campbells-redesigns-soup-can-first-time-50-years-before-and-after

Campbell’s Redesigns Soup Can for First Time in 50 Years: See Before and After

Since 1898, the Campbell’s soup cans have lined the shelves of American grocery stores. And for the past 50 years, the iconic red and white cans have remained virtually unchanged. Now, in recognition of their impact on pop art and culture in general, Campbell’s is giving their cans a rebrand worthy of the modern age.

And by rebrand, we mean the company has made some small detail changes to the cans, including the “Campbell’s” font itself, the fleur-de-lis, and the font of the word “soup.” Take a look for yourself. The old design is on the left, and the new and improved version is on the right.

“The refreshed label still evokes the same sense of comfort, goodness and Americana,” a statement from Campbell’s read.

“We’ve been on a journey to reimagine this iconic brand and appeal to new generations of consumers who are cooking at home more than ever, while still honoring our rich history.”

A pop-art staple thanks to the famous work of Andy Warhol, the longstanding company took the opportunity to truly embrace the digital age with the redesign of their cans. Campbell’s hired Queens-based artist Sophia Chang to design an NFT (nonfungible token) for the company as a way to raise money for Feeding America.

“Some of the most famous pop art ever created was inspired by the Campbell’s red-and-white can — the design is as much a staple of the grocery aisle as it is American culture. As a visual storyteller, I always am looking for new ways to express creativity. I wanted to hero the beloved label with keywords that connect to the brand for me, while including a photo-real element of the fresh label to celebrate the new design,” Chang said in the statement.

Campbell’s Struggled to Keep Up with Demand During the Height of the Pandemic

With everyone confined to their houses during the pandemic, Campbell’s soup sales went through the roof. In June 2020, the company’s quarterly earnings report revealed a 15% jump in soup sales. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. People rushed to stores and stockpiled all sorts of stable goods at the beginning of the quarantine period.

Campbell’s sales were so good, however, that the company could hardly keep up with production. Of course, those sales levels weren’t sustainable. For every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. And as pandemic fears lessened heading into 2021, the company was hit with a bit of a soup sales slump.

Though, the company is anything but discouraged. CEO Mark Clouse talked about their position in March of this year.

“No matter where you stand on the retention of new households gained during the pandemic, it is indisputable that Campbell’s business … is coming out of this period more advantaged and with renewed relevance,” Clouse said.