JKR

Retro packs and anniversary editions are becoming relatively ten a penny – for the frequently stated reasons relating to the appeal of nostalgia in the downturn. Coke, predictably, just do this sort of thing so much better. Not just because they have such a rich bank of iconography and classic art to draw upon, but because they do so with a modern sensibility. So we see classic Vargas girl ads turned into funky cans…

And we see them doing something more edgy with illustrator James Jarvis…

And we get high end vintage packaging for sale in Selfridges…

Etc. etc. And what impresses is the blend of yesteryear and tomorrow, which makes all the activity so much richer, more playful and more engaging because it is not just harking back to the past. In fact, this is a feather in the cap for the design agencies, who have done really spirited work. Whereas the TV ad is really a rather middle of the road re-hash of old ads with no real imagination shown.

Alternatively, click here to watch.

So hats off to Coke. Once again. But, just to show it’s not only the super brands that can pull this off, here is the vintage Fairy Liquid pack released to tie in with our recent royal wedding. Which just goes to show that it’s the witty assimilation and celebration of the past which makes the difference between ‘doing it by the numbers’ and offering the extra thought which suggests brands actually enjoy playing with their heritage…