Solving the United/Pepsi Branding Disaster
Two global brands. One month of stupidity.
There’s an easy fix for the recent UNITED and PEPSI branding disasters.
Pepsi had the stupid ad with Kendall Jenner and United had its shortsighted “relocation” option.
I think the scripts got sent to the wrong directors, a simple little mix-up.
United should have used the Pepsi ad concept since everyone became so united in that “community-bonding” video and using instead a person and not a celebrity who offeres a bag of airline peanuts to the cop instead of the can of Pepsi.
And Pepsi should have had a commercial throwing a passenger off an airplane since they smuggled on a Coke product and refused to drink the Pepsi beverage the airline provided.
And CEOs should sometimes learn when to shut up.
Problem solved.
David Brier is an award-winning Fast Company expert blogger and his work is the subject of numerous articles in Forbes, ADWEEK, Huffington Post, INC and Business Insider, David Brier is the recipient of the Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship medallion, presented to David by Shark Tank star and NY Times bestseller Daymond John.
A veteran in branding, rebrands and brand strategy, David has designed and transformed global brands, regional and local brands, and brands for startups and even cities. As the creative director of DBD International, his firm services a select list of clients throughout the USA and internationally, creating thought-leading brands for companies that need to
1) appeal to a new audience,
2) redefine brand misconceptions due to being pigeon-holed,
3) correct brand definition due to cultural and technological changes,
4) Disrupt an existing category or convention, and
5) capitalize on emerging trends.
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