Coca-Cola has unveiled a new global brand identity designed to unify its visual presence across more than 200 markets, featuring a custom serif typeface that has drawn comparisons to the font used on Marlboro cigarette packaging. The soda giant’s rebranding effort, revealed this week, includes a serif font called Better With, created by Brody Associates in collaboration with branding firm Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR).
While some observers quickly linked the font’s red-and-white presentation to Marlboro’s Neo Contact typeface, typography experts highlight key distinctions between the two. Better With, developed to convey Coca-Cola’s personality, movement, and playfulness, incorporates features such as exaggerated serifs with rounded terminals, thinned crossbars, and softer joints within letterforms. In contrast, Marlboro’s Neo Contact is more condensed and distinguished by slab serifs with sharp edges and no curved transitions.
“The similarities largely come down to basic type and color elements,” said Elizabeth Goodspeed, a graphic designer and professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. However, she noted, the two fonts remain different in structure and detail. James Edmondson, a type designer at Ohno Type in San Jose, California, agreed that comparisons stem more from brand association than typographic accuracy. He described the incident as an unfortunate coincidence coinciding with the growing popularity of the term “fridge cigarette,” used to describe soda breaks substituting for smoking.
JKR, which led the branding project and has previously worked with companies like Budweiser and Burger King, developed the new typeface initially for Coca-Cola’s 2023 holiday campaigns, aiming to refresh the brand’s look while staying true to its heritage. According to JKR creative director Dave Balsamello, the redesign process involved careful analysis of Coca-Cola’s iconic identity elements, such as the Spencerian script logo and signature red ribbon, some dating back to the 1970s Arden Square investor book.
Despite inquiries, Coca-Cola and Altria, Marlboro’s parent company, declined to comment on the typography parallels or accusations of nostalgia-driven branding. Executives previously emphasized the focus on highlighting Coca-Cola’s legacy through the refreshed identity.
Mark Pendergrast, author of a history on the company, suggested the controversy reflects the passionate following Coca-Cola has cultivated over its long history rather than a deliberate attempt to imitate Marlboro. He underscored the ongoing scrutiny the brand has faced since its inception, calling the recent debate “a font molehill made into a mountain.”
As Coca-Cola transitions to its updated visual system, it faces a challenging balance between innovation and maintaining its deeply ingrained global image.