19 April 2010

A Short Rant About the Pepsi Logo

I love graphic design in a very visceral way. I love how a line, a color, a typeface, can convey so much that mere words can't. The right combination of elements makes me shivery and pleased all the way down to my inner ear bones.

On the other hand, bad graphic design just brings THE ANGER.

The new Pepsi logo is a perfect example. This must have been a group decision because no one person can screw up that bad on their own.

It makes me fantasize about breaking into their corporate offices and standing on a desk and yelling. The logo just screams "wimpy and lame." Look:

Pepsi has had some seriously whacked logos over the years, but the new one is really awful. The 1973 Pepsi logo could kick the new logo's rear with both hands tied behind its back.

The logo itself is all "I can't decide what to be, so I will be a wavey swooshy thing." Kind of like Nike but not full of motion and bold and also HELLO 40 years too late.

And the type says "I am thin while being fat. And look, someone got creative and messed with my E a little! See how interesting that is?"

Oh typeface. You have nothing in the basement and nothing upstairs. You've plunked your mess down in the middle of the living room and I fully expect to find you camped on my couch in six months, even though you said you just needed a couple weeks to get your act together before you moved out.

I don't know why I bother. I don't know why I care. I don't drink Pepsi, ever. But if I had a chance to stuff the new logo head first into a gym locker, I would totally do it.

12 comments:

Manda said...

I quite like the 1973 version, its solid and funky.

Seen this?
http://www.mrlim.com/2009/11/new-pepsi-logo-art/

I think that makes me like (ok, not "like" but maybe "not hate as much") the new one because its subversive and cool... if its true, which it probably isn't ;)

Lynnea said...

Yeah looking at that time line, I'd say 73 was their peak and they've been getting progressively worse. But you're right about the newest one. I don't like it.

I do however like the image of you stuffing something headfirst into a gym locker!

dede said...

So true about the lier logo pretending to be thin, and I think, submissive. it also wants me to like it 'cuz it rips off Obamas' logo a little, but it's nothing but a big corp poser!

Adrienne said...

The newest logo looks like the Girl Scout Logo
http://www.google.com/search?q=girl+scout+logo&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

barbra said...

Before I read your post, I looked at the logos and decided that the ONLY decent one is the 1973 one.

When I first saw the new one, it was just the circular thingy; no type. HATE. I still hate it, but at least it says the company name now.

Like you, I have a visceral reaction to design and typeface. My husband totally does not get why I react so strongly!

Mignon said...

I feel the same way about design. Both print, internet and furniture successes can make me happy, on-sight. And failures make me equally grumpy. ESPECIALLY business signage that is too busy or uses bad type and color.

I don't feel strongly about this Pepsi thing, but the type makes it look like their brand is misspelled. I don't think the 'i' should have a dot. The logo itself (maybe because I'm ambivalent about Pepsi, and pop in general), is just meh.

Joe Crawford said...

You may enjoy: 'Breathtaking' Document Reveals Pepsi's Logo is Pinnacle of Entire Universe

Average Jane said...

I always think of the Pepsi Belly cartoon when I see it.

flutter said...

I am kind of a fan of the original logo

Anonymous said...

well i'll be damned! i drink WAY too much Diet Pepsi and I never noticed the little doohickey with the e. i guess they're trying to play on the zero cal carb sug thing that comes under the big not-yin-not-yang dealie. thanks for pointing out how ugly it is. i would have never noticed.

Fanboy Wife said...

I'm comforted to know that I'm not the only person who is irritated by the Pepsi logo. Shouldn't logos stay consistant anyway, so it's easy to to identify? It looks like they put a better version of that sideways ying-yang in the microwave.

I like the 1973 one the best as well. I remember thinking it was pretty stupid when they tried to make the logo 3-D-looking in the ‘90s.

Bethany said...

I like the older logos, myself! Why try and make everything modern?? Not sure why I care because I don't even drink soda, lol!

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