Saks Fifth Avenue teamed up with Shepard Fairey to launch a Soviet Propaganda-inspired Spring campaign. Fairey, best known for his Obama “HOPE” poster, pulls directly from Constructivist Art to create a daring new look for the high-end retailer. With a bold black-and-red palette, statuesque models and authoritative headlines, the campaign certainly presents a new look for Saks, but we’ve seen this look before — many times before. We can’t help but question, is this a brilliant new approach or a design cop-out?
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There’s been a lot of buzz around the office about brands that have recently decided to simplify their look.

After Coca Cola released a stylish revamp of its classic look, Pepsi decided for a minimalist overhaul. Ever since these cans hit the shelves, they’ve been getting mixed reviews here at Mlicki — some of us think the rebranding is a fresh move forward, while others can’t help but feel that it “screams student project.” Regardless of personal preference, we all agree it was a bold move. Pepsi is standing by it strong — maybe a little too strong. With the enormous amount of supportive advertising they’ve put out, it’s clear that they are banking on the hope that the new brand identity is embraced and not confusing customers. And let’s not get started on Pepsi riding the Obama bandwagon….
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