Pepsi Overhauls Logo
PepsiCo will celebrate 125 years in business this year by ushering in a new era for the brand with a complete visual identity overhaul, including an updated logo and color palette. The redesign is the brand’s first update of its iconic Pepsi globe logo in 14 years.
Pepsi will first roll out the new look in North America this fall to celebrate its 125th anniversary, followed by a global rollout in 2024. The overhaul will span all physical and digital touchpoints, including packaging, fountain and cooler equipment, fleet, fashion and dining.
The updated visual system pays homage to Pepsi's “rich heritage, while taking a giant leap forward to set it up for success in an increasingly digital world,” Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer, Pepsi, said in a media release.
Pepsi says the revitalized design introduces “movement and animation” into its visual system, making it move more fluidly between physical and digital spaces, from retail shelves to the metaverse. It also aims to allow for more seamless and creative collaborations with partners and retailers as well as more versatility to engage consumers in the places they shop, dine, work and play.
The new look repurposes components from Pepsi's storied history while also incorporating modern elements, including:
- An updated color palette featuring shinier electric blue and black colors to bring “contrast, vibrancy and a contemporary edge” to the classic Pepsi color scheme. The color black was strategically chosen to highlight the brand's continued and future focus on Pepsi Zero Sugar.
- The iconic red, white and blue globe and “Pepsi” wordmark unite at the center of the can to emphasize its distinct branding.
- A modern, custom typeface reflecting the brand's “confidence and unapologetic mindset.”
- A new can silhouette that Pepsi says makes the brand appear more accessible to all.
- The signature “Pepsi pulse” evokes the "ripple, pop and fizz" of Pepsi-Cola with movement, per the release. It also brings the rhythm and energy of music, which Pepsi calls an important and continuing part of the brand’s legacy.
"At PepsiCo, we design our brands to tell a compelling and holistic story. Pepsi is a shining example of a brand that has consistently reinvented itself over 125 years to remain a part of pop culture and a part of people's lives," Mauro Porcini, senior vice president and chief design officer of PepsiCo, said in the release. "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."
Throughout Pepsi’s history, the brand has maintained what it calls a “bold challenger mindset” as well as a strong link to pop culture. Think the Pepsi Challenge — the brand’s iconic marketing ploy that began in 1975 and invites regular people to blind taste-test Pepsi and Coca-Cola — or the brand’s long run sponsoring the Super Bowl Halftime Show and of course its memorable ads featuring mega stars, including some that landed and some that famously flopped. (Who could forget the Kendall Jenner ad outrage from 2017?)
Nonetheless, Pepsi says it is continuing to embark on innovative marketing and product offerings, such as creating its own television shows, exploring Web3 and introducing compelling new varieties over the years, including the recent Nitro Pepsi, Pepsi x Peeps, Pepsi for SodaStream and an improved Pepsi Zero Sugar taste in the U.S.
