PepsiCo’s New Global Identity Is More Than a Smile

By The Malketeer

There’s a quiet power in timing.

When a global giant chooses to refresh its identity after almost 25 years, it’s never cosmetic — it’s cultural.

PepsiCo has rolled out a brand-new corporate identity, and yes, the headlines are buzzing about the smile.

But behind that curve is something deeper: a blueprint for how modern corporations are reframing identity, purpose and growth in a world demanding more soul and more substance.

This isn’t Pepsi redoing its cola label.

This is the parent company reintroducing itself to a marketplace where consumers care about values as much as flavours.

A Legacy Evolves — With a Wink to the Future

Born 60 years ago from the marriage of Pepsi and Lay’s, PepsiCo today commands a portfolio of 500 plus brands.

Think Gatorade, Tostitos, Quaker, Siete, poppi — reaching from Kuala Lumpur fridges to São Paulo convenience stores and Shanghai supermarket shelves.

Yet for all that transformation, its identity sat still for two decades.

In 2025, PepsiCo is finally saying: We’ve moved.

Ramon Laguarta, Chairman and CEO, calls it a symbol of “expansive reach” and “positive impact”.

That’s corporate speak — but the intent is clear.

PepsiCo wants to be seen not just as a food-and-beverage titan, but as a culture-shaping, sustainability-conscious, consumer-first powerhouse.

And in today’s market, that’s the only play worth making.

Decoding the Smile

You could shrug it off — a smile, cute. But look again.

• The “P” emerges through interlocking shapes — subtle storytelling about connection and shared purpose.
• Colours reference soil, humanity, and nature — signalling PepsiCo’s push into sustainability and pep+ commitments.
• Lowercase typography — signalling humility and warmth in an age where corporate confidence must feel human, not loud.

The smile is not decoration. It is strategic semiotics.

PepsiCo isn’t saying, “We sell drinks.”

It’s saying, “We sell moments, belonging, and joy — responsibly.”

That’s branding in 2025.

Why This Matters to Malaysian Marketers

Here’s the interesting stat: only 21% of consumers can name a PepsiCo brand beyond Pepsi.

If you lead a house of brands — whether F&B, telco, retail or fintech in Malaysia and Southeast Asia — that should ring alarms. And possibilities.

PepsiCo’s move shows a shift from product-first identity to portfolio storytelling.

In a fragmented world, equity is no longer built one brand at a time — it’s built ecosystem-first.

Malaysian corporates take note:

• Think beyond flagship logos.
• Narrate your family story, not just your hero brand.
• Show values, not slogans.

And above all — design for emotion, purpose, and accessibility.

People don’t just buy your products.

They buy what you stand for — and increasingly, how you behave.

Strategic Sparks for Marketers

#Human-First Design Wins
Approachability beats arrogance. Lowercase typography is a metaphor for brand humility in a consumer-empowered world.

#Corporate Brand Matters Again
The pendulum swings back — consumers want to know who’s behind the label. Transparency builds trust.

#Purpose Is Not a Slogan
PepsiCo baked sustainability, consumer-centricity, and joy into its identity architecture — not just into annual reports.

#Emotion as Currency
“Food. Drinks. Smiles.” is deceptively simple — and strategically brilliant. It anchors product, purpose, and feeling in three words.

Brand refreshes come and go.

But every few years, a global move arrives that serves as quiet instruction.

This is one.

PepsiCo isn’t trying to look younger.

It’s trying to feel closer.

As Malaysia gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026, ASEAN brand ascension, and a creative economy ripe for reinvention — this is a reminder:

Brand power today isn’t about shouting louder.

It’s about showing humanity, designing with clarity, and smiling with intent.

A smile is simple.

But in branding — simplicity is often the deepest sophistication.