While perusing the list of sites I follow and blogs I watch this morning. I stumbled across a gem on the Advertising Age Web site. After a summer consumer marketing campaign, during which, PEPSI got their followers involved in their marketing strategy by allowing consumers to submit designs for a new PEPSI can, which appeared very successful as cans began hitting the shelves at grocery stores, PEPSI has re-vamped their logo.

What does it cost for a national brand such as PEPSI or CocaCola to update their brand? Though the company won’t confirm the cost, experts at Advertising Age estimate the logo development itself cost somewhere above $1 Million. Why so much? The firm contracted to do the re-design: Omnicom’s Arnell Group, spent a solid 5 months to develop the new look. 5 months? On a logo?

It seems like a lot, but when compared to the multi-millions that will be required to change all the collateral materials that are part of the PEPSI marketing syndicate, the logo is too important to be any less that perfect.

How a brand changes. From the early beginnings in 1898 (the year my great-great grandpa was born) the logo has changed significantly 6 times. These changes, some more drastic than others, each show a progression and a step forward towards growing design trends and new persuasions in the marketplace.

I think it’s incredibly interesting that the 1951 version of the logo remarkably looks similiar to the Coca-Cola font that we are all very familiar with. Finally in 1962, Pepsi found it’s own identity. While the use of the design has changed the one thing we can see consistently throughout those logos is the color palette and typography style. This style is updated and refreshed in the new logo, however the simplicity of the font reminds us just who the company is. I love where the new logo is heading and can’t wait to see the changes that will occur with the collateral pieces from the company.

Bookmark This!