Made in South Korea?
May 6, 2009 1:17 AM Subscribe
Why does the pepsi logo look so similar to the South Korean flag?
The older pepsi logo (not so much the newer, looks like an overweight man logo) looks so similar to the South Korean flag.
Is there a story behind this? Was one of the artists from South Korea, or is this just plain coincidence?
The older pepsi logo (not so much the newer, looks like an overweight man logo) looks so similar to the South Korean flag.
Is there a story behind this? Was one of the artists from South Korea, or is this just plain coincidence?
Response by poster: Just to clarify: I'm not looking for conspiracy theories, I'm looking for why a global brand would choose a logo that is almost identical to a country's flag.
posted by devnull at 1:33 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by devnull at 1:33 AM on May 6, 2009
According to this the 'ying-yang' style pepsi style logo has been around since 1962 (see page 13), You can see it didn't look all that much like the south Korean flag initially (the white stripe was larger). It looks like they shrunk the white band in 1991.
posted by delmoi at 1:40 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by delmoi at 1:40 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
the pepsi logo you link to was only used for a few years. it seems to be more based on the logo they've been using since 1940 or so.
http://www.pepsinut.com/pepsi_slogans.htm
posted by nadawi at 1:46 AM on May 6, 2009
http://www.pepsinut.com/pepsi_slogans.htm
posted by nadawi at 1:46 AM on May 6, 2009
Actually you can see the roots of the logo going all the way back to their 1929 logo, with subtle changes leading up to the previous one.
posted by delmoi at 2:09 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by delmoi at 2:09 AM on May 6, 2009
Benzo8 has it. One doesn't resemble the other: they both evoke a common source.
posted by rokusan at 4:04 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by rokusan at 4:04 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Benzo8 has it. One doesn't resemble the other: they both evoke a common source.
If you look at the development of the Pepsi logo over the years its clear how the logo evolved and it has nothing to do with the Yin Yang symbol. IMO, the real answer is its just a co-incidence.
posted by missmagenta at 4:12 AM on May 6, 2009
If you look at the development of the Pepsi logo over the years its clear how the logo evolved and it has nothing to do with the Yin Yang symbol. IMO, the real answer is its just a co-incidence.
posted by missmagenta at 4:12 AM on May 6, 2009
I'm looking for why a global brand would choose a logo that is almost identical to a country's flag.
They didn't. The pepsi logo came first.
posted by missmagenta at 4:14 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
They didn't. The pepsi logo came first.
posted by missmagenta at 4:14 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm not sure that the Pepsi logo (first taking shape in the 1940's) did come first (this reference indicates that the Korean design was first adopted in 1883), but I agree with rokusan that both logos may evoke the ying yang symbol, and with missmagenta that their development was totally coincidental. (FWIW, I'm a trademark attorney and I often use Pepsi and Korean Air as a classic example of visually similar trademarks that, because these company's respective goods and services are so unalike, do not infringe on each other.)
posted by applemeat at 4:48 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by applemeat at 4:48 AM on May 6, 2009
That reference is misleading, the 1883 flag is visually much different to the pepsi logo and the current South Korean Flag (the blue and red are swirled rather than just waved). The wavey flag was introduced in 1948. The name and concept/ideology behind the flag predates the pepsi logo but the wavey red and blue circle dont.
This site shows the various incarnations of the south korean flag, including the 1883 version, this one has a different image of the same 1883 flag and this reference lists the origin of the current flag as 1948
posted by missmagenta at 4:58 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
This site shows the various incarnations of the south korean flag, including the 1883 version, this one has a different image of the same 1883 flag and this reference lists the origin of the current flag as 1948
posted by missmagenta at 4:58 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Delmoi, that PDF is so fulla bullshit and hand waving that it's...frightening.
posted by notsnot at 5:43 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by notsnot at 5:43 AM on May 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
What? I thought the old Pepsi logo was a direct steal from Studebaker.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:47 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by caution live frogs at 5:47 AM on May 6, 2009
I don't know how legit this is but it might help. It's the design brief by Arnell Group describing their strategy for creating the new Pepsi logo. They blather on about the Mona Lisa, the Golden Ratio, and all sorts of other inspirations.
4MB PDF File
posted by roomwithaview at 6:26 AM on May 6, 2009
4MB PDF File
posted by roomwithaview at 6:26 AM on May 6, 2009
Whoops, delmoi already posted it. Nevermind!
posted by roomwithaview at 6:27 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by roomwithaview at 6:27 AM on May 6, 2009
Is the type of writing in that logo design manifesto at all common?
posted by now i'm piste at 7:04 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by now i'm piste at 7:04 AM on May 6, 2009
I don't think the Pepsi logo has much to do with ying-yang. If you look through old american graphic design books from the 50s and 60s you'll see a lot of designs that have clever, interlocking positive/negative space dynamics.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:08 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:08 AM on May 6, 2009
As stated above, it is mere happenstance. There is also the factor that flags are chosen for reasons very strongly linked to national identity (or at least the national identity the country wishes to project) so it is unlikely to back down in its choice just because someone else -- especially a soft drink company -- has used something similar before. Note the flags of Romania and Chad.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:37 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:37 AM on May 6, 2009
Pepsi's re-design manifesto circle jerk previously discussed on the blue.
posted by applemeat at 7:43 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by applemeat at 7:43 AM on May 6, 2009
If you look at the development of the Pepsi logo over the years its clear how the logo evolved and it has nothing to do with the Yin Yang symbol.
I am familiar with the history of the Pepsi logo.
No designer on the planet could not realize they were evoking the Yin Yang symbol. Of course it is conscious.
posted by rokusan at 8:54 AM on May 6, 2009
I am familiar with the history of the Pepsi logo.
No designer on the planet could not realize they were evoking the Yin Yang symbol. Of course it is conscious.
posted by rokusan at 8:54 AM on May 6, 2009
Based on the two images you posted, I do not think they look particularly alike. The Korean flag is clearly a yin-yang symbol. The pepsi logo is a wave with a large white band in the middle. The similarity is that they are red, white & blue, which are very common color choice - certainly not surprising for an american company, and of course, plenty of other countries have chosen them as well (UK, France - hey, South Korea...); that they are circles - pepsi started as a bottlecap; and that there is some amount of wave - much more for Korea, looks to me like pepsi is trying to evoke the ocean waves / surfing / the beach, more than taoism.
I think pepsi's new logo is much more evocative of Obama's logo than the old one was of the south korea flag... and that seems more likely to me to have been done on purpose.
posted by mdn at 9:20 AM on May 6, 2009
I think pepsi's new logo is much more evocative of Obama's logo than the old one was of the south korea flag... and that seems more likely to me to have been done on purpose.
posted by mdn at 9:20 AM on May 6, 2009
That PDF is for real: it was produced by Peter Arnell (branding & design wackopath) who is featured in this recent article by Newsweek.
posted by Aquaman at 10:32 AM on May 6, 2009
posted by Aquaman at 10:32 AM on May 6, 2009
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posted by benzo8 at 1:27 AM on May 6, 2009 [2 favorites]