I happened to be scrolling Twitter earlier today, before the new Diet Coke advert assaulted my eyes. "Surely this isn't it?" I thought, "It's so ugly, as though it was created in Word Art!". It doesn't make sense to me that a large company such as Coca Cola could create something that looks so off brand.
I'm not a fan of gradients in Graphic Design at the best of times, as they are so often overused, and this ethereal, 80's style campaign by Droga5 is no exception. It has been described by ItsNiceThat as "exuding confidence", which I'll admit it does - and may even bear a nostalgic appeal to over 40's who may be worried about their weight, but it is absolutely not my style, as I consider it to bear the negative connotations of design (Word Art, gradients, vignettes). However, this advert is not aimed specifically at designers, it is likely to be aimed at people who are reminded of a very different time in their lives through the use of design some would see as tacky or outdated.
Watching the TV advertisement that accompanies these adverts seems to make more sense, with young musician Thundercat covering the "Just for the taste of it" jingle that has been reimagined by many famous artists over the years. It carries on the surreal fantasy theme, with each subject appearing to 'live a little' and express themselves in ways that society may not see as normal, whilst drinking diet coke. This would suggest that Droga5 are perhaps trying to convey that by drinking Diet Coke, you can be unapologetically yourself, no matter whether it's to others tastes.
Personally, I think it's too early for the eighties to be seen as classic or vintage - but that could just be me showing my age.
