Can Pepsi pull it off?

I don't like using this platform as a forum for reactionary conversation, but I think there's some big things going on behind the new changes Pepsi has made and what it means for the age-old relationship between Pepsi and Coke.

With the new logo and new campaign "Refresh Yourself" produced by TBWA\Chiat\Day, Pepsi has firmly aligned itself with the themes of the Obama campaign-- hope, optimism, and change. (Whether or not they have any legitimate ties with the Obama campaign I do not know. Care to enlighten me, anyone?) 

My initial reaction was that the campaign would have been just as well suited for Coke as it would for Pepsi--I more associated the ideas of hope and optimism with Coke than with Pepsi in the first place. So I considered more closely what the brands stood for.

Coke has always stood for happiness, togetherness. It meant polar bears sharing Cokes with penguins. It meant singing together on a hill. It's message is timeless; Coke means happiness, now and forever.

On the other hand, Pepsi has always been based in what is timely. Between "Generation Next," Britney Spears and her comrades, and the brand's young, irreverent tone, Pepsi has always been the "cool" alternative. So their new campaign begs the question, is Pepsi taking to this attitude of hope and change because that's what's "in" right now, or are they doing it because its an integral part of the brand?

It does make me wonder if "current" can be considered a strategy. Earl Cox, director of planning at The Martin Agency, told my class at VCU Brandcenter that "Cool is not a strategy," which I wholeheartedly agree with, but there's an important distinction between "current" and "cool." Going with current seems to work for MTV, but one could argue that is because they're better able to both reflect and create what's current, building some of the trends to begin with. 

Similarly, I considered whether or not Coke can break out of their role as a timeless brand. For what events had Coke ever shed its timelessness? Perhaps the Olympics, but to be fair that's a tradition in itself and of course based in bringing people together. The new millennium? Again, the work was still a reflection of the past and introducing Coke as a relevant part of our future, too.

So who's to say this won't work for Pepsi? As for the consumers participating with the campaign, will it translate into increased consumption? Improved brand health? Paul Isakson recently wrote about how sometimes you just have to remind your consumers you're there and give them something to be excited about (though his discussion was more in the context of the weird and wonderful). Aligning themselves with Obama certainly a great way to piggyback on the enthusiasm of the public. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Any predictions??

Related: John Eighmey of the University of Minnesota just posted Coke's newest work, translating "the Coke Side of Life" to "Open Happiness" so as to make the message clearer across global communities. As always, though the translations change, Coke remains steadfast in their images and ideals.

EDIT: I just saw an ad that actually tied it together a lot more for me. It took iconic images of generations through the ages (with, of course, Pepsi in every hand) all the way up to current times, all set to "My Generation." It ended with the super "Every generation refreshes the world. now it's your turn." This ad served as the glue. Still not sure I'm convinced, but if the images through the generations are clips from old Pepsi ads, then it seems pretty solid.