Brand Evolution: Why Companies Like Pepsi Redesign Their Logos

Contents...

1. The Strategic Purpose Behind Logo Redesigns
2. Case Studies: Three Fascinating Logo Evolutions
3. Key Takeaways for Brands Considering a Logo Redesign
4. Actionable Steps for Effective Logo Redesigns

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The Evolution of Branding: Why Do Logos Change?

Ever noticed how your favourite brands seem to get a visual facelift every few years? It's not just about looking pretty! When companies update their logos, they're making strategic moves that reflect deeper changes in their identity and market position.

Let's dive into why these transformations happen and check out some fascinating logo evolutions.

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1. The Strategic Purpose Behind Logo Redesigns

Let's be real—brands don't just wake up one morning and decide to change their logo because they're bored. According to a study by Siegel+Gale, 54% of consumers are more likely to trust a brand with a simple, recognizable logo. There's serious business strategy behind these visual shifts. Logo redesigns typically happen for three main reasons:

1. Modernization

Remember the jeggings, choker necklaces and E-boy / E-girl aesthetic from the 2010s? Yeah, design trends change just as dramatically as fashion! What looked cutting-edge ten years ago might look painfully outdated today. The Design Management Institute found that design-driven companies outperformed the S&P 500 by a whopping 219% over a 10-year period. Staying visually relevant isn't just about looking cool—it's about connecting with today's customers.

Discussions at the 2024 'Power to the Ma

The 2024 'Power to the Marketer' festival in London highlighted the importance of balancing heritage with modernity in branding. Leaders emphasized that modernization involves more than updating appearances; it's about aligning with the evolving preferences and expectations of both current and future customers.

2. Simplification

Think about it—your logo now needs to work everywhere from tiny app icons to massive billboards. That detailed, intricate design might look amazing on a billboard but could turn into an unrecognizable blob on your phone screen!

A 2022 analysis by Logo Lounge found that 83% of logo redesigns in recent years have moved toward simpler, flatter designs. This isn't just designers being lazy—simpler logos load faster, look clearer on small screens, and are way more recognizable when someone's speed-scrolling through Instagram.

3. Repositioning

When a company pivots its strategy, expands its offerings, or starts targeting a new audience, their visual identity often needs a refresh too. According to brand consultancy Landor, 73% of successful rebrands are tied to significant business transformations. Your logo needs to tell the right story about who you are now, not who you were five years ago.

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2. Case Studies: Three Fascinating Logo Evolutions

1. Bakers Biscuits: South Africa's Sweet Evolution

If you grew up in South Africa, the Bakers logo probably brings back some serious snack-time nostalgia! From enjoying Marie Biscuits with your tea to Tennis Biscuits used in the Christmas Peppermint Crisp Tart, Bakers Biscuits has been a household name for decades. This iconic biscuit brand has carefully evolved its visual identity over decades while maintaining that instant recognition factor.

The original Bakers logo featured a more detailed, illustrative approach that worked beautifully in print advertisements and packaging of earlier decades. As media channels diversified and digital platforms emerged, Bakers smartly simplified their logo while keeping their distinctive color palette, typography and Bakersman that signals "yes, these are the delicious biscuits you remember!"

Their most recent updates have focused on maintaining that heritage feel while ensuring the logo works seamlessly across digital touchpoints—from e-commerce platforms to social media. It's a masterclass in how to honour brand recognition while still feeling contemporary.

2. Pepsi: Riding the Waves of Change

Pepsi's logo journey is like watching design history unfold in real time! From its ornate script logo in the early 1900s to today's simplified circular emblem, each version tells us something about the era it was created in.

The 2008 redesign (which reportedly cost a cool $1 million) introduced that dynamic "smile" wave through the circle, giving it more energy and movement. This update aligned perfectly with Pepsi's strategy to position itself as the more youthful, dynamic alternative to you-know-who (hint: red can with white typography)

What's super interesting is how Pepsi's 2023 update tapped into the growing "retro revival" trend. The new design brings back elements from Pepsi's heritage while keeping things clean and modern. According to a Nielson report, brands that effectively use nostalgia see up to 60% higher engagement rates among younger consumers—even though Gen Z's never saw the original designs in their heyday!

3.Instagram: From Realistic Camera to Abstract Icon

Remember when Instagram launched in 2010 with that detailed, realistic camera icon? It was perfect for the era when digital interfaces tried to mimic real-world objects like when the iPhone notepad looked like actual yellow paper.

But as mobile interfaces evolved toward cleaner, flatter designs, Instagram's realistic camera started feeling like it was wearing bell-bottoms to a modern party. The 2016 redesign—which, let's be honest, everyone complained about for like a week before completely accepting—introduced a simplified, gradient-filled icon that pops beautifully on mobile screens.

Ian Spalter, Instagram's former Head of Design who led the rebrand, explained it perfectly: "The new design allows Instagram to scale across hundreds of touchpoints and remain instantly recognizable."

The timing wasn't coincidental either—the logo update happened just as Instagram was expanding beyond simple photo sharing into stories, video, and e-commerce. The more abstract logo better represented this broader mission while still giving us that "oh yeah, that's Instagram" feeling.

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3. Key Takeaways for Brands Considering a Logo Redesign

1. Balance Evolution with Recognition: The most successful logo redesigns maintain what branding nerds call "strategic continuity"—evolving while preserving key recognizable elements. Research shows that completely overhauling your logo can actually disrupt brand recognition and customer loyalty. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!

2. Prioritize Versatility: Your logo is going to appear EVERYWHERE these days. Before you fall in love with a redesign, test it across various sizes, backgrounds, and contexts—from tiny favicon to giant billboard. If it doesn't work at all these sizes, it's not the one.

3. Consider Your Brand Family: If you have multiple sub-brands or product lines, think about how changes to your main logo will affect everything else in your brand universe. Maintaining coherence across the brand family builds cumulative brand power!

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44. Actionable Steps for Effective Logo Redesigns

1. Start With a Brand Check-up: Before jumping into redesign mode, take a good look at what's working and what's not with your current logo. Ask your team, customers, and even your mom what they think!
2. Get Clear on Your "Why": Define exactly what business goals your redesign should support. Are you trying to look more innovative? Will it appeal to younger customers? Will it work better on Instagram? Let these goals guide your decisions.
3. Keep Your Special Sauce: Figure out which parts of your current logo have the strongest recognition (maybe it's the colour, symbol, or typography) and consider keeping these while updating other elements.
4. Test, Test, Test: Use focus groups, social media polls, or other research methods to make sure your new logo resonates with the right people before going all in.
5. Plan a Smart Rollout: Develop a plan for introducing your new logo. Sometimes a big reveal works best; other times, a gradual transition keeps people from freaking out.
6. Document Everything: Create detailed guidelines so everyone uses your new logo correctly. Nothing worse than investing in a rebrand only to have your sales team use the old logo in presentations for the next three years!
7. Tell Your Story: Use the redesign as a chance to communicate your brand's journey. Explaining why you've evolved can help bring customers along for the ride.

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Ready to Level Up Your Brand?

Logo evolution isn't just about keeping up with design trends—it's about ensuring your most visible brand asset continues to tell the right story about who you are as a company. When done thoughtfully, a redesign can breathe new life into your brand while honouring everything that made people fall in love with you in the first place.

Think it might be time to refresh your own brand identity? Our team at Lab Rabbit Studios specializes in strategic rebrands that balance innovation with brand equity. We'll help you evolve your visual identity in a way that respects your history while positioning you for continuous future growth.

Contact us today—we'd love to help your brand make its next evolutionary leap!

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