Transcend the Trend
We take it back. By 'it' we mean our ivory tower criticism of Pepsi's rebrand leading up to the big Superbowl introduction.
Yes, we may have called it a Hail Mary. Based on a sneak preview of the new can, we wrote it off as a knee-jerk reaction to declining sales in a splurge-wary market. The streamlined lowercase typeface and spherical, smile-ified icon signaled to us that Pepsi was merely grasping at the uber-sleek look for a shot at relevance. (For the record, we weren't the only ones.)
Then came the Superbowl.
In case you didn't notice amid all the excitement of The Boss's camera crashing and Larry Fitzgerald's line-toeing, Pepsi's flagship spots recounted the history of American youth from, say, the Lost Generation to Generation Y (can I get a Generation O? Too soon?).
It suddenly became clear that it wasn't about how Pepsi had changed their brand, but how they hadn't.
With the slogan, "Every generation refreshes the world," Pepsi is realizing the potential of their brand message. They have changed by embracing who they are. The timing just happens to be perfect. The "Generation" theme has been around for decades now, but has it ever been more relevant?
"The Pepsi Generation" has become "Every Generation." And "Refresh" has taken on added layers of meaning, signifying everything from the world-transforming power of youthful idealism to the now universal act of refreshing your browser.
Here's the take away: Pepsi's brand promise is no longer about bottling an emotion, but galvanizing a movement. They have made the shift to marketing 2.0. So what was marketing 1.0? That would be Coke telling us to "Open happiness."
Frank Cooper, PepsiCo Vice President of Portfolio Brands, summed up the gap between the two cola rivals' messages, "There is a fundamental difference. We are not saying we are happiness in a bottle... it's about people. Pepsi as cultural catalyst for change."
A grandiose goal for a carbonated beverage? Absolutely. But it's also a great example of aligning with the pulse of the market by reaching within, rather than being tossed in the wind. The problem with merely adopting a trend is that everyone can, and probably will, join in the chorus.
That's why we say that if you want to change your business for the better, "Be You More."
» back to top
If you haven't stopped by our website lately, take a look. We decided it was time to take some of our own medicine and update the look and feel while providing more pathways for visitors to find what is important to them.
Despite the challenges in the employment market, IT staffing agency MySource Talent had the foresight and courage to complete a decisive rebrand. The time had come to truly emphasize their one-on-one, talent-centered approach to placing the best qualified individuals in the most rewarding positions.