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Never forget that utterly ridiculous Pepsi logo design document (2023)

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Re: Never forget that utterly ridiculous Pepsi logo design document (2023)

#21

Post by runlevel1 »

Arnell Group followed-up the Pepsi rebranding with the disastrous Tropicana rebranding.

Reportedly, they paid Arnell $35M for the Tropicana rebrand. It made their product look like a generic store brand. Upon rollout, they reportedly lost as much as $20M a month. They reverted it soon after.[1]

Arnell's explanation for the failure was similarly whacky.[2]

Two years later, Arnell Group's parent company, Omnicom, fired Peter Arnell. Though that might have been for misconduct that had Newsweek comparing him to Harvey Weinstein way back in 2009.[3]

[1]: https://web.archive.org/web/20090226235602/http://industry.b...

[2]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arnells-explanation-of-failed-t...

[3]: https://web.archive.org/web/20120113061332/http://www.thedai...

Re: Never forget that utterly ridiculous Pepsi logo design document (2023)

#23

Post by chris_wot »

runlevel1 wrote: post #12
tracedddd wrote: post #5

It seems pretty likely this was an intentional leak meant as a viral outrage based advertising campaign. The content is not just ridiculous but also underdeveloped for someone who actually believed it. And since I'm now reading it here on HN I suppose it worked.

Maybe, but Arnell was rather eccentric and, by several accounts, had very much bought into his own BS. [1]: https://web.archive.org/web/20120113061332/http://www.thedai... [2]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-the-firing-of-weird-design-...

He sounds charming:

“ Arnell has been compared to movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, meaning you could fill a book with horror stories about his cruel behavior—screaming at people, even hitting them. "He has this remarkable capacity to be both the most intoxicating character—lovable, brilliant, seductively intellectual—and then turn on a dime and be staggeringly cruel," says a former business associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of alienating Arnell. This person recalls Arnell humiliating employees by making them get down and do push-ups in front of clients. "He is unencumbered with any sense of morality. Until you experience it firsthand, it's just completely and utterly unfathomable."”

Re: Never forget that utterly ridiculous Pepsi logo design document (2023)

#24

Post by chris_wot »

jacknews wrote: post #14

From the linked "best logos of all time" article: "The best logos are those that have truly stood the test of time. As well as being distinct and memorable, often with hidden meanings and messages ..." The pepsi universe and energy fields stuff is obviously wack, but most people are blissfully unaware of the depth of meaning, connotations, references, messaging, etc, in many logos, emblems, and even design 'dna', all…

Most of it is bullshit.

Re: Never forget that utterly ridiculous Pepsi logo design document (2023)

#25

Post by jacknews »

chris_wot wrote: post #24
jacknews wrote: post #14

From the linked "best logos of all time" article: "The best logos are those that have truly stood the test of time. As well as being distinct and memorable, often with hidden meanings and messages ..." The pepsi universe and energy fields stuff is obviously wack, but most people are blissfully unaware of the depth of meaning, connotations, references, messaging, etc, in many logos, emblems, and even design 'dna', all…

Most of it is bullshit.

it's mostly historical

please give an example of bs

Re: Never forget that utterly ridiculous Pepsi logo design document (2023)

#26

Post by lupusreal »

chris_wot wrote: post #23
runlevel1 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe, but Arnell was rather eccentric and, by several accounts, had very much bought into his own BS. [1]: https://web.archive.org/web/20120113061332/http://www.thedai... [2]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-the-firing-of-weird-design-...

He sounds charming: “ Arnell has been compared to movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, meaning you could fill a book with horror stories about his cruel behavior—screaming at people, even hitting them. "He has this remarkable capacity to be both the most intoxicating character—lovable, brilliant, seductively intellectual—and then turn on a dime and be staggeringly cruel," says a former business associate, who spoke on condi…

Makes sense, psychopaths often have an innate gift for spinning bullshit and manipulating people into going along with it. He's in the perfect industry for this.

Re: Never forget that utterly ridiculous Pepsi logo design document (2023)

#27

Post by tracedddd »

Hamuko wrote: post #11
tracedddd wrote: post #5

It seems pretty likely this was an intentional leak meant as a viral outrage based advertising campaign. The content is not just ridiculous but also underdeveloped for someone who actually believed it. And since I'm now reading it here on HN I suppose it worked.

I don't think it was "outraged-based" as it was "ridicule-based". Like, who actually got angry over the Gravitational Pull of Pepsi that leads to Pepsi Proposition instead of just mocking it relentlessly?

Fair, but the point stands.
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