Coca-Cola turns 125 this year and they are celebrating in style. This fall the company will launch a limited edition Diet Coke can with what some are calling a revolutionary design. Originally launched in 1982 as the first extension of the ‘Coke’ brand, executives wanted to present a new look and feel to keep the brand feeling fresh. From a branding perspective, it appears the special design builds brand esteem (one of the four pillars of brand equity).

The new design plays with the brand identity in a way that says “You know who I am”, similar to when you call a close friend and say “It’s me”. This builds positive perceptions and a strong connection between the brand and its consumers. This approach for the limited edition redesign can be pursued by Coca Cola, as the master brand logo is one of the most recognized in the world, but is likely not a viable option for less prominent brands. Let’s have a look at what Diet Coke is up to with their playful visual identity redesign.

Enlarged versions of the letters “D” and “K” from the classic logo appear on the can, while the full logo is also presented twice in a smaller size. The enlarged “D” and “K” design was realized by cropping and expanding the middle part of the Diet Coke logo to fit the whole can. The classic aluminum background remains untouched. The new design will appeal to Diet Coke brand loyalists, but also be recognizable for consumers in general, due to the consistent background and classic Coca-Cola red colour.
Branding and design specialists have touted the Diet Coke redesign as a breakthrough. Diet Coke has been present for over 29 years in the market, and holds the leading position in sugar free sodas in America. Brand leaders are often strong across all four pillars of brand equity- differentiation, relevance, esteem, and knowledge. Here, Diet Coke is building esteem as it places trust in consumers that they will still recognize the brand even if the design is altered. Since this is also a limited edition design, it further fosters esteem as it feels like an exclusive gift for brand loyalists.
As a leading and trendsetting global brand, Coca Cola can enjoy more opportunities to play with their brand identity (see post on Starbucks logo redesign). For most brands, they need to focus on establishing significant brand awareness before they can attempt such a feat. This means carefully considering all elements of brand design, including shapes, colours, typefaces, graphics, and more. Altering the brand visual identity before the brand is a leader in the market, or at least has a high level of awareness, is a risky move that may serve to confuse consumers and dilute brand equity.
It will be interesting to see how long the “limited edition” Diet Coke cans stay on the shelves, and what other tricks Coca Cola has up their sleeves to keep their brand identity fresh and new in the years to come.