Taken from Ad Age.

Yes, you heard correctly. The ultra slim video screen technology will interact with readers in the New York and Los Angeles markets.

I think this is one of the coolest concepts and shows how traditional marketing ideas are changing. What I do not understand, though, is why they aren’t running an ad campaign to promote the ad?! This is one of the few times you could get away with it!

For the complete skinny, check out the article in this week’s Adage.

I just started seeing the special “throwback” Pepsi bottles. Love it! Additionally, I loved that they used the term “throwback” instead of the more obvious “retro” (read: my title). Pepsi is so good at identifying with the new generation even when looking at the past. They could have chosen to use “old skool” but, even Pepsi knows, that is “old skool.”

The new logo is hip and fun. Yes, a brand must always hold true to its legacy, and I think it still is holding true. We do not look at the new logo and say, “What is this new brand I have never heard of ?” Of course not. We look at the new, funky red, blue, and white circle and go “Wow. Pepsi got a makeover.” Seeing that symbol still conjures up the same feelings toward the brand and we still recognize it as such. In my opinion, becoming hip and cool is smart. Change is not always a bad thing!

Also, let’s not forget about the younger demographics. I would guess that Pepsi would like to snag some of these people making the all important choice: Pepsi or Coke? Which brand appeals more to them? Yeah, traditional legacies are great, but so is being innovative.

Is Pepsi smiling?

The text (font) is a throwback to the mid-80s “diet pepsi” look. Like everything, that style has somewhat come back into “vogue” but not for Pepsi. Yes, this look is much cleaner and more streamlined -I’m all for that- but the update looks forced. The famous RED/BLUE/WHITE swoosh is the biggest change. Throughout the years it has had various treatments, but the concept was still the same. Now, the whole design has been turned on its head! Am I the only person who thinks it is smiling?

Pepsi has always been the hipper brand when it come to the fight between Coke & Pepsi, but they big mistake you make when trying to be hip is maintaining your legacy. Staying true to your heritage, especially when you’re a heritage brand, is probably (above all) the most important thing you can do. I think Pepsi’s new look will not sell more soda, nor will it inspire faithful coke drinkers to make the leap.

Congrats Pepsi — you’re hip. But you’re still not #1. For advice on how to keep that #1 spot for more than a century look at Coke’s new logo… wait, they don’t have one.

I should note, I’ve always preferred Pepsi.