Observed Signal · Jul 24, 2026 · Rebrand · Source: Adweek · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Coke Rebrand Sparks Outcry Over Marlboro-Like Typeface
Coca-Cola’s new global visual identity, created with agency JKR, introduced a complementary slab serif called Better With that many consumers said resembled the typeface and red-and-white trade dress of Marlboro cigarette packs. While design experts note structural differences and point out Better With first appeared in 2023 holiday work, the resemblance triggered broad social reaction and renewed discussion about how emotionally invested consumers are in brand identifiers like typefaces and color. Industry sources cited historical examples of consumer backlash to identity changes (Ikea, Tropicana, Gap, Jaguar) and advised diligence when choosing colors and type to avoid unintended associations.
Branding/identity reaction of a major advertiser; relevant to brand strategy and creative teams but has limited direct impact on the broader AdTech/MarTech ecosystem.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Coca-Cola launched a new global visual identity system developed by JKR that included a complementary slab serif called Better With.
- Many consumers on social media compared the Better With typeface in Coke’s red-and-white treatment to Marlboro cigarette packaging.
- JKR referred ADWEEK’s inquiry to Coca-Cola; Coca-Cola did not respond to ADWEEK’s request for comment.
- Experts noted Better With had been used briefly by Coca-Cola in 2023 holiday marketing and pointed to prior consumer backlash incidents involving Ikea, Tropicana, Gap and Jaguar.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“Customers raising hell over a change in trade dress has happened before. Ikea fans went ballistic in 2009 when the company abandoned its Fut...”
“and when Gap switched to Helvetica in 2010—before hastily switching back....”
“More recently, Jaguar’s inflammatory 2024 rebrand—which included an abandonment of its long-used Optima typeface—prompted British politician...”
“As part of the launch of a “new global visual identity system,” developed by JKR, Coke tweaked its famous Spencerian script and the “dynamic...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Coca‑Cola Unifies Global Design; Zero Sugar Resembles Original
Coca‑Cola has rolled out a unified global visual identity across more than 200 markets, aligning Original Taste and Zero Sugar under the same design language featuring the red, the dynamic wave and an enlarged Spencer wordmark. Zero Sugar is differentiated by a larger logotype, a black wave on cans and black PET caps; recipes and pack sizes remain unchanged. The redesign was developed by Jones Knowles Ritchie with Coca‑Cola’s internal design team (led by Rapha Abreu); The Superultrarare handled packaging and Brody Associates created the serif font “Better With.” Since the global reveal on 20 July 2026, the change has prompted discussion—some social posts compare the new typography to Marlboro and Swiss customers have reported returns—while brand consultants defend the move as sharpening Coca‑Cola’s strongest identifiers.
Brands Get Bold: Taunting Rivals for Attention
Adweek reports a rising trend of mainstream brands using public taunts and implied digs at rivals as a deliberate marketing tactic, amplified by social media. Recent examples include social videos responding to McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski (Burger King’s president Tom Curtis posted a Whopper video; Wendy’s U.S. president Pete Suerken posted a Frosty/soft-serve jab), Pepsi’s Super Bowl spot using a Coca‑Cola polar bear to favor Pepsi, and Anthropic’s Super Bowl ads implying competitors’ chatbots will carry ads. Industry practitioners quoted in the piece say the attention economy and social amplification make well-aimed jabs efficient for coverage and engagement, but they warn of reputational risk and potential backlash. Anthropic’s ads prompted a public response from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman criticizing their accuracy.
Study: Brand Name Sounds Influence Perception
A consulting firm, Zutt & Partner, published a neuromarketing case study (using its tool 'EmoCheck Phonetics') showing that the phonetic structure of brand names evokes emotional associations before visual identity or advertising do. Drawing on the Bouba–Kiki effect in language psychology, the analysis maps eight beverage names to five effect dimensions: elegance, friendliness, trust, power and refreshment. Results include Coca‑Cola scoring highest for elegance, Sprite for power and refreshment, and Fanta for friendliness; Rivella and El Tony combine trust and elegance, Nestea rates high on trust, Fizzy on refreshment, and Sinalco registers across several dimensions. The consultancy says the study is based on its emotion databases and naming analyses but does not disclose methodological details or how percent values were calculated. Zutt & Partner also offers an online naming quiz for users to test perceived name effects.
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