USA – Pepsi, a popular carbonated soft drink brand of PepsiCo, has modernized its logo and visual identity system, the first update of the iconic Pepsi globe logo in 14 years.
The new logo and touchpoints span digital and physical channels, including packaging, fountain and cooler equipment, trucking fleets, dining, and fashion.
“It’s been a progress, a journey,” said Mauro Porcini, chief design officer at PepsiCo, on the call with Kaplan. “This is the landing of that journey, and the beginning anew.”
Pepsi said the changes it is making are distinctive enough to remain relevant and will carry on the legacy branding that feels fresh.
The new logo will debut in North America this fall as the brand celebrates its 125th anniversary, with plans underway for a global rollout in 2024.
The new logo, with its vivacious, uppercase “PEPSI” is smack-dab in the middle of the circle (it’s inside a globe-shaped logo), emblazoned across the white stripe undulating between the red and blue waves.
The soda’s muted blue color scheme has been swapped for a loud electric shade, complemented by sharper black tones to create contrast.
The revamp has also introduced a “pulse” motif to communicate a sense of energy and movement and pay homage to the music-oriented efforts that have resulted in some of its most memorable marketing.
“We designed the new brand identity to connect future generations with our brand’s heritage, marrying distinction from our history with contemporary elements to signal our bold vision for what’s to come,” Mauro Porcini, SVP & Chief Design Officer of PepsiCo said.
The new logo is more digital-friendly and “introduces movement and animation into the visual system, unlocking more flexibility for Pepsi to move between physical and digital spaces, from retail shelves to the metaverse,” the company said.
Soft drink companies have been focusing on zero-sugar products and branding in recent years, and PepsiCo is no exception.
According to Kaplan, the update also puts Pepsi Zero Sugar, which already uses the color black on its packaging, front-and-center in the marketer’s portfolio as the better-for-you option, becomes a more substantial growth driver.
Zero “is going to be the center of the strategy for the Pepsi brand,” in the US, PepsiCo (PEP) CEO Ramon Laguarta said during a February analyst call.
Earlier this year, Pepsi also made changes to its zero-sugar recipe and advertised the product with a Super Bowl commercial.
Collectively, these changes are united by the brand’s guiding mission of “unapologetic enjoyment,” or the joy people feel from cutting loose and indulging, per executives.
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