Coke & Banks

This is a 'simple story' as the August 2009 issue of Creative Review (CR) points out. The re-design for Coca-Cola strips Coke back to its iconic essentials. It does away with the bubbles, everybody knows it has fizz (it's a 100-year old drink) and other such clutter and the result is, well, multiple award-winning. But read the full CR story by following this link; it is as rewarding as the design itself.

Compare the simplicity of the Coke re-design with a species of phone calls that we all get:
Girl: "Hello am I speaking to Mr. X?"
You: "Yes"
Girl: "I am calling from ABC Bank and given our relationship..." You instinctively look around to check if the wife's around. It's not a nice sounding girl, but it's a girl nevertheless.
You (controlling your breathing): "Yes?"
Girl: "We would like to offer you a personal loan."
"Gawd girl! I don't have a relationship with the bank, I have a savings account with a history of bounced cheques!" You don't say that, but.

I wish all banks, insurance companies, telecom operators and the whole community of data base buyers read the Coke re-design story, start calling a spade a spade, an account an account and don't raise the expectations of an old man like me with those girls on the phone.

Thanks Salil of A&O for pointing out the article to me.

Disclaimer: Coca-Cola is the registered trade mark of the Coca-Cola Company. I have said good things about them. So hope to god they don't sue me for using their new can here.