This week in branding, Pepsi released a new take on a major throwback, Olipop started some covert beef with Mountain Dew, and Nike flipped its logo on its head. Here are all of the branding news stories we’re following:
The news: Remember that legendary 2000s Pepsi ad—the one with Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Pink dressed as gladiators and rocking out to Queen’s “We Will Rock You”? Well, it’s back—but with a 2024 twist.
Big picture: The new Pepsi spot, Gladiator II, features Megan Thee Stallion as the new pop culture-ified empress, with her own instantly iconic rap verse remixed into “We Will Rock You” (seriously, it’s an ear worm). Guest appearances include Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and actors Lamone Morris and Jake Lacy. The ad is pegged to the November 22 release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel (also titled Gladiator II).
Why it matters: Gladiator II is clearly playing on the campaign recognition of its predecessor, but the spot also has plenty of added details to appeal to the chronically online Gen Z crowd. Listening ears will catch a reference to the Roman Empire meme that took off on TikTok last year, and one gladiator hits the griddy as a celebration dance. That’s not to mention Kelce’s appearance in the ad, as his connection to Taylor Swift has made him a favorite among younger viewers and kickstarted a series of Travis-centric brand partnerships.
The news: Can you Do the Dew? Apparently, Olipop can. The prebiotic “healthy” soda brand just released a new flavor called “Ridge Rush,” complete with the ad slogan “A Can of Do,” which is pretty clearly a jab at Mountain Dew.
Big picture: The better-for-you soda dupe is launching alongside several ads directed by the comedy duo Fatal Farm. It’s a strategy that feels suspiciously familiar, given that Mountain Dew just revived its own “Do the Dew” slogan in July. The 30-year-old tagline made its return to promote a new campaign that introduced the brand character “The Mountain Dude” and aimed to reinvigorate Mountain Dew’s audience with a focus on the great outdoors.
Why it matters: Functional beverages, like Olipop, Poppi, and Kin, have been riding an upward trend as American consumers’ interest in soda wanes. On the surface, Olipop’s new campaign is a smart move to appeal to younger consumers, who tend to gravitate toward silly, humorous beverage marketing (largely pioneered by Liquid Death). Still, this move feels like it’s on just the wrong side of petty, and seems just as likely to bring more attention to the original soda than its healthier alternative. Time will tell how consumers react to the mountain-inspired drink.
The news: Nike is putting a new spin on the Swoosh: This season, men’s and women’s teams in European and Latin American football clubs will wear jerseys with a Swoosh oriented vertically rather than horizontally.
Big picture: The move is slightly out of character for Nike, which has adhered pretty strictly to the original Swoosh design since it was created by graphic designer Carolyn Davidson in the ‘70s. The pivot is part of a new “Together We Rise” campaign, which celebrates the rising popularity of women’s soccer.
Why it matters: Breaking brand guidelines is a risky move, especially for a brand with such an extensive history and fanbase. But sometimes, failing to meet expectations can make just the right splash, especially when it’s connected to a meaningful message outside of the brand itself.
The news: Hiya, Barbie! This week, HMD (the former maker of Nokia phones) and Mattel released a new collaboration that’s a y2k-inspired, hot pink, Barbie-themed flip phone.
Big picture: The phone comes with a light-up keypad reminiscent of early 2000s tech, a shiny mirror on the front, and a slew of charms—like stick-on crystals and Barbie stickers. The device-slash-toy can’t connect to social media, so it’s mainly a tool for texting, calling, and taking photos. For what it is, though, it gets the job done: One tech reviewer at The Verge wrote of the phone, “The phone itself may be basic, but the vibe is not. [. . .] I love a gadget that goes all in on a concept, and this one goes hard.”
Why it matters: The Barbie flip phone is clearly playing into the recent dumbphone trend, which is flourishing on Reddit and in the tech world. A dumphone is typically a ‘90s-inspired phone with pared-back features, specially designed to prevent the doom scrolling and screen addiction that are tricky to avoid with, say, a standard iPhone. And, admittedly, the Barbie version is pretty cute—but it’s not enough to thaw our frozen hearts. We’ve written about it before: It’s time to put the Barbie collabs to rest, at least until the next movie comes out.
