
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:55 AM
jonjohnson’s comment is:
I'd say the key to whether or not this will be "trite, corny and lame" lies in Mtn Dew". If that is any indication of the rest of it (and I can't say I'm a fan of the "smile" either for that matter), I'm going to hate this whole rebrand.
Also, didn't Gatorade recently somewhat re-brand? Their label focus on regular Gatorade is on a large lightning bolt with a smaller "Gatorade" now. Seems weird to change it again.
On Oct.20.2008 at 09:17 AM
rickyaustin’s comment is:
The smiles seem likely that they'd work well as animations, but I wonder if they work in print w/out motion. Too early to tell obviously.
I wonder if the animation will look anything like Dairy Queen's abomination of a logo?
I hope we get follow-ups to this.
On Oct.20.2008 at 09:25 AM
exigent’s comment is:
I am sorry, but this redesign is a really bad idea. Not only do I hate the new design shown above, but the leet speak name brands!?
Sounds / looks like the beginning of the end to Pepsi. Whatever. I'm a Coke guy anyway.
On Oct.20.2008 at 09:28 AM
louis w’s comment is:
I think its a great idea. Maybe Pepsi will go out of business, I prefer Coke.
On Oct.20.2008 at 09:36 AM
LB’s comment is:
Is this a joke? The series of smiles/grins/laughs kind of reminds me of the icons Burger King uses for the varying levels of caffeine in their coffee (turbo, regular, decaf); which are an eye getting progressively less alert. Not sure how well the smiles will translate to consumers. The provided logo, though it may be preliminary, didn't look like a grin to me, perhaps a grimace. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
On Oct.20.2008 at 09:36 AM
Haik Avanian’s comment is:
I'd really hate to judge any of the new branding here until we get a full release or some more information to go along with just the single image...and I'd recommend everyone else to put away your Jump To Conclusion™ Mats for the time being.
On Oct.20.2008 at 09:46 AM
twoeightnine’s comment is:
Why does Diet Pepsi get a grin? Am I not supposed to be completely happy when I drink it? Just grin and bear it?
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:09 AM
Jonathan’s comment is:
My parents already have a hard time spotting things like "diet" or "caffeine free" on labels... Can you imagine how hard it will be for them to pick out the correct smiley logo??
I'm not totally killing this idea, but damn is it going to have to be executed perfectly.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:13 AM
MADPHILL’s comment is:
Reads less like a sphere and more like the NOAA logo to me now. I preferred the symmetry of the previous one just based on aesthetics alone and feel like the sharp/fine points created with the new design will be problematic at small sizes in addition to just creating a weird, contrasty dynamic that feels very unbalanced.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:25 AM
felix sockwell’s comment is:
As a former promotional brand guy on Pepsi (DDB—1993-5) I don't get it. Logos are supposed to get simpler. THis seems frail and borrows from the language of Dairy Queen's smile. Arnell is a big talker (I know, I used to illustrate his articles in Ad Age) and has pulled off some solid marks/ ideas (Reebok, ConEd, Home Hero)... but I guess we'll have to see how this one plays out. Knowing Pepsi, they'll take it in-house and totally fuck it up.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:29 AM
Myles’s comment is:
Interesting and definitely very ambitious. It gets scary when such an iconic logo gets a makeover. While I do like the idea of carrying a concept through their pepsi line, The first iteration feels a bit awkward and not very "smily" to me, however I should probably hold off judgment until we see the final executions.I have a feeling people are sharpening their hatchets waiting for this rebranding to bomb.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:44 AM
thehappyhuskie’s comment is:
Woooooo! Train wreck waiting to happen.
Man this looks like a prime case of middle management getting to sit around the design table and making "suggestions."
Not only has the iconic Pepsi logo been killed off, they are going to destroy the Gatorade logo too? Kudos to them, they must be looking for some of that federal bailout money.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:47 AM
Ricky Irvine’s comment is:
I wonder if they've considered the possibility that the 2-5% sales drop has nothing to do with a loss of brand appeal, but might be due to people realizing that their products are not very good for us. 'Green' and 'organic' are taking our nation by storm. People are learning more and care more about what they consume.
Otherwise, I'm with a few others in thinking it's way too soon to be making judgement based one logo. It'll be interesting to see what they do.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:51 AM
Brandon’s comment is:
People get mad at you if you turn the Pepsi logo upside-down. I learned this the hard way.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:58 AM
John Mindiola III’s comment is:
dammit pepsi. this is going to be stupid, and i don't even like the garbage they have now. heck, the 80s cans, ala michael j fox, are better than the crap they have now. i have sucked down many a happy beverage experience with you mr. diet pepsi, but now you're going off the deep end. i never liked the south-korea-ish-yin-yang-like-globe before, but i like the smiley faces less. is pepsi just folding on adults, and targeting 8 yr old now? yuck. talk about brand devolution.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:59 AM
JonE.’s comment is:
I understand the need for a redesign, but there are some things you just don't touch.
I'm sure they could have did a major overhaul...but without touching a major American icon thats been with us for..ohh, almost 50 years.
Eric’s comment is:
Sounds incredibly overthought.
And dumb.
On Oct.20.2008 at 11:25 AM
Jimmy Marks’s comment is:
Countdown until Pepsi Bankruptcy -
15...14...13...12...
On Oct.20.2008 at 11:34 AM
Offonoff’s comment is:
Interesting... Pepsi's visual interpretation of, "Have a Coke and a smile."
On Oct.20.2008 at 11:37 AM
Not Required’s comment is:
I have to agree with Ricky Irvine that changing the logo isn't exactly the brightest idea to address a sales drop of 5%, especially when much of the world economy is imploding. Maybe they should just be happy that it's a single digit dip for what is a non-essential product. Regarding the logo itself, even if the given one is just a mock-up, the direction seems to remove all the iconic structure of the original one and explode it into a multitude of generic globe/swoosh symbols.
On Oct.20.2008 at 11:58 AM
JB’s comment is:
Kind of looks like Greta Van Susteren's mouth
On Oct.20.2008 at 11:58 AM
chris’s comment is:
I doubt if an image makeover will really address the drop in sales. IMHO it is the leveling of the beverage industry that has created far more competition, and more interesting alternatives to the old sugary stuff. Pepsi may just have to get used to being one choice amongst hundreds. This was not the case just ten years ago.
But, I have to be honest and say that I don't drink pop, so it has not appeal to me at all from the get go.
On Oct.20.2008 at 12:32 PM
=David’s comment is:
In all actuality, I think this could work quite well. Think about it; the old logo didn't really mean anything related to the product, and the new one is going to retain enough similarity as to be instantly recognizable. I think the rebranding works, and I don't think it's going to be quite as earth-shattering as some of the commenters think it will be. :-)
On Oct.20.2008 at 12:33 PM
Swifty’s comment is:
Let me get this straight...
Mountain Dew has been renamed by a text message.
The new Pepsi logo has been tilted and now resembles Dick Cheney's sneer.
I guess I'll need to wait to see the overall branding of this. But judging the so called "smile" by itself makes me really question their direction here.
On Oct.20.2008 at 12:55 PM
Johnny Griswold’s comment is:
mtn dew, pepsi max ... i'm gonna be totally hip, dude, if i drink these totally cool and EXTREME products! i was a loser before, but when these rebranded drinks come out, and i consume them, i'm gonna pick up ALL the ladies.
Will Pepsi be accused of ripping off "Have a Coke and a smile" with these smiley icons?
Cola Emoticons. How cute.
Yuck. Gimme a Coke please.
On Oct.20.2008 at 02:01 PM
Anonymous’s comment is:
overhauling packaging is a good idea
but i fear this could be their new coke
interested to see what the whole shebang is going to look like
They better not lose the lightning bolt
Zack’s comment is:
I love how everybody is quick to judge based off ONE mark.
This is a major brand redesign across multiple SKUs with changes made globally, yet we are going to look at 1 iteration of 1 mark and talk about how Pepsi is going under and this rebranding is a terrible idea.
Everyone is a critic behind a computer screen.
On Oct.20.2008 at 02:31 PM
Myron Tay’s comment is:
The new Pepsi now come with a tooth whitening formula?
On Oct.20.2008 at 02:41 PM
Winston’s comment is:
Well, in the end, all companies have the identity they deserve. They are all involved in the process. They all get what they ask for.
On Oct.20.2008 at 02:42 PM
Paul Lloyd Johnson’s comment is:
hmm. smiles aren't supposed to be scary
On Oct.20.2008 at 02:49 PM
Neil Martin’s comment is:
I wonder who thought "Mtn Dew" was a good idea? It's not like you're going to say the product in a different way. It's the same with "Rbk" - What's that about? It's just silly.
On Oct.20.2008 at 03:17 PM
Mary’s comment is:
Why change your entire branding system for a campaign idea? Seems like they have their identity too tied to one concept - this concept will likely be a series of ads that will fizzle out in time and they will end up going back to the old logo.
If they are doing so poorly, maybe they should make a 12 pack of Pepsi product $3 instead of $4.99...
On Oct.20.2008 at 03:28 PM
g-sppud’s comment is:
A series of smiles?
Puke-a-tronic!
On Oct.20.2008 at 03:49 PM
BJN’s comment is:
Pepsi does "New Coke".
Yet another stupid toilet flush of brand equity.
On Oct.20.2008 at 04:13 PM
mm’s comment is:
Coke's rebranding took an iconic logo and reinforced it. They made it cool again, made it clear and prominent.
It sounds like Pepsi execs saw that and missed the point.
On Oct.20.2008 at 04:26 PM
Jayomatic’s comment is:
Couldn't agree more with mm's comment. While we have yet to see the updated packaging, i'm only imagining it to be similar to what a pepsi can looks like currently. Coke did the right thing by stepping back, looking at the retail environment and noticing that every can is screaming out loud to be noticed. Pepsi should go back to its simple iconic logo on the can to also stand out in the crowd of competitors. I can't even think of what a pepsi can looks like anymore.
On Oct.20.2008 at 04:52 PM
Sean’s comment is:
I absolutely love this new logo, brilliant
On Oct.20.2008 at 05:05 PM
Morning Toast’s comment is:
With legacy brands like this, I wonder if updating a logo is actually necessary. With something so known in the world (Pepsi, Coke, Nike, etc.), will re-logo-ing really make a difference? As a consumer, I say no.
But the few of you are right...it will be great to see the parodies. :)
On Oct.20.2008 at 05:05 PM
Warren’s comment is:
Blecch. Far too much tension in the redesign. The logo looks unbalanced, lopsided -- because it is.
Fugly. Truly.
On Oct.20.2008 at 06:44 PM
Derrick’s comment is:
Please tell me this is a hoax.
"Mtn Dew" is just another reason why Coke should make Mello Yello nationwide again.
On Oct.20.2008 at 07:24 PM
dMullins’s comment is:
Mmm, Mellow Yellow. I don't drink all too much soda, but I would kill for a can of Mellow Yellow right now.
On Oct.20.2008 at 07:52 PM
jakeBang’s comment is:
It's the worst marketing joke in the world. :D
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:02 PM
Stereo Radiation’s comment is:
Looks like an election sign seen around these parts.
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:36 PM
David B.’s comment is:
Yes, looks just like that Cooney logo... They should sue!
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:44 PM
T-Bone’s comment is:
intriguing… ballsy too!
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:47 PM
Hamza’s comment is:
Or perhaps it's Joe The Plumber™ leaning over.
http://thedenveregotist.com/article/2869/the-new-pepsi-logo-looks-like-an-asscrack
On Oct.20.2008 at 08:55 PM
Colin’s comment is:
What's Pepsi? Is that like Coke or something?
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:00 PM
Ep’s comment is:
The logo has always been a pie chart. Red represents Coke's market share and blue represents Pepsi's. Coke has just taken a larger piece and they needed to update the chart.
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:55 PM
Wünderwoman’s comment is:
Yeah, I'm on the fence...
I'll have to wait and see how they use this one. I mean, Pepsi isn't Coke, but they have to have invested heavily into this change...so I'm hoping there's a surprising "innovation" coming.
I think Brandon's onto something...brand equity is a dangerous thing to mess with. It might turn new customers off...but die hards are die hards.
If I was Pepsi, I'd try to find out where their market is going. I bet it's going to Red Bull, Monster, and Vitamin Water.
If their smart...they'll diversify(like Coke did when it bought Glaceau in 2007....a BRILLIANT move)
Here's a cool Coke story on design innovation...if you're interested : http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/aug2008/id20080825_105720.htm
On Oct.20.2008 at 10:59 PM
Designers are Kinky’s comment is:
Reminds me of my girlfriend's Vertical smile (|)
how can a brand be too thought out?
Mountain Dew is 11 letters, too much for a can.
On Oct.20.2008 at 11:57 PM
Jad Graphics’s comment is:
I love PEPSI!
Jad Limcaco
Jad Graphics
562.235.7287
http://www.jadgraphics.net
Mark’s comment is:
first reaction:
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
ugh, this looks very bad, very amateurish.
What they're going to do to the Pepsi look IS a bad idea, way to trash your brand integrity, that has been established for at least 45-56 years.
WHY?
On Oct.21.2008 at 05:09 AM
Design’s comment is:
Wow that's dumb.
They're making it too easy for Coke.
On Oct.21.2008 at 05:18 AM
Pedro Rocha’s comment is:
Makes no sense. Did the product change? Did the business model change?
My take on this one: http://willitbrand.blogspot.com/2008/10/pepsi-smile.html
And hey, you just got linked ;)
Nick Irwin’s comment is:
for this logo I quote the classic "Mighty Wind" ......
WHA HAPPENED?!?"
On Oct.21.2008 at 08:54 AM
john.q’s comment is:
one word: HORRID
On Oct.21.2008 at 09:49 AM
Bobby Dragulescu’s comment is:
Exactly what "ground" are they trying to break? They're the #2 beverage brand behind Coca-Cola. They're not going to top Coke because of the "first in the market" theory, which Coca-Cola completely understands and leverages.
Case in point, they have barely changed their logo in 120 years. That's a main reason they have their camp of loyalists... they feel like they're getting something original and time tested.
On Oct.21.2008 at 11:01 AM
jRod’s comment is:
should have seen this coming when they hired Britney Spears to do endorsements all those years ago. it was a bad decision then and the mutilation of a established brand is a bad decision now.
and hey, i thought we hated globes around here...
On Oct.21.2008 at 11:55 AM
hop’s comment is:
oh thats fuck
On Oct.21.2008 at 01:42 PM
dig sandy’s comment is:
Pepsi is always updating their packaging and logo, and so I think this is a total waste of resources. It's just not needed. This has got to be a joke anyway, right? That logo is lame as can be. Surely this is not legit.
On Oct.21.2008 at 01:52 PM
guinevere’s comment is:
Get ready for branded emoticons, straight to your inbox.
:D (R)
On Oct.21.2008 at 01:54 PM
Morgan Smail’s comment is:
clever idea... With just a simple twist on the classic logo, the design is using the surface of a package to engage the viewer beyond the surface of the package.
On Oct.21.2008 at 02:02 PM
Morgan Smail’s comment is:
I can really appreciate the inventiveness of how the logo is used here. I imagine this marking an influential turn in our profession toward a more flexible use of the corporate mark.
great potential. can't wait to see how it turns out.
On Oct.21.2008 at 02:03 PM
damon’s comment is:
I like the concept. but the execution lacks. it doesn't look like a smile.
I'm interested to see the roll out of this.
I'm not sure why they felt they couldn't just update the packaging without changing the glyph that much.
On Oct.21.2008 at 02:28 PM
Justin’s comment is:
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP REMOVING THE LETTERS FROM WORDS!
Mtn Dew Seriously?!
On Oct.21.2008 at 02:41 PM
Morgan Smail’s comment is:
BTW, for those who feel Pepsi should've gone the route Coke did by paring down and leaning on the iconism of their heritage, I challenge you to consider this...
What's right for one brand may not be right for another. Infact, part of what made Coke's approach work so well for itself was the fact that IT WAS intentionally different. Mimicking Coke's strategy wouldn't exactly be very different.
Wouldn't you say a brand known for being "The Choice of a New Generation" should take an approach worthy of it's motto?
On Oct.21.2008 at 02:46 PM
LadyN’s comment is:
Looks like right before they exported that in illustrator they mistakenly moved a path point with the white arrow and forgot to Command-Z... :-/
That curvature is weird.
On Oct.21.2008 at 03:01 PM
Pedro Brito’s comment is:
Gene’s comment is:
This reminds me of the old identity of Choice Hotels, which used the same circular gradiated logo with variations on the spacing of the colors to indicate the various product levels: Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Clarion.
On Oct.21.2008 at 04:17 PM
Anonymous’s comment is:
It's a dum concept.
Scott Lerman’s comment is:
What could possibly go wrong in shaking up a soda can (brand)? ;)
On Oct.21.2008 at 06:08 PM
LadyN’s comment is:
"It's a dum concept."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahaha
And Alice is reaching for it...*shakes head* I always knew she was too nosy.
Mark’s comment is:
I KNEW that grin looked familiar!!!!
http://www.freewebs.com/knux93/Knuckles(Red%20Back).jpg
On Oct.21.2008 at 09:48 PM
Jey’s comment is:
hmmm.... interesting... but it's a little reminiscent of Coke's curves - given the direct competition. Wonder what the type treatment will be like.
On Oct.21.2008 at 11:31 PM
ryko72’s comment is:
maybe it's a diabolically conspiratorial comeback plan to create such a whirlwind of press that they are able to redeem themselves by reverting back to the classic American brand dentity we've all come to know and tolerate. like creating their own 'new coke'. or not.
On Oct.22.2008 at 12:09 PM
Matheus’s comment is:
This is crazy.
Doesn't change much
Glenn Sakamoto’s comment is:
Boooooo....
On Oct.22.2008 at 05:07 PM
Al’s comment is:
No rebranding necessary, just make it healthier and put that on the bottles. For example " No more hight fructose corn syrup". etc.
On Oct.24.2008 at 02:34 AM
Corey Buckner’s comment is:
Not sure I like the new logo, it looks more like a bent over plumber wearing a red shirt and bue jeans more than anything else... Last thing I want to think about before I drink their brown soda if you know what I mean.
It's simple and clean, but I don't think it's any more effective than their former logo.
Plus, changing their logo sort of reiforces the thought that Coca-Cola is the classic drink and they are the new fangled competitor. I think it may hurt their market share with older drinkers; but like any "good" corporation, they likely aren't so concerned with that demographic.
The new bottles look like something from Futurama. Can anybody say Mt. Dew-flavored Slurm? EEeeeewww... What's the secret ingredient in THAT???
I think these changes will undo any nostalria Pepsi may have garnered over the years, and they will no doubt be bringing back "CLASSIC" Pepsi products by the 3rd quarter of '09 is my prediction.
On Oct.24.2008 at 02:02 PM
Andy’s comment is:
The logo is very strange.
On Oct.25.2008 at 08:10 AM
Jason’s comment is:
I think it's not half bad. I don't see a smile though. If the white on the left wasn't so tight it would be clear that this is a globe. The "wave" appears more kinetic this way. But it's too tight on the left and that kind of breaks it for me.
On Oct.26.2008 at 05:22 PM
Dane’s comment is:
Maybe they aren't smiles, but waistlines. Pepsi is the fat person, Diet Pepsi is skinny, and Pepsi Max is... well, another fat person.
On Oct.26.2008 at 06:51 PM
Patrick’s comment is:
BNL would like a word...
Mongoose’s comment is:
The trouble with this initial comparison, of course, is that Pepsi's logo hasn't looked so flat and two-dimensional in a while. It's been all about a nicely rendered sphere with that logo as its basis.
This has the feel of trying to get that sphere across in a much simpler, flat color; and while it's certainly dynamic, I'm hesitant to call it better.
>rickyaustin wrote:
The smiles seem likely that they'd work well as animations
Agreed, there's that dynamicness to the logo.
The more I look at it, the more I'm used to and enjoy the new logo, as far as just the pure logo. As for implementation and Mtn Dew, well, that's the next post.
A very tenative C+. This is going to take a while to shake out, but I think just on the logo, after we take the time to adjust to the shift, this is a little bit better.
On Oct.27.2008 at 09:41 AM
Dale’s comment is:
Well, this is what happens when a company puts all their eggs in one "Peter Arnell" basket. They spoke of him like he's the saving grace for Pepsi, like they speak of Crispin Porter saving Microsoft.
Here's a clip from Mr. Arnell's bio that I found online, "Peter Arnell is one of the most successful and creative designers and brand architects alive today. He’s a doer, with an extraordinary history of success in the practice of marketing; and he’s a thinker, famously articulate and even philosophical about the art of creating corporate identity." Give me a break.
He's completely fucked up a brand that could have continued to compete with Coke,and even taken shares away if done right, but now it's going to be the Coke show forever. I liken this to the mistake that "New Coke" made, until they turned the ship around. Well, this Pepsi ship is going to sink.
Way to go, Peter, you're brilliant. Please return your money to the Pepsi company, because you just screwed them for years. Well, then again, keep the cash, Pepsi was dumb enough to buy this trash and the design system.
On Oct.27.2008 at 10:12 PM
Willis’s comment is:
Girl Scouts need soda too.
Richard’s comment is:
This stuff is truly horrendous on two levels. First on a strictly aesthetic level to call this poor student work is unfair to the student design community. Secondly it is an unmitigated repudiation of any sense of Pepsi's heritage. Unlike Coke which has recently done an amazing job of distilling their heritage and staying on message with their brand identity, this has no redeeming value as either a design or brand building exercise. Pepsi deserves the consumer rejection that I think will result from this work.
My suspicion is the design group at Pepsi, and they are a bunch of hard working professionals, had nothing to do with the development and selection of this work. My guess is the marketing staff was seduced by the frauds at the Arnell Group. It was then handed to the design group to implement only after the decision had been made. It will be interesting to watch how this pays out in the next year.
On Oct.29.2008 at 09:16 PM
Mark’s comment is:
that's not a smile it's a grin.
On Oct.30.2008 at 10:24 PM
Dan P’s comment is:
Not sure if i would have "gotten" the smile part of the campaign unless it was spelled out... thats was my first flag. I am not sure I like the typeface as well, appears a bit feminine for the masses. What have they done to Mountain Dew???!!!! blasphemy!
On Nov.03.2008 at 08:49 AM
PJ Chmiel’s comment is:
Looks even more like the Korean Airlines logo in this new iteration. I seem to recall another airline using a mark like this, with a similar asymmetrical shape-in-circle and composition, but can't recall which one. I also think that it sucks and agree that their numbers are probably going in a perpetual slide because the world economy is tanking, added to the fact that a lot of people don't want to drink this corn-syrupy bullshit given healthier/alternative options.
On Nov.03.2008 at 10:30 AM
T Minus Five’s comment is:
Really? I don't get their point of re-branding. Doesn't look fresh. Kind of reminds me of an airline logo or something...Maybe they still serve free Pepsi on Korean Air.
On Nov.05.2008 at 02:25 AM
T Minus Five’s comment is:
Scout's honor...I didn't see PJ Chimel's post above...I swear! We must be on to something!
On Nov.05.2008 at 02:29 AM
SpongeBob SquarePants’s comment is:
Holy shrimp!!!!
On Nov.07.2008 at 04:52 AM
josh’s comment is:
horrible marketing at it's finest.
this is stupid thing for a company over 100 years old to do. their loss i guess. i like coke anyway.
and the new packaging sucks. it can be seen at thedieline.com.
On Nov.16.2008 at 02:17 AM
Ruben’s comment is:
What a waste of money and effort. You got to be a lot more creative if you are to compete with Coca Cola. Look at Red Bull for example. Its a proof it can be done.
On Nov.16.2008 at 09:26 AM
Kelly Hobkirk’s comment is:
I'm going to reserve harsh judgment on this logo, but after quietly observing this one for some time, I cannot see any hint of a smile no matter how I look at it. I can see a pirate icon, a kid with white sunglasses icon, or a 3-D look at fluid (blue and white) tilted against a red background.
Now for the harsh part:
The new logotype can be seen here:
http://tinyurl.com/6njo6t
I am a bit puzzled, however by the new logotype, in which the 'e' is a blatant reference to the old logo. Seems like a great way to confuse consumers by saying "Hey, we're new!" while timidly saying, "Well, just in case you don't like our new look, you can still have our old logo to cherish." Shucks, that's awfully nice. In making the 'e' look like the old logo, they have reduced the readability of the character. Maybe they ought to change the name to 'popsi'. Also, the 's' is heavier than the other characters for some unknown reason.
I only drink pop now when I am designing a new brand, or about three times a year when I need to stay awake on the road with a Red Bull. This change to the pepsi logo will not bring me back to the soda pop shelf for the purpose of consumption. I will be interested to see their new advertising.
On Nov.16.2008 at 08:19 PM
Ann Criqui’s comment is:
pepsi pac man
Mark’s comment is:
woah
(just checked the picture on The Dieline.)
it looks totally different compared to the old packaging, I like the starkness of it.
Mark’s comment is:
Don't look now, but looks like the reversed the wave in the new logo, what reason??? I have no idea.
On Nov.20.2008 at 12:01 AM
Alfredo Silva’s comment is:
Ha!
Poor Mr. Brand...
Check the story on Klatergoud.com:
http://www.klatergoud.com/2008/11/ars-longa-vita-brevis-the-story-of-mr-brand/
On Nov.25.2008 at 11:00 AM
Brit Laughlin’s comment is:
Not that I enjoy this rebranding in any sense, I do think that the new typography could have worked well with the old logo as its shape is iterated in the 'e', and that that one little touch may have provided for a successful rebranding. Now that the old logo has been scrapped, the type and the mark really don't seem to relate at all for me. Furthermore, the old logo was chocked full of equity and was undeniably 'PEPSI!' The new mark sure isn't Pepsi, which leads me to question (finally and for the first time!)... Korean Air?
PS. The website confirms it! I am no longer cool enough to drink Pepsi.
On Dec.03.2008 at 09:25 PM
aaron ’s comment is:
Yeah the re-branding i think might harm Pepsi in the fact that Pepsi is sort of an American Icon like it's competition Coke. Pepsi Consumers who are traditional, extremely brand loyal and stick with brands which have rich American ties, may be confused with the overall re branding. The existing Pepsi brand is very memorable and consumers can easily recognize it from across the supermarket. Will the re branding lead to confusion? Will it loose older consumers who relate well with the origination of the brand?
I think it could be a gamble.
On Dec.08.2008 at 10:41 PM
Daren’s comment is:
It appears that the wrestler CM Punk will have to get some new Pepsi tattoos... LOL.
I dig the new Pepsi icons, but don't like the rebranding of Mountain Dew to "mtn dew." When I purchased a case of Mountain Dew cans earlier tonight labeled "mtn dew," I thought for a moment that I was purchasing a cheap, generic rip-off of the real thing!
On Dec.21.2008 at 10:14 PM
Michael Colton’s comment is:
What Pepsi may not realize is that not all brand marks need to be happy and positive and what they have done to Pepsi is taken away its tension. In fact, a lot of brands sell not because they make people happy but because they make them feel unsettled. Consider Axe body products and Dodge 300 series. Both tense brands that are very successful. Pepsi, which sells most to 18-34 year-old dudes probably needs that tension to thrive. Also retailer brands have set the stage and taken ownership of such equity-less brand presentation. In my opinion, Pepsi comes off as having adopted that logic making their equity awash.
On Dec.22.2008 at 07:52 PM
David’s comment is:
I saw the new logo after my wife put a 12 pack in the shopping cart. My first reaction was "you're kidding". Too much of a distortion of the original brand mark.
So the first time I saw the logo was on a blue box. I didn't see the version shown here with the white background. The blue box didn't allow the figure-ground effect of a "smile" to work in my first impression.
All I saw was a distortion of a brand mark. And another desperate attempt by the #2 cola to try to be relevant and perhaps overtake #1.
Not with this logo. Sorry. They're over-thinking this one.
On Dec.22.2008 at 11:07 PM
Steven Sessions’s comment is:
Funny how Pepsi keeps trying to be Coke. In their new logo the wave graphic gets closer and closer to the Coke wave. After all these years and even after winning the taste tests of the 80s, Pepsi still looks up to Coke, which remains the category leader. Effective Branding.
Link
David P Crawford’s comment is:
Epic Fail in Re-Branding.
I am now a coke man.
On Dec.23.2008 at 03:26 PM
Jill Gustaferri’s comment is:
I'd really like to see how they plan on repackaging the iconic tropicana brand.
On Dec.26.2008 at 08:55 PM
Fred’s comment is:
My comment to Mountain Dew (apparently www.pepsi.com denies the existance of Mountain Dew ...):
On my last shopping trip I noticed a new packaging for Diet Mountain Dew, indeed for all Mountain Dew, using what appeared to be "LEET" speak for the product name, specifically "MTN DEW." I had to move several boxes of this newly branded product to find "Mountain Dew" without this idiotic spelling. Needless to say, I am most unhappy with this new branding and will be avoiding the purchase of it. I quite understand that it is the same product, but I'm not sure I can bring myself to purchase something that I consider to promote illiteracy as does this new brand.
On Jan.12.2009 at 02:14 PM
JimBob’s comment is:
Who cares.
On Jan.12.2009 at 02:18 PM
Anonymous’s comment is:
what the hell? that's suppose to resemble a smile or smilies?
i dont know why but everytime i look at it, it reminds me of the ocean, waves, or a sailboat... but no where in hell do i see a smile.
who designed this crap? aesthically, the logo is great and i like it a lot better than the old one. but once i found out the true meaning of this logo, it ruins everything...
On Jan.24.2009 at 02:57 PM
Dee’s comment is:
The new logo is okay but it's definitely not worth the increased price we're paying for it at the store. Go back to the very first logo and stop advertising so much so we don't have to pay a war price for the product. I'm a lifelong Pepsi drinker but have found myself going more and more to Coke because they're on sale more.
Now is NOT the time to be spending $1.3 billion on a make-over that ends up costing the consumer more.
On Jan.25.2009 at 09:19 AM
Susan ’s comment is:
Interesting riding on the Obama wave! What a BOLD move. Will people who voted for McCain continue buying Pepsi or go with Coke? I don't drink either, but I like the gutsiness of the new logo!
On Jan.27.2009 at 03:53 PM
Dylan Wood’s comment is:
why fix it if it's not broke? i saw the symbol and was "meh." then i saw the bottle with the symbol. then i was disappointed.
On Feb.01.2009 at 03:57 PM
Anonymous’s comment is:
I switched to Pepsi cause I disagreed with Coke's past. (and the taste sux) But this new Obama-like logo is so offensive to the eye's that I may not lift another can to my face....arrgh
On Feb.01.2009 at 04:37 PM
Artespop’s comment is:
I really look that new logo as a rookie mistake. To be honest just because that new logo now I hate Pepsi.
On Feb.01.2009 at 06:49 PM
Justin Hill’s comment is:
LOOK AT IT! LOOK AT IT! LOOK AT IT! I want everyone to LOOK AT IT! - Patrick Star from the SpongeBob SquarePants episode, Something Smells.
Yes, I want YOU to look at the Pepsi Globe, even if you don't want to.
On Feb.02.2009 at 12:50 AM
Phil Belair’s comment is:
found this link... classic!
http://blowatlife.blogspot.com/2009/02/pepsi-logo-response.html
On Feb.15.2009 at 08:28 PM
June Bahret’s comment is:
WITH THE FINANCIAL RECESSION LOOMING, IT BOGGLES THE MIND THAT A COMPANY WOULD SPEND SO MUCH MONEY "TILTING" THEIR LOGO. WHO EVER SOLD THEM THIS ONE? SOUNDS LIKE THE STORY ABOUT THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES!
On Feb.25.2009 at 12:56 PM
Bradford How’s comment is:
sarah’s comment is:
i think the new one is okay, i actually like the shape, its not that static. but however, me too, i don't really see a need to change the logo. the old one is cultic!
On Mar.12.2009 at 11:09 PM
Mark’s comment is:
love it or hate it you have got to admit the gutsyness to risking such a radical change to their logo.
Admit it Pepsi WAS a brand that was slowly fading away,when Coca Cola changed their design at least they're in the present now.
but they could have done better.
On Mar.13.2009 at 06:29 PM
Jennifer P.’s comment is:
Call me crazy but...
CadeRageous’s comment is:
Wow... I second Jennifer P. It's just so gorgeous!
This expensive f-ing $1.2B will be Indra's undoing. The new face of Pepsi constantly makes me snicker (I see a butt, not a smile), and the ads that are everywhere are just so ridiculous. Some advertising execs are taking this fat check allll the way to the bank. Thanks Indra! Good job. I'm sure Coke loves this massive mistake.
On May.08.2009 at 03:26 PM
david mason’s comment is:
i'd love to see coke make a design mistake this big. the new logo reminds me of korean air's logo. i'm wondering what the underconsideration community thinks of the new gatorade design "g." from my standpoint, coke's vitaminwater is much stronger than pepsi's "g." these branding people agree: http://onthebutton.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/vitamin-water/
On Jun.19.2009 at 02:04 PM
Comments in Brand New, V1.0 have been closed.
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