Pepsi logo evolution: Connecting the past, present, and future

The change in the new Pepsi logo came from the insight that consumers preferred the brand’s logos from the ‘70s and ‘80s. We take a look at the brand's evolution since its launch.

Ahead of its 125th anniversary, Pepsi has rebranded itself with a new logo, paying tribute to the pop in the brand’s classic labelling. The new logo comes from the insight that consumers preferred the brand’s logos from the ‘70s and ‘80s.

In a press statement, Todd Kaplan, Chief Marketing Officer at PepsiCo said, "So there was this implicit connection that we thought was not even out there today. The challenge was: how can we take something that was part of our heritage and our past and project it to the present and the future?"

Rebranding itself for the first time since 2008, the brand intends to give the logo a fresh look and feel that connects its heritage.

Here a few key design elements seen in its new logo:
1. Shift from a leaner to bold font: The new logo displays the brand name in a bolder font, alongside a globe.
2. New colours: The updated colour palette includes an electric blue and black to bring contrast. The black colour is to connect with Pepsi Zero Sugar, reflecting its commitment to sugar-free products.
3. Music in its DNA: There's a "Pepsi pulse" emanating from the logo.

Here’s a look at the evolution of Pepsi’s logos since its launch in 1898.

Also Read: Expert Speak: The Do’s & Don’ts of rebranding…

1898-1904

First called ‘Brad’s Drink’, the brand launched its first logo following the renaming. The logo reflected a pattern that could easily be reprinted by late 19th-century printing methods. 

1905-1949

The second logo continued to have a blank canvas behind a bolder, more readable and modernised script. It was also shown in the first Pepsi television commercial in 1950. 

1950-1986

The blank canvas had an addition of its bottle cap in this version of the logo with more striking typography and colours which included blue and black in addition to the classic red.

1987-1997

1987 brought a new twist to the Pepsi logo which has now been the inspiration for the 2023 logo. This was the first time the brand had the typography within the circle keeping the colour theme to a mixture of the previous brand colours.

1998-2007

This logo, with the brand name superimposed over the red, white and blue globe, was more suitable for cans. 

2008-2022

This version of the logo was designed amid the birth of the iPod and gave off a minimalist vibe with lowercase italicised fonts. With muted blue and typography separated from the classic globe, Kaplan mentioned how it doesn't necessarily embody the brand ethos.

This led to the birth of the newest Pepsi logo with a call-back to the ‘70s and ‘80s look. The objective behind this all was to connect the brand's past with its present, paving a path for its future.