New York, New York, USA
Led by the design team of PepsiCo Design & Innovation, PepsiCo. has reimagined and redesigned the new image and branding of one of the world’s most well-known energy drinks: Rockstar.
Rockstar Energy drink. It’s fuel for the hustle.
The designers thus challenged themselves with this portfolio-wide global brand identity. Their first in over a decade.
They re-engineered the iconic star logo to be modern. Timeless. Premium.
Rockstar Energy Drink Redesign was awarded a 2021 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The new packaging architecture leverages the star as a supergraphic that connects cans on shelves with advertising in the field to create a bold billboard that transcends touchpoints.
This bold, new golden star serves as a strong foundation for brand equity moving forward, serving as an icon for the aspiration of the hustle.
Rockstar was one of the original energy drinks with a long history.
When people see the brand, they know exactly what it is.
However, with a decade-old identity it was time for an infusion of… well… energy.
Luckily for the designers, all the pieces were already in place, they just needed to dust everything off and remix the brand for modern times.
The design strategy embraced this ubiquitous shape infusing it with renewed confidence, timelessness, and modernity all while making it approachable, desirable, and badge worthy.
Using this simplified brand symbol as the foundation of the design strategy, the designers got to work crafting an entirely new packaging and visual identity system.
This included taking a new approach to the logotype — creating a wordmark that’s more mature and jives with the star.
The designers developed an innovative “paired” product imagery that gives persistent branding in the cold vault and easy information navigation for consumers.
Key information was brought to the top of the pack creating an iconographic caffeine level system so customers can shop across the portfolio based on their energy needs — caffeine levels are something other energy drink brands relegate to the back panel.
For sub-lines the designers reduced the SKUs and designed each one according to the style of different music genres.
The visual identity system is based on a gold and black color palette to elevate quality expectations.
The designers took an evolved approach to shape language, typography, and product imagery.
They also took what worked from the previous branding including a bold application of the star equity to build brand awareness.
The new branding was launched in a big way with the brand’s first television commercial and integrated 360 campaign.
Project: Rockstar Energy Drink Redesign
Designers: PepsiCo Design & Innovation, PepsiCo.
Client: PepsiCo.
