Blowing up Pepsi.

Read from Businessweek, April 27th 2009 issue:

D'Amore (CEO of PepsiCo Americas Beverages) informally called his undertaking The Big Bang. It was an apt metaphor. He was proposing not just devising new ads and slogans for the seven separate brands but redesigning 1,121 different bottles, cans, and other packages. And he wanted to have the reconceived products on store shelves in seven months (?!) to coincide with the 2009 Super Bowl, when PepsiCo was planning to unveil several new commercials.

Never had the company attempted to overhaul so many products so quickly. The danger was clear: In January consumers would walk into supermarkets and find that nearly all of their favourite PepsiCo beverages looked dramatically different - and they might hate the changes. What's more d'Amore's team wouldn't have time for the exhaustive market research that usually helps mitigate such risks.

***

He explained how his smooth new circle, which would replace the 3D look of the old logo with simple matte colors, mimicked the minimalist lines of Apple's music-and-video player. The logo's upturned curves, he said, were like emoticons: Diet Pepsi was a 'grin', Pepsi was a 'smile', Pepsi Max a 'laugh'.

***end of excerpt***

(Non-italics mine)

Originality is officially dead. For a multi-billion dollar company like Pepsi to 'mimic' another brand giant is no sense to me. And whatever that's planned and done looks like a hell of a risk to me. Shouldn't they try to look for the insights behind the iPod phenomenon to understand what makes the new generation tick, instead of 'borrowing' design cues from something which the world thinks it's cool!? A lot of brands can do that. But honestly, I would expect much more from a brand like Pepsi? It's like BMW wanting to be... Louis Vuitton (?!).

Hmm.

Anyway, I thought you may be interested in Peter Arnell's (D'Amore's appointed branding guru for this revamping exercise) pitch presentation for the rebranding of Pepsi. Dubbed 'Breathtaking', it looks more like a science paper to me. Yes, while I think it's cool to design a 'trick' logo with multiple viewpoints (that's a real first and real daring) but it also allows a huuuuuuuge room for distortion possibility and 'mis-recognition', no? Take a look:


Uh. Bottle's okay. Design's okay. But having not one but multiple 'sub-faces' of a logo? Yes, it is innovative and really pushing the envelope. But I guess we'll just have to wait for the real verdict and see how the consumers like their new Pepsi. Well at least, they left the formula untouched (lesson well-learned from their archrival perhaps).

It can only come from BMW.

Wicked rims. But wish the new X1 exterior design is more provocative though. But it's always the details, ain't it.

maps.google.com.my

Google Maps Malaysia was launched recently as a WIP program which hopes the last mile is built, connected and improved by users. I think it's pretty much what we've tried doing with City's Weekend Escapades utilizing Google's API. But not without some pretty tough challenges, which I really hope to see Google overcome. What we are doing is publishing content hoping to inspire user generated ones. While Google puts the platform together, working with key partners to publish content and hoping for users to correct and improve on the existing content, much like Wikipedia. Hmm. That makes me think. One, for this application to really take off, I think we'll need to wait for it to hit the critical mass (how long will that take? And Malaysia's internet penetration now stands at 59%, is that critical mass?). And secondly, this application would also appeal to tourists/foreigners traveling/living in Malaysia. But remember, you need grassroot support to generate quality content in this kind of situation. The problem with published content is, they're stale! The content from publisher A to B to XYZ is the same!

The reason why we're doing the City's Weekend Escapade is because we realised that Malaysians (especially Klang Valley-ians) aren't all that adventurous unless everything is served right from the kitchen to their mouths. I'm not pouring cold water, I'm sure there are good internet samaritans in Malaysia. But I think perhaps, some kind of carrot or incentive may actually speed things up? Like the much talked about WikiMalaysia project. You really need a lot of cooperation from the mass to pull off something like that. And remember, the 'knowledgeable ones' may not be the 'wired ones' and vice versa. All these are great ideas but I remain sceptical about our market where we can't assume netizens everywhere behave the same. Hmm.


maps.google.com.my > Search for whatever that comes to your mind and watch them appear on the map.

maps.google.com.my > You can make the content more robust by reviewing and correcting misinformation

Compare > City's Weekend Escapade itinerary, 'Back to Basics in Perlis' > Plotted but visually still needs a lot of improvement. To display the itinerary 'visually', still requires user to 'get directions' and plot each destination manually. So yes, we're assuming our users are Google maps intelligent.

Mansion-size room for improvement.

More content for 2009 Honda City FB page.

Posted on 2009 Honda City: Honda City fans cruising in a convoy towards Bukit Tinggi. Song: You & I, by Jason Mraz, played via iPod jack in the Honda City's advanced audio system.

We produced a 'test drive' video of driving in the 5G City during our recent road trip to Bukit Tinggi. It was experimental, utilizing everything the car has to offer, the view, the maneuverability, and yes inclusive the amazing sound produced by the advanced audio system. I thought the video turned out not bad, considering only 1% is edited. Inspires the team to be even more experimental with stuff ;)

On a separate but somehow related note, something got me thinking today. One of the less prioritized situations in our automotive market is the lack of study on how Malaysians are using their car. It isn't surprising to know that the market is largely driven by the 'sports' factor, yet so many still live in 'practical-dom'. So they settle for a vehicle with sporty aesthetics with fair day-to-day power. The price of the investment aside, but what the mass need is a kind of stimulation which will change the way we view 4-wheelers and how they are used. This stimulative need can only be created by a tidal wave of social change that seemingly has nothing to do with the automotive market yet everything to do with spearheading product strategies that will finally (and hopefully) change how local makers perform.

Malaysians in truth, need to get out more. And get out of the congestions of local malls to experience a more fulfilling weekend. When you get out of the urban box, you inevitably search for something that satisfy a different level of driving experience. Whether it's comfort driving, or being able to finally use your paddle shifters or finally utilizing the maximum horsepower that you're beginning to think it's urban legend. It does make sense. Putting people on longer journeys means putting more bums on better seats means putting more enjoyable wheels on the roads means kaching! But yea, that kinda go against the green grain at the moment right? But the argument isn't about encouraging people to drive out more unnecessarily. The idea here is to get them to experience 'quality' driving. To get them out, disperse themselves and explore. This is what I guess we have been trying to achieve with the Honda City. It's an apt car that sits just nicely on the priceline that encourages drivers to go out and discover what's round the bend. A very long and wide bend that is, looking at the destinations and driving itineraries that we've been putting together. Of course, this doesn't have the scale befitting a 'social reform' or even remotely sizeable enough to spark even the most minuscule of change in any kind. However, having said that, I think this is how our local makers can learn from people and their habits to be able to predict trends and capitalize on opportunities instead of remaining stagnant and/or auto-cruising at a speed which is government protected and incentivised. How long more can we remain on the middle lane? How can we change how and where people travel to that could ultimately affect us on so many different levels?

This is the mashed-up results: More quality time doing more meaningful things that better relationships with companions, Malaysians becoming better advocates of their country through exploration and discovery of their beloved (hopefully, spur some patriotism on the way) through the web due to the ever-burgeoning 'need to share' culture sparked by social media, and of course, lastly but of no least, better quality cars at competitive prices that are beyond aesthetics for the people.

Now doesn't that make perfect social, political and economic sense?

Joint ventures.

Joint ventures are exciting happy occassions. But most often than not, what breaks them apart isn't conflicting ideas. But conflicting management styles.

There can only be one main guy. It's either you or I. There's no you and I.

Addictive.

Not Pringles. But the banner ad. Click on it (later, after you've finished reading what I have to say) to find out why.

Is the design appealing. Er, not really. Does it communicate the brand message? Uh, brand what? Is it engaging? Abso-friggin-lutely.

That makes me think. I wonder what was the brief for this kind of ad? Screw everything. Engagement one and only? Hmm.

Metrics from qualitative surveys?

What kind of brand metrics can we create from qualitative focus groups? Usually a tool to provide insights but need a large volume of data (or at least quantifiable). Is there a more interesting and insightful way to present focus group surveys?