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Pepsi’s New Branding

I can see why so many people dislike the new Pepsi logo. Yes, I too quivered when I first saw it. Yup they are famous for constantly changing their branding and all that but a lot of the argument I think needs to go deeper. Pepsico knew this backlash would happen. They knew the new design would not bode well with a wide swath of their drinkers but the “what” is not the question, it’s the why.

After taking a long hard look at the logo my guess for why they did it is this.

Yes there will be heavy online buzz (including this post) but this logo was not designed for the NOW, it was designed for the future. Current context is not it’s focus. This logo was designed for a future zeitgeist. A theme, a style, a mode of thinking…not yet popular. When a company of the size of Pepsico redesigns their branding as often as they do, they have come up with a design that is projected from their future to the now. it cannot be defined by not current tastes.

They do this not just for design longevity’s sake, but also packaging purposes. If this new branding is to carry them through the next 10, 15 or 20 years it allows them to project packaging costs much better. For a company the size of Pepsico these projections can make or break their bottom line.

Think about it.

If they design a logo that is more concurrent with today’s design language or thinking and it gets stale in 3 – 5 years, that is going to be millions of dollars lost for the company’s that produce their packaging, and in turn Pepsico, because it will represent a massive retooling for these guys because of the sheer volume of printing and production that goes into the packaging process. So for me, that is the why. The design will slowly grow on us and it will soon seem ahead of it’s time….. no I take that back. That’s probably what the Pepsico board is betting on.
via: Brand New: Pepsi, New Bottles.

Four Design Firms Take on Rebranding the GOP | Newsweek Politics | Newsweek.com.

Apocalyptic rock formations at McKinney Park, Austin TX

A few moments ago, I responded to a twitter post . It triggered a bunch of thoughts that have been floating around my noggin recently. As I watched the Christian Science Monitor shift to an all web platform and newspaper and magazine readership plummet to the earth like Narcissus I realized that the tipping point has long past. We are experiencing a brand new shift in media as print, the oldest bastion of human communication is pushed to the edge as it officially becomes fringe media.

Video killed the radio star but radio never really killed the print star. And the internet never really killed the TV star (slowly but not yet). As bandwidth and net speed has increased we are seeing that we humans really love the moving picture, regardless of the platform and a book of faces. See the NY Times new video section, watch Lady Gaga achieve a record in social media. Yes, the death of the print medium has long been ballyhooed but where do we go from here? What do we do with this fact?

Fringe media does not mean it is worthless media. The prices for NYT cover proclaiming Barack Obama president got into 3 figures on ebay. There is still a need for permanency that will not go away. The sound of pages flicking, the smell of the paper and of course scrap-booking articles, etc, etc. There are others that plainly will never give up picking up the morning paper at the news stand or from their front door.  So…first, know your target audience. I mean, REALLY know them. What platforms are they using, where are they going first thing in the morning. Which media do they trust and use that. Use your imagination to mesh the digital and analog worlds in new and creative ways.

Even if you think your product or service does not match that medium, get your self on it…NOW!

Fringe media (radio, and print) will always have a place, always. BUT,  it has to be integrated into your marketing mix with Teutonic accuracy. If you can’t measure it, do . not . do . it !

The media magnates that do not recognize the gravity of the shift to the web and social media will be left with their pants down in front of a panel of congressmen asking them why didn’t you recognize what was going on, why did you wait so long to do something. Universities, Colleges, Government agencies, Churches and organizations of all stripes, but especially small business owners cannot afford millions or even thousands, or in many cases hundreds of dollars to go down the drain on one mailer or one ad. Business 2.0 is dynamic, organic. It blogs with a purpose, listens to twitter feeds with Obamian ears, engages on Youtube with MTV-esque creativity and  keeps attention with a steady stream of Facebook updates. Then, tagging and measuring it all till thy kingdom come!

If you are not doing this, your days are numbered. Blasting an e-newsletter to 200 thousand people is no longer enough.  Sending hundreds of 2011 calenders out to your clients will no longer cut it.

That’s the easy way out.

You must engage the masses or your entity will be relegated to the fringe….It’s as simple as that.

Obama Wins! … Ad Age’s Marketer of the Year – Advertising Age – MOY 2008

Just weeks before he demonstrates whether his campaign’s blend of grass-roots appeal and big media-budget know-how has converted the American electorate, Sen. Barack Obama has shown he’s already won over the nation’s brand builders. He’s been named Advertising Age’s marketer of the year for 2008.
Mr. Obama won the vote of hundreds of marketers, agency heads and marketing-services vendors gathered here at the Association of National Advertisers’ annual conference.
Mr. Obama won the vote of hundreds of marketers, agency heads and marketing-services vendors gathered here at the Association of National Advertisers’ annual conference.

If there is one thing companies need to realize is that cool logos, slick websites and clever ads do not a great experience make. It is this mindset that approaches the designer/creative director/marketing company and says. Make it look pretty/sexy/clean.

Marketing and advertising should be the icing on the cake, not the lipstick on the pig.

Seth’s Blog: What advertising can’t fix

Microsoft has fallen into a trap that befalls many large companies in search of cred, buzz or respect. They’ve decided to buy some via advertising.