Diet Coke, introduced by The Coca-Cola Company in 1982, was the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola trademark.[1] The brand’s visual identity has undergone several documented changes, most notably in 1994, 2018, and 2021.
Design and History
Diet Coke’s first major logo redesign came in 1994, its first design change in more than eight years. The familiar red-on-white logo, which read “diet Coke” in simple italic letters, was replaced with a scripted “Diet” and an upright “Coke.” The redesign was created by designers at Fallon McElligott in Minneapolis. The scripted “Diet” closely resembled the script used in the original Coca-Cola trademark, combining nostalgia with contemporary graphics.[2]
In January 2018, Coca-Cola announced a full brand restage of Diet Coke in North America, including a new logo and package design.[3] The new visual identity featured a refined typeface that was flatter and bolder in color than previously, a simplified core color palette of silver and red, and a vertical colored stripe used on cans to differentiate between flavors.[4] The redesign was led by The Coca-Cola Company’s in-house design team headed by vice president of design James Sommerville, alongside London studio Kenyon Weston.[4][5]
The 2018 update also made specific changes to the wordmark itself. The “Coke” lettering was refined, with the letter “k” losing a triangular decoration in its stroke and the “e” made slimmer. The “Diet” text above was reduced in size and changed from black to red, unifying it with “Coke” as a single logo.[6] The company stated that Diet Coke once again had its own brand identity, anchored by its iconic silver hue, simplified color palette, and slightly refined typography that nodded to the beverage’s heritage.[7]
In April 2021, Coca-Cola unveiled a new design system for the Coca-Cola trademark that brought Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and Diet Coke together under an evolved “one brand” strategy. The new design was simplified, removing added elements such as the red disc, to elevate the iconic trademarks with global consistency. Diet Coke sat within the Coca-Cola trademark design family with its signature silver background and red logo.[8]
Meaning and Symbolism
The vertical stripe introduced in the 2018 redesign was intended to signify motion. Sommerville described the stripe, called the “High Line,” as “a Coca-Cola red disc that has gone for a walk,” tying the new packaging to Coca-Cola’s heritage.[5][9] The 2021 design system raised the Coca-Cola logo to the top of the label as a visual metaphor to uplift.[8]
Typography and Design
The 2018 redesign introduced a refined typeface that was flatter and bolder in color than the previous logo.[4] The company described the typography as “slightly refined,” simultaneously preserving Diet Coke’s heritage while presenting it in a more progressive manner.[10] The simplified core color palette focused on silver and red, with accents of bold color used to represent the new flavors.[11]
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