Pepsi makes a change…again.

August 23, 2010

Pepsi makes a change…again.

Brand Identity. It’s the way you want your consumers to view your product or your brand and it’s one of the most important aspects of the advertising/marketing industry, so it better be done right. All it takes sometimes is one move and your brand identity can go tumbling downhill…fast.

Pepsi, for example, has undergone a name change, packaging updates and two separate relaunches that have confused it’s brand identity since 2007, according to an article in AdAge. Now for Pepsi’s new idea…dropping the “diet” and coming out with Pepsi Max, a cross between cola and an energy drink. After once thinking the term “diet” was the way to go, they are now taking a new approach with the thought “Zero calories, maximum taste.” Although Pepsi is a large brand with a well known reputation, brand changing can cause harm to any company, no matter the size and no matter the popularity. Pepsi hasn’t necessarily done bad to the identity of their product, but I wouldn’t say they have done good either. They have have made a lot of changes in who they are and what they look like, which doesn’t always sit well with consumers; in other words, they are taking big risks.

Sure, brand identity can change, there is no question about that. Not everyone gets lucky enough to get it on the first try. However, if you want your product to thrive, find out what it is that consumers know and love, and stick to it. Let them get to know your product for what it is and what it’s always going to be.