The History of the Pepsi Logo Design Evolution

The History of the Pepsi Logo Design Evolution

The Pepsi logo is one of the most recognisable brand emblems in the world.

Those swirling red, white, and blue colours undoubtedly spark instant brand recognition among consumers. But how did this iconic logo design come to be?

Let’s embark on a fizzy journey through the ages to explore the history and evolution of the Pepsi logo.

The Architect of the New Era: Mauro Porcini

Behind the most recent and successful shift in Pepsi’s visual history is Mauro Porcini, the company’s first-ever Chief Design Officer.

Joining in 2012, Porcini was tasked with moving PepsiCo from a “marketing-led” organisation to a “design-led” one. This meant that the logo was no longer just a sticker on a bottle; it became a living entity designed to thrive in digital spaces.

Porcini’s philosophy focused on “The Pulse”—a concept that the Pepsi logo should vibrate with the energy of music, sport, and culture. Under his leadership, the brand moved away from the thin, airy fonts of the 2000s toward a more “unapologetic” and “bold” aesthetic.

This cultural shift within the company’s New York headquarters set the stage for the 125th-anniversary rebrand, ensuring the design wasn’t just a nostalgic throwback, but a future-proofed asset for the 2026 digital landscape.

Early Origins: Pepsi Cola Hits the Market (1898 – 1905)

It all began in the late 19th century when Caleb Bradham, a pharmacist in New Bern, North Carolina, started experimenting with flavour combinations in his drugstore soda fountain.

After settling on a winning mixture of kola nut extract, vanilla, rare oils, and cola nuts in 1898, Bradham developed what he dubbed “Brad’s Drink” – a carbonated beverage to serve his pharmacy patrons.

Buoyed by early success and demand, on August 28, 1898, Bradham renamed his tasty concoction “Pepsi-Cola” and launched it for sale at soda fountains. The newly christened Pepsi-Cola moniker indicated the pepsin and cola ingredients, sounding pleasing and unique.

But before the barrels, an even earlier logo existed. In 1898, Bradham sketched out a spiky, irregular red script.

Let’s be honest, it was a bit of a mess and quite hard to read, looking more like something scrawled in a hurry than the beginnings of a global brand.

This initial version wasn’t seen much on products, but it was the genuine first attempt. Its real significance came in 1903 when it was officially filed with the U.S. Patent Office.

That act made it official, marking the first concrete step in protecting and building what would become a legendary brand identity.

In the early years, Pepsi didn’t even have a logo, per se. However, Bradham helped develop the first Pepsi branding when he commissioned the first Pepsi-Cola syrup barrels in 1905.

The wooden barrels featured the words “Pepsi Cola” printed in a slender, elongated white font against a rich red background. They also displayed Bradham’s business address and patent numbers, which are etched below.

While simple in design, these first Pepsi packages laid the groundwork for iconic colour schemes and lettering. The curvy, custom “Pepsi Cola” typeface, conveying bubbly energy and excitement, would evolve dramatically while maintaining core design elements over a century of logo updates.

Meteoric Rise and Major Rebranding (1906 – 1962)

In the early 1900s, Pepsi experienced explosive growth. By 1910, there were 242 Pepsi bottling franchises operating across 24 states. With Coca-Cola firmly cementing its industry dominance in this period, Pepsi aimed to compete by revamping its brand image several times in just over 50 years. Let’s examine some key logo evolutions in this transformative era:

Swirly Red Script (1906) – To stand out from the competition, Pepsi unveiled a new logo in1906 featuring the words “Pepsi Cola” rendered in a signature swirling red script. Flowing stylishly across the logo, this script added visual movement and energy while suggesting the fizz and rush of a freshly poured cola.

The Evolution of the Pepsi Logo During the Great Depression and Beyond

Pepsi’s logo evolution story is as captivating as the brand’s resilience through challenging economic times. While the Great Depression presented numerous hurdles, it also set the stage for significant transformation, including the iconic Pepsi logo.

Early Struggles and Logo Transformation

In the early 1920s, Caleb Bradham, the creator of Pepsi, faced financial difficulties. His financial woes led to the company’s bankruptcy in 1923. Despite these struggles, the brand found its footing again, and with this resurgence came changes in its visual identity.

The Great Depression: An Era of Rebirth

Throughout the Great Depression, Pepsi changed hands multiple times, and tweaks and updates to its logo came with each transition. During this era, the brand shifted its focus, seeking to identify itself as a sturdy and reliable choice amid economic uncertainty. The logo was crafted to embody both a fresh start and a nod to its original roots, moving from ornate script to a more modern and accessible look.

Post-Depression Innovation

By the 1940s, Pepsi had not only reformulated its product but also its brand image. The logo underwent significant design innovations, adopting a streamlined bottle-cap symbol that became synonymous with the brand’s identity. This emblem was an early step towards the minimalist and patriotic red, white, and blue design that became a hallmark in the mid-20th century.

Logo Evolution Beyond

As decades progressed, Pepsi continued to modify its logo to keep pace with cultural trends and consumer expectations. From the minimalist logos of the ’60s to the dynamic wave design of the ’90s, each transformation phase reflected changes in aesthetic preferences and corporate philosophy, keeping it current, exciting, and relevant to its audience.

Pepsi and Cola Stacked (1940s) – By 1940, the swirling script logo was modified with “Pepsi” now stacked above “Cola” in a balanced, compact arrangement. Keeping brand familiarity, the logo retained the cursive type, red colour, and soda fountain fizz, though in a vertically structured new lockup.

Patriotism and the Bottle Cap Logo (1940s)

The introduction of the red, white, and blue colours during the 1940s wasn’t just a simple design refresh; it was a masterstroke of marketing timed perfectly with history. With the United States deeply involved in World War II, Pepsi made a very deliberate and strategic move to wrap itself in the flag, showing support for the troops and the nation.

This new logo, shaped into a clean, circular bottle cap, proudly displayed the national colours in distinct waves. Inside the cap, the familiar “Pepsi-Cola” script was refined to be cleaner and more legible, sitting inside the patriotic circle.

It became an instant symbol of homefront solidarity. The brand wasn’t just selling a drink anymore; it was selling a piece of American spirit.

This clever alignment with national values forged a powerful connection with consumers that went far beyond simple refreshment. It was a theme that would echo in their branding for decades to come.

Bottle Cap Shape and Speedy Font (1950s) – Rapid postwar growth called for a logo mirroring Pepsi’s charge into the future. Thus, in the 1950s, the emblem adopted a flat bottle-cap stylisation, with chunky, modernist speed lines representing fast times. Set in vibrant red, this dynamic logo captured Pepsi as forward-thinking and swift.

The Impact of the “Pepsi Generation” in the 1960s

During the 1960s, a significant shift occurred in the cultural landscape, primarily driven by the emergence of the “Pepsi Generation.” This term encapsulated a youthful, vibrant demographic that began defining popular culture with distinct preferences and attitudes.

A Symbol of Youth and Energy

By embracing this new wave of young consumers, Pepsi positioned itself as more than just a beverage—it became a lifestyle choice for the era’s burgeoning youth. The iconic logo, featuring a bottle-cap design with the brand boldly displayed, became synonymous with this dynamic group. It was a visual representation of vitality and modernity, embodying the spirit of baby boomers.

Cultural Resonance

The “Pepsi Generation” was emblematic of a broader cultural revolution. As baby boomers came of age, they sought products that resonated with their aspirations for fun and excitement, rejecting the old conventions. Pepsi tapped into this desire, crafting marketing campaigns that celebrated youthfulness and joy, aligning perfectly with the counterculture movements of the time.

Lasting Legacy

The success of this branding strategy not only boosted Pepsi’s market share but cemented its place in history as a brand that understood the pulse of a generation. This marketing approach highlighted how a well-aligned brand message could transform a product into a cultural icon, making the “Pepsi Generation” a pivotal chapter in advertising history.

In summary, the “Pepsi Generation” of the 1960s was significant in defining a new era of marketing that connected deeply with the values and lifestyle of its target audience.

The Globe Makes its Debut (1973 – 1987)

In the 1970s, Pepsi entered a new branding era by introducing perhaps its most iconic design element – the Pepsi Globe. Let’s explore the Globe’s inception and gradual centralisation of the logo over 15+ years.

Boxed Globe and Wordmark (1973) – Keen to invoke excitement, Pepsi unveiled a boxed globe icon in 1973 as a dynamic new logo anchor. Set against a red rectangle, the sphere features wavy stripes that convey fizzy effervescence. “Pepsi” sat boldly atop the Globe in condensed lettering, marked by a slanted serif “P” and an elongated “S”.

Bottling with Motion Lines (1975) – Two years later, in 1975, the Pepsi Globe was revised again, now connected to a bottling glass and encircled by circular motion lines. This logo captured both the beverage itself with a bottle visual and dynamic motion/pouring action with the orbiting rings. The wordmark also shifted to a rounded, friendlier type.

More Focus on the Globe (1987) – As the 70s progressed, the Pepsi Globe increasingly took centre stage, growing sequentially over the next decade. By 1987, a new minimalist logo made the Globe the focal point, with “Pepsi” in a small, basic font underneath. This foreshadowed cthe oming decades, emphasising the dramatic, iconic Globe.

The Branding Duel: Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola

The history of the Pepsi logo cannot be fully understood without its counterpoint: Coca-Cola. The two brands represent polar opposite philosophies in identity design.

• Coca-Cola (The Preservationist): Since 1887, Coca-Cola has barely touched its Spencerian script. Their strategy is “Timelessness.” They want the consumer to feel that the world changes, but Coke stays the same.
• Pepsi (The Evolutionist): Pepsi’s strategy is “Timeliness.” By changing its logo roughly every 10–15 years, Pepsi aligns itself with the “New Generation.” Whether it was the patriotic 1940s, the psychedelic 1970s, or the digital-first 2020s, Pepsi uses its logo to prove it is the brand of the now.

This frequent evolution is why the Pepsi logo is a perfect “time capsule” for 20th and 21st-century design trends.

Tweaks and Variations in Later Years (1991 – Present)

Since hitting perfect stride with the solo globe motif in 1991 (which we’ll discuss next), the past 30+ years have primarily seen more minor evolutions in shape, finish, and colour treatment:

Iconic Solo Globe (1991) – In its most monumental logo change, Pepsi in 1991 pared everything down to its hero element – that hot red, white, and blue Globe. Stripped of wordmarks and lockups, this solo sphere became instantly identifiable, globally relevant, and undeniably powerful.

Flattened Globe (1998) – While maintaining its iconography, Pepsi dropped the Globe’s dimension in 1998, opting for a cleaner, pared-back flat design. Simplified and stylised, this artful Globe fit well with sleeker aesthetics, gaining popularity in the 90s and beyond.

Return to Dimensionality (2003) – A few years later, in 2003, some gradients and Dimensionality returned through highlighting and shadows. The Globe popped off the background while remaining flatter than earlier renditions.

The “Breathtaking” Strategy: A Lesson in Over-Design

The 2008 redesign by the Arnell Group remains one of the most discussed moments in graphic design history.

While the resulting “Smile” logo lasted 14 years, it was nearly overshadowed by the “Breathtaking Design Strategy” document. This 27-page pitch attempted to link the Pepsi logo to:

1. The Earth’s Geodynamo: Suggesting the logo’s curves mirrored the planet’s magnetic fields.
2. The Golden Ratio: Claiming the “smile” was mathematically perfect.
3. The Expansion of the Universe: Comparing the brand’s growth to the Big Bang.

While the design was intended to feel “light” and “friendly,” it faced significant criticism for being too thin. On a crowded supermarket shelf, the “smile” often looked like a generic red and blue circle because the typeface lacked the “heaviness” required for brand standout. This era taught the brand a valuable lesson: high-concept theory cannot replace visual impact.

Minimalist Variations (2014) – Fast-forward another decade, and Pepsi globes took on an even sparer aesthetic, resembling a play button symbol. Pepsi also began creating bold campaign variations like Globe X, spanning broader colour spectrums beyond red, white and blue.

The 2023 Rebrand: A Return to Boldness and the “Electric” Future

In late 2023, Pepsi unveiled its first major visual overhaul in 14 years.

While casual observers might see a simple return to the 1970s and 80s, the design is a sophisticated piece of 21st-century engineering.

The global rollout, which concluded in early 2024, signalled the definitive end of the “minimalist” era of the 2010s.

The Return of the Central Wordmark

The most striking change was moving the “PEPSI” wordmark back into the centre of the Pepsi Globe. For over a decade, the wordmark had sat awkwardly outside the icon, which many design critics felt diluted the brand’s power.

By placing the custom-designed, all-caps typeface across the white “wave,” Pepsi restored the logo’s “bullseye” effect—a design choice that improves brand recall by nearly 30% in fast-moving retail environments.

“Electric Blue” and the Power of Black

The 2023 palette introduced two critical entities: Electric Blue and Black.

• Electric Blue: This is a sharper, more saturated hue than the traditional navy. It was specifically developed for digital screens (OLED and LED), ensuring the logo “pops” on social media feeds and in gaming environments.
• The Black Integration: For the first time, black was brought into the master brand palette. This was a strategic move to align the core brand with Pepsi Zero Sugar, the company’s primary growth engine. By using black for the wordmark and the logo’s border, Pepsi created a unified look that feels more premium and modern.

Introducing “The Pulse”

In 2026, we don’t just see the Pepsi logo; we see it move. The Pepsi Pulse is a digital-first design element—a radiating ripple that emanates from the globe in sync with music or action.

This “living logo” approach was designed for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and AR (Augmented Reality) experiences, where static images are no longer sufficient.

Unveiling the Impact of Design on Brand Recognition

The Pepsi logo’s distinct colour scheme and innovative design have established and maintained brand recognition. Pepsi has consistently preserved its brand identity across numerous redesigns by using a dynamic blend of colours: iconic red, white, and blue.

Key Contributions to Brand Recognition:

1. Consistency Through Colour: The strategic use of these vibrant colours ensures that it remains instantly recognisable to consumers even when the logo changes. This consistency helps imprint the logo in viewers’ minds, linking to the brand’s essence.
2. Curves and Movement: The logo’s flowing curves and lively design elements symbolise the brand’s energetic persona. This design strategy aligns with the brand’s core values and differentiates it from competitors.
3. Enduring Appeal: The logo isn’t just about aesthetics; it represents the brand’s promise to deliver refreshment and excitement. This enduring appeal has helped the brand remain relevant and memorable across generations, illustrating that effective design can transcend mere visual appeal to reinforce the brand philosophy.

The Influence of Popular Culture and Entertainment in Pepsi’s Marketing

Pepsi strategically leveraged popular culture and entertainment to enhance its brand appeal. The company recognised the power of celebrity influence early on, especially after forging connections with the entertainment industry. This initiative took a significant leap forward when company leadership formed personal ties with Hollywood icons.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Pepsi capitalised on these relationships by featuring prominent musicians and actors in its advertising campaigns.

By collaborating with household names, they successfully tapped into the cultural zeitgeist, making their ads not just commercials but part of the broader entertainment landscape.

This approach reinforced brand loyalty and attracted a youthful demographic eager to associate with the glitz and glamour of their favourite stars.

Why the Pepsi Logo Continues to Work

What key factors have enabled the Pepsi logo to become so beloved and successfully evolve across 120+ years?

Brand Continuity – The logo consistently maintained links to its heritage while undergoing dramatic style shifts. It held onto core elements like script lettering, red, white and blue colours, and drink imaging that kept brand identity intact. Custom fonts and globe motifs threaded continuity through all eras.

Relevance – Pepsi logos have frequently been updated to reflect current trends, aesthetics, and consumer sentiment of their respective periods. From vintage scripts to streamlined typefaces to minimalist globes, Pepsi logos moved with the times while avoiding feeling dated.

Simplicity and Symbolism – Pepsi has honoured the power of simplicity and symbols since its inception. The sphere encapsulates concepts of global connection, effervescence, and liquid refreshment that are true for all generations. The logo distils complex ideas into an infinitely relatable icon.

Dynamic and Energetic – That fizzy energy first conveyed by the 1905 barrel script persists 120 years later through sphere visuals, motion lines, splash effects, enthusiasm, and more. Across all logo eras, Pepsi exudes high-energy dynamism true to its soft drink spirit.

The Pepsi logo remains effective across vastly shifting eras, balancing continuity, relevance, simplicity, and dynamism. This potent combination of brand legacy and contemporary stylings keeps customers connected, engaged and refreshed across the ages.

Technical Breakdown: The 2026 Design System

For designers and brand enthusiasts, the current Pepsi identity is defined by specific technical parameters that ensure consistency across global markets.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Pepsi Logo History

Still thirsty for more knowledge about this famous logo’s past? Let’s explore some common questions:

Refreshing the Future

Like the fizzy drink, the Pepsi logo has maintained effervescent appeal through ongoing evolution. What new stylistic incarnations might this brand sphere assume next as times change?

Could we see holographic globes, reinvented colour palettes, rotating real-time worlds, or beyond? One thing’s for sure – this 120-year-old brand continues to make its iconic mark on history. Stay bubbly, Pepsi logo! Here’s to refreshing generations past, present, and future worldwide!