LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME

Pepsi billboard. Near Astor Place in New York, 2009.

Enough with the criticism of Arnell's Pepsi re-branding. First of all, the logo itself is a nice contemporary update of the old early 2000s trend of making logos 3-D with elaborate gradients. This 2-D logo not only stands out from all of the gradient junk out there, but it also seems illustrated as opposed to photographed, which lends it more artistic worth. Moreover, it is very economical in that it does not require different versions for different materials (e.g. an embroidered logo can't be 3-D; it would need a flat vector version). The "pepsi" type treatment, however? Well that's a different story. The type is far too feminine and delicate and so does not fit with the inherent in-your-face caffeinated energetic fizzy nature of soda, which creates a disconnect in the mind of the consumer. I'm hoping they phase it out once the logo proliferates society. OOH was a great choice to start this new campaign since it attains millions of impressions in a short period of time.

NYC billboards are everywhere and are clutter within a city of clutter. Many of them might get a second or two of a passerby's attention, but these Pepsi billboards are impossible to not notice. They're clean, simple and direct. And they're innovative. While most billboards make sure to jam in a logo, an image, and seven words of copy, Pepsi's ad trims the fat so well that it includes the logo within the copy all while establishing a new colour palette that, due to the billboard's scale, makes it easier to associate the colours with the brand itself as opposed to just the ad. Refreshing.