• by Tanya Gazdik , 11 hours ago

Coca-Cola has introduced a new look that's ironically a throwback to a product it is getting compared to on social media. 

“Coke and Marlboro had a baby—and it’s a font!,” one X user wrote after seeing the company’s updated typography. 

“The 140-year-old soda giant this week introduced a new brand identity meant to unify its storied look across 200 global markets,” according to The New York Times. “But a new typeface the company plans to use in conjunction with the rebrand stopped some observers in their tracks when it flashed across the screen in a splashy new video. Several online commentators said this new font, in shades of white and red, was clearly the same one used on packs of Marlboro cigarettes. Soda is the new cigarette after all, said others.”

Many others are agreeing with the comparison, “saying Coca-Cola’s refreshed typography looked strikingly similar to Marlboros, in a case of reality imitating memes,” according to Fortune. “A cold Diet Coke—sometimes paired with a shot of espresso—has become one of social media’s favorite afternoon rituals.” 

When Coca-Cola recently unveiled a new global visual identity, it also gave the internet — especially font nerds — something to talk about.

“There is one new design feature that is reminding users of something else: a tall serifed typeface from Brody Associates that resembles the wordmark of an iconic brand of cigarettes,” according to Fast Company.“The fonts are not identical, but the similarities have struck a chord with users.”

It isn't the same font, but the similarity is definitely there “and plenty of social media users have pointed out the irony of a sugary drink brand seeming to take design cues from one of the most famously addictive products in the world,” according to Creative Bloq.

What makes it more interesting is that Gen Z has given the afternoon Diet Coke habit a nickname: the "fridge cigarette."

“In the past, when the mid-afternoon slump hit the workplace, employees might have used it as an opportunity to take a smoke break,” according to Mashed. “Now, instead of stepping outside to light up a cigarette, you might open the fridge and crack open a Diet Coke. The term 'fridge cigarette' isn't so much about the soda itself, but the ritual of pausing work or chores to partake in a cold beverage you enjoy.”