Redesign not needed

Brands, products, and ideas are constantly in search of a revival through a face-lift. This is commonly done to reinvigorate or give a more modern appearance to a company's image. But while it can be done with great success there are instances where it is not necessary.

The Coca-Cola bottle is one example. This icon has become a staple in the world product market. The original shape of the 1915 bottle is said to originate from the curves of the cocoa pod. Its most classic form from 1955 was the brainchild of famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy.

It has become so distinctive that you could recognize the brand without a label. Today Coca-Cola still uses this classic heritage of form, a call back to its rise to fame.

Even though this shape is a marvel of branding, that does not stop today's designers from envisioning conceptual redesigns. Some are more successful than others. Many are very clever ideas, built for saving space on shelves, or preventing rolling when knocked over.

One that struck me the most, was the "Mystic Bottle" by Jerome Olivet.

This is most definitely eye catching and beautiful. But I would say it fails. Why? If you do deeper digging on his portfolio of work, Olivet had designed the form with a generic placeholder drink in mind. Only later did he the Coca-Cola branding, to pitch as a concept.

There is nothing wrong with designing and later realizing the use or placement where a product is most needed. However there is an exception when the designer is failing to recognize the essence of a brand or object. This was not design for Coke, but as a future drink. Sticking a Coke label on it does not mean the product belongs or will be accepted.

Not all products need to be reinvented. When something works, trying to surpass a design that people already relate to is just an exercise in vanity.