Behind the Pop Culture Roots of Pepsi’s Modern Retro Redesign | AdWeek
In the annual holiday tradition of watching “Home Alone,” viewers not only relive the antics of Kevin McCallister but also encounter a subtle branding revelation – blame Pepsi for the plot twist. The iconic 1990 scene of Fuller guzzling Pepsi becomes a nostalgic reminder of a bygone logo era for the soda giant. In a recent study, when consumers were asked to draw the Pepsi brand, they consistently sketched the vintage logo seen on Fuller’s can, even if they were not alive when that logo was in use.
Pepsi, gearing up for its 125th anniversary, embarked on a two-year journey of consumer engagement and introspection. Listening to customers of all ages, conducting focus groups, and employing biometric eye tracking, Pepsi discovered a crucial insight: modern consumers were not drawn to the brand aesthetics reminiscent of the 21st century. The overly complex, soft, and tilted logos introduced in the 2008 redesign failed to resonate, lacking the energy and playfulness desired by Pepsi loyalists.
In response, Pepsi embraced a bold redesign, reverting to a more straightforward, all-caps typeface within its iconic red and white globe. The new logo, adorned with black outer circles as a nod to its zero-sugar line, signifies both modern progress and a dynamic digital presence. The brand’s commitment to “heritage done right” is reflected in its effort to blend nostalgia with forward-thinking, aiming to become the choice of a new generation………..
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Rising Dough
As businesses like Pepsi navigate the delicate balance between nostalgia and modernity in branding, what role do consumer insights play in shaping the identity of a company? Consider the impact of evolving consumer preferences on the decision-making process of established brands like Pepsi, and how this interplay influences not just their visual identity but also their market positioning.
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Pepsi’s decision to change their design could change the landscape of product design as a whole, but this may not be the case depending on customer insight. Customer preference influences what choices a company makes because they want to ensure the most profits. So, Pepsi’s decision to change their design could vary depending on customer insight, whether it be positive or negative.
Consumer insights play a large role in shaping the identity of the company because the companies want to please the consumers while wanting to make sure that the company grows. The evolving consumer preferences change the visual identity and market position because the companies will shift their company into having a focus on what is popular with the consumer. One example of this is how companies have shifted to marketing online instead of on newspapers.