Diet Coke Gets a Makeover...and Four New Flavors

In an apparent move to appeal to the millennial market, Coke has unveiled a new look for Diet Coke.  And, they didn't stop there.  Along with the rebranding came four new flavors:  Ginger Lime, Twisted Mango, Zesty Blood Orange and Feisty Cherry.  Each product is now housed within a sleek new can design to give Diet Coke a youthful appearance.  

The initial responses suggest that Coke is simply jumping on the bandwagon with flavored diet beverage options packaged like many others already on the market.  In fact, not only are other carbonated beverages using sleek can designs, but so are alcoholic beverages that have been doing so for a while.  

It will be interesting to see how the overall market responds to this new look...and new flavors.  Originally introduced to the market in 1982, Diet Coke today is no longer your father's Oldsmobile!  

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The Marketing Beacon, a provider of custom-developed marketing solutions designed to grow businesses, announces the launch of a new e-Commerce website for Calmettos, LLC. The site is designed to highlight the unique palmetto tree paintings called “Calmettos” by artist and company founder Calhoun “Cal” Harrelson. These original works of art along with complementing products that feature selections of these paintings are available for purchase on the website. To read the full news release, visit: GSABizWire.com. To visit the new site, go to Calmettos.com.

If you haven't seen them by now, here they are:  the new logo for Instagram and the refreshed logo for Aquafina. 

The reviews and responses to Instagram in particular have not been overly favorable.  Many considered the old logo as a beloved retro camera icon while others felt the new look was necessary to create a visual more in step with today's icons. The result is an interesting new logo that combines the simplistic white outline of the iconic camera while adding a vibrant, rainbow-esque background that ironically feels a bit 70's retro.  Regardless, Instagram felt it was necessary and it has certainly garnered major media attention - - which isn't a bad thing.  The brand itself enjoys a huge user base following yet many in that mass have had less than kind things to say about the new mark.  Like all things, time will tell and it will be interesting to see if this direction inspires other brands to follow suit...but hopefully without this psychedelic wave of colors.  

Aquafina, on the other hand, went the subtle route.  The old logo boasted of a jagged mountain range and a serif font with the recognizable elongated letter "Q".  When the in-house team at Aquafina was finished with the new logo, they revealed a toned-down mountain and a very plain font that is popular in many styles today.  Simplicity is the current trend and Aquafina appears to have hit on that.  Even though the roll-out of this new look was accomplished in somewhat of a stealth mode, the reaction to this new mark over the past couple of months has been positive overall.

What About Your Brand Identity?

Having a professional logo with visual appeal that reflects well on your business is important.  A dated logo will make your business look old and amateur while an updated logo will help your company stand out and look current.  Here are a few tips to consider about your logo:

• Visual impressions matter - don’t give potential customers a reason to discard your business by having a cheap-looking, outdated logo
• A solid logo design creates a positive impression of your business and differentiates you from competitors
• Looking outdated may falsely convey that your company is out of touch
• Be sure your logo connects well with your market without forcing them to figure out what the logo means and what your company is all about

Remember, your logo is only one important piece of your entire branding image.  When you update your logo, be sure to evaluate other components that may need to be refreshed so that your image is consistent across all communication platforms.

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