To energize the Mountain Dew brand, 4sight inc., the New York-based design and innovation firm collaborated with PepsiCo to craft a new distinctive PET bottle design for the beverage that reflects its core expression of excitement and activity.

“The previous bottle design for Mountain Dew didn’t convey the beverage’s essence but the new structure makes a strong statement about what the brand embodies – a robust spirit of fun, exuberance and refreshment,” says Stuart Leslie, President, 4sight inc.

Design elements of the new bottles include:

—A distinctive silhouette that gives the bottle a solid shelf presence. The bottle stands proudly, and its profile is distinguished by a degree of strength and energy to capture the attention of consumers.
—The ‘MD’ logo embedded in the bottle, which suggests the individuality of the bottle and the brand.
—Newly-styled grip area reinforcing the strength of the brand with the MD logo popping out. The grips appear to be on the inside but they are actually on the outside of the bottle.
—A broader, substantial base that allows customers to confidently clutch the bottle—for ‘grab me’ appeal—that is further enhanced by the texture of the outside grips.

The new bottles—presently being produced only in the 20 oz. size—feature the same amount of resin as the previous design but because the proprietary bottle so effectively tells the brand’s story, the label was made considerably smaller—approximately half the size and is designed to enhance the bolder structure.

Beyond creating the style of the bottle, 4sight was in the unique position of working side-by-side with PepsiCo’s operations, marketing and R&D teams—taking part in the entire development and implementation process from engineering to manufacturing. In addition to working from a branding standpoint, the new bottle succeeds from both the production side (fitting seamlessly into the current bottling system) and in terms of the distribution channels (so that it can efficiently be delivered to retail outlets).

The new bottle has been test marketed in Indiana and the Carolinas region, generating significant sales increases in each market where it has been launched.