Pepsi Plans First Packaging Redesign in 16 Years

New bottle comes in glass variety for full-calorie 16 oz. size

By Lindsay Rubino -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/21/2013 6:37:01 PM

Pepsi is planning on its first new package redesign in 16 years, according to an article by Ad Age.

The new bottles will be available in the 16 oz. and 20 oz. plastic versions, with a swirled grip on the bottom portion and a short label with in "cola-colored" border with a bigger logo, the story said. A 12 oz. glass version will also be available at select retailers, according to the article.

The bottle shape was last updated in 1997. According to the piece, the new design will apply to Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max and Pepsi Next. The glass bottle is only available for the full-calorie Pepsi, the story said.

The redesigned bottles will become available in April, though Angelique Krembs, VP of marketing for Pepsi, says in the story the entire system will take some time before it is turned over. She says that the redesigned packaging will be converted across the country by year's end.

Krembs says in the report that the redesign began over a year ago in conjunction with the brand's new mantra, "Capturing the excitement of now."

Back in 2008, Pepsi introduced a new globe logo and updated packaging. But its logo has remained the same-in contrast to soda rival Coca-Cola.

The bottle redesign is a standard on which Pepsi hopes to build. Last June, Pepsi hired Mauro Porcini as its chief design officer, who looked into Pepsi's archives for inspiration and features that prevailed over the brand's life.  

"We didn't want to create a shape that came out of nowhere," Ms. Krembs said in the piece. "It's not uniform, it's a little asymmetrical, there's a little edginess and playfulness, which is consistent with Pepsi's equities and youthful spirit."

The packaging redesign was tested with consumers though it has yet entered the market, unlike competitor Mountain Dew, who tested its redesigned packaging with consumers and was "well-received," giving Pepsi a boost of confidence with its own redesign, according to the article.