The limited edition Diet Coke (above, right) was introduced back in September of 2011 to celebrate parent company Coca-Cola’s 125th Anniversary. Not only was the sleek new design met with applause from the design community, customers seemed to take a liking to it as well. The overly warm reception went so far as to earn the new packaging a permanent stay on the shelf, reports Adweek.
While Coca-Cola recently ranked No. 6 on the BrandZ Top 100, an annual list of the world’s most valuable brands created by Millward Brown Optimor, Diet Coke has a relatively strong presence in itself. The brand, which just turned 30 this year, recently overtook Pepsi as the world’s second-most popular soft drink, behind Coke.
Diet Coke’s sustained success and broad appeal have allowed the brand to take risks – fortunately it’s only the aesthetic kind, not of the New Coke variety.
Well executed and thought out risks like a bold new packaging redesign can prove to be a smashing success, reinvigorating an already established brand and drawing praise from the advertising, design and marketing communities. Perhaps 30 really is the new 20.