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Designers: PepsiCo Design & Innovation, PepsiCo., New York, New York, USA
Client: PepsiCo., New York, New York, USA

For decades, as soda fans have been enjoying their ice-cold Pepsi, Mtn Dew, Sierra Mist and other brands, we’ve worked hard to regularly evolve and create a better, more enjoyable beverage experience. We redesigned the 2L bottle for the first time in 30 years. The new bottle design is born out of our mission to create more smiles with every sip and every bite. The work reflects design-led thinking best practices which centers on improving the consumer experience. The result is a dynamic, functional and easy-to-use bottle that is undeniably part of the PepsiCo family. In a recent consumer study, 90%* of soda consumers find it substantially easier to grip and pour. * PepsiCo Gutcheck In-Home User Testing, Dec 2019
 
The 2-Liter bottle. It’s an object that’s so ubiquitous, you don’t think to question its design. But when you really get down to it. When you wrap your hands around it. The utility is a little awkward. It’s a heavy, round cylinder that you need two hands to pour. It can get slippery. And from a brand perspective, the shape is so saturated that it doesn’t build equity. Rethinking an everyday object like the 2L bottle is dream challenge for a design team.       

So, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work studying the consumer journey. Using a human-centered design approach, we went through thousands of sketches. Hundreds of prototypes. And we landed on three designs that balance holding pressure, bottle stability, manufacturing capabilities and supply chain. This was no small thing.

The new bottle is designed with consumers in mind. We gave them an easier, more manageable pour, while designing a look that stands out on shelf, at a BBQ and everywhere in between. Flagship portfolio products – including Pepsi 2L, and Mtn Dew 2L – feature unique designs on their bottle grip point. These textural elements help with grip and are subtle nods to each soda’s legacy branding. The rest of the portfolio will have a uniform striking design at the grip point, meant to stand out visually while maximizing form and function. The labels are higher on the bottle for better billboarding on shelf. And these labels use 24% less plastic** than their predecessor. ** Manta 2L labels compared against existing, Straight Wall 2L labels

The redesign drove significant media coverage across business, design, and food/beverage outlets in November 2020.