Diet Pepsi, also known as Pepsi Light in some countries, is a carbonated cola soft drink produced by PepsiCo. Marketed as an alternative to Pepsi, it contains no sugar, instead using artificial sweeteners like aspartame. First test marketed in 1963 under the name Patio Diet Cola, it was re-branded as Diet Pepsi the following year, becoming the first diet cola to be distributed on a national scale in the United States, and later expanded overseas. Diet Pepsi competed primarily with The Coca-Cola Company's Tab in the 1960s and 1970s; however, The Coca-Cola Company introduced Diet Coke in 1982, which has since been the principal competing product to Diet Pepsi. As of 2010, Diet Pepsi represented a 5.3 percent share of all carbonated soft drink sales in the United States, and was ranked as the #7 soft drink brand by volume. Additional variations of Diet Pepsi/Pepsi Light have been introduced over the years since the drink's debut, wherein other flavors (such as wild cherry, vanilla, lemon, and lime) have been added to the cola. There is also a variant that has no caffeine: Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi was the first Diet Pepsi variant and introduced by PepsiCo in 1982. Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry was launched in 1988. Both are still produced today.
The logo used in the packaging and advertisement of Diet Pepsi has changed multiple times since its original iteration. In October 2008, PepsiCo announced it would be redesigning its logo and re-branding many of its products, including Diet Pepsi. At this time the brand's blue and red Pepsi Globe logo became a series of "smiles," with the central white band arcing at different angles depending on the product.
The Debut and Rise of Diet Soda
The first diet soda was invented in 1952 when Kirsch Beverages created No-Cal Ginger Ale for diabetic patients at a Brooklyn hospital. Although this diet soda was originally just for diabetics, the saccharin-laced drink launched the entire diet soda industry as we know it.
Royal Crown Cola reinvented the diet soda market in 1962 with Diet Rite Cola. Unlike previous diet drinks marketed to diabetics, RC targeted weight-conscious consumers, particularly women. By 1960, Diet-Rite was the fourth-best-selling soft drink in the country, trailing only Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and 7 Up.
Before Diet Pepsi, there was Patio Diet Cola, launched in 1964 and swiftly rebranded the following year. TaB was the Coca-Cola Company's first diet soda, introduced in 1963. It was a hit among women in the 1960s and 1970s as a way to lose weight. It survived for 57 years before being replaced forever due to the popularity of Diet Coke.
Read also: The story of Diet Pepsi
A Look at Diet Pepsi Can Designs Through the Decades
1986: The Return of the Globe
The 1986 label marked the return of the traditional Pepsi globe. This marked the first time the Pepsi name was moved to another area instead of inside the globe. In 1986, Diet Pepsi was the fourth highest selling soft drink in America with a market share of 4.3 percent, one spot under Diet Coke which had 7.1 percent.
1993: The Diagonal Shift
In 1993, the logo was diagonal. Everything except the Pepsi globe is rotated, making the lines go diagonal. The background is sky blue, the "Diet" script was facelifted and the Pepsi name is tilted. PepsiCo introduced two further sugar-free cola drinks during the 1990s: Pepsi Max (primarily Europe) in 1993 and then Pepsi One (for the United States) in 1998.
2003: Silver Oval and Typography Update
A silver oval accompanied the Diet Pepsi logo, whose typography has the "diet" part in lowercase print, and the 2003 Pepsi name. As the 2000s saw generation X settle into adulthood amidst wartime uncertainty, Pepsi’s 2003 redesign spoke to shattered perspectives. Rotating its entire logo instead of just the globe, the asymmetrical graphical shift evoking a loss of balance and confidence, while the dual branding versions symbolized the splintering of American culture into red/blue binaries.
2008: The "Smiles" Era
In October 2008, PepsiCo announced it would be redesigning its logo and re-branding many of its products, including Diet Pepsi. At this time the brand's blue and red Pepsi Globe logo became a series of "smiles," with the central white band arcing at different angles depending on the product. Its smaller globe and condensed logotype reflecting a necessary downsizing and prudence after the go-go optimism of previous eras.
2016: Classic Sweetener Blend
In 2016, an individual Diet Pepsi with aspartame, called the Classic Sweetener Blend, was released. The Classic Sweetener Blend variety was distinguished by its use of the 2003-2006 wordmark along with the "smile" logo, and a light blue label background in contrast to the modern formulation's silver label. By mid-2017, packages of Classic Sweetener Blend dropped the 2003 wordmark and began using the modernized wordmark instead.
Read also: Diet Pepsi: A Deep Dive
2018: Retro Labels and Music Generations
As part of 2018's "retro labels", Diet Pepsi's label is the current grey background with the 1986 can design. In May, less than two months after the leaking, 12 oz cans and 20 oz bottles using the retro-design gimmick was confirmed, as a series of three "Music Generations" labels was announced.
A Broader Look at Pepsi Can Designs
1950-1967: Globe Logo Design
As the dawn of the 1950s heralded a new era of prosperity in post-war America, Pepsi-Cola unveiled its Pepsi 10A can design. Emblazoned with the company's signature globe logo in an age when canned sodas were becoming commonplace refreshments.
1967-1973: Bold All-Caps Rectangular Serif Font
As the youth counterculture movement of the late 1960s rejected the conformity of previous generations, Pepsi-Cola responded in kind by rolling out its bold, all-caps Pepsi9a1 can in 1967. Shouting the Pepsi name in an assertive, rectangular serif font that resonated with the anti-establishment energy of the era.
1973-1987: White Background with Off-Kilter Globe
As the carefree optimism of the early 1970s gave way to economic uncertainty and cultural malaise later in the decade, Pepsi-Cola's 1973 white-backed can reflected the sterile, minimalist aesthetic that permeated graphic design trends.
1987-1991: Synchronized Globe and Logotype Design
As the 1980s gave way to the 1990s and the Cold War drew to a close, Pepsi looked to usher in stability and global connection. Synchronizing the globe and logotype on its cans to match its primary brand mark in a unified vision signaling a one world economy.
Read also: Gluten-Free Diet Pepsi Guide
1991-1997: Separated Globe and Vertical Logotype
As the 1990s brought fragmentation, angst and constant change, Pepsi’s logo transformed as well. The globe and name were separated in 1991, with the bold vertical logotype signaling the brand’s determination to dominate the coming age. Then the introduction of a cool blue background in 1995 connected it to the surge of alternative music and X-Games culture that prized rebellion over tradition.
2009-2014: Smiling Globe
As the markets and national mood bottomed out in 2009 giving way to the slow recovery of the early 2010s, Pepsi unveiled a smiling globe and bubbly lower case logotype against a deep blue backdrop, reflecting a measured optimism tempered with perhaps a bit of forced cheer.
2014-2023: Bold Vertical Logotype
As recovery took hold in the mid-2010s, Pepsi’s logo echoed America getting back to business. A bold, vertical logotype anchored a sturdy centered globe in 2014, exuding a gravity and seasoned resilience.
2023-Present: Minimalist Globe
As the 2020s witness upheaval giving way to rebirth and reinvention out of tumult, Pepsi returns to its contemporary look, having tapped the past to reaffirm its present. Reminders of heritage now backdrop a minimalist globe and crisp uppercase logotype ready to embrace whatever comes next in the endless cycle of crisis and renewal.
Celebrity Endorsements and Advertising
While it was initially advertised alongside Pepsi, Diet Pepsi began to be promoted independently in the late 1960s. The first television advertisement to feature Diet Pepsi as a standalone product was "Girlwatchers," which placed focus on the cosmetic aspects of the beverage. The musical jingle from this ad generated popular culture appeal to the extent that it was eventually recorded and played on the radio, and later became a Top 40 hit.
Since its inception, musicians, professional athletes, actors and actresses have been featured prominently in the promotion of Diet Pepsi. In 1985, immediately following Super Bowl XIX, the game's respective quarterbacks, Joe Montana (of the San Francisco 49ers) and Dan Marino (of the Miami Dolphins), met in a hallway of what appeared to be a football stadium. In the late 1980s, Michael J. Fox appeared in commercials for Diet Pepsi, including a memorable commercial that featured him making a robot clone of himself. During the early 1990s, R&B singer Ray Charles was featured in a series of Diet Pepsi ads featuring the brand's then-current tagline, "You got the right one, baby!" Supermodel Cindy Crawford became a recurring celebrity endorser for the Diet Pepsi brand at this time as well, beginning with a 1991 television ad in which she purchases a can of the drink from a vending machine on a hot summer day.
Discontinued Diet Pepsi Variations and Competitors
- Diet Crystal Pepsi (1992-1994)
- TaB Clear (1992-1993)
- Diet Coke Lime (2004-2018)
- Diet Coke with Splenda (2005-2009)
- Diet Coke Black Cherry Vanilla (2006-2007)
- Diet Dr Pepper Berries & Cream (2006-2007)
- Diet Pepsi Jazz (2006-2009)
- Diet Coke Plus (2007-2011)
- Diet Coke Feisty Cherry (2018-2020)
- Like Dr Pepper (Discontinued: 1969)
- Diet Hubba Bubba Hubba Bubba (Discontinued: early 1990s)
- Diet 7 Up Gold Dr Pepper (Discontinued: 1988)
Diet Pepsi Jazz came in three flavors: Black Cherry and French Vanilla, Caramel Cream, and Strawberries and Cream. In early 2008, Diet Pepsi Jazz was discontinued so PepsiCo could focus more on Diet Pepsi Max.
Crystal Pepsi was marketed as a caffeine-free "clear alternative" to normal colas. By late 1993, it and its Diet version were discontinued. This was part of the failed clear trend of the 1990s. According to Coca-Cola's chief marketing officer, Sergio Zyman, TaB Clear was released at the same time as an intentional "kamikaze" effort to create an unpopular beverage that was positioned as an analog of Crystal Pepsi to"kill both in the process."