Refresh this, America: Capitalizing on a nation's optimism

Being from "The Chicago of the North", I really didn't expect to see anything especially new when I travelled with my fellow admen (and women) to the windy city. A Big American City is a Big American City and I had seen enough of them to know what I was in for. But walking down the shiny streets of Chicago - only recently primped and polished for their bid for the 2016 Olympics - I couldn't help but be taken in by the amazing spirit of optimism that radiated from every yellow cab and every businesswoman and every fat American tourist. 

The whole country (yes, even the Republicans it seems) are excited about their shiny new president and the change he represents - change that America sorely needs. Of course, the entire thing is such a self-fulfilling prophecy: one man excites the country with promises of change and the country, in its excitement, brings that change about. Nevertheless, the feeling has the whole nation motivated and optimistic - is it any surprise that Pepsi took the opportunity to capitalize on it?

Pepsi changed their Logo. Big whoop. But they MADE it a big whoop by tying their change into the change America is so excited over - Obama's change. What does Pepsi have to do with America's first black president? Absolutely nothing. But they do share an undeniable look. That red, white and blue "o" that seemed to symbolize hope throughout  Barack's never-ending campaign for the White House hot seat. But more than that, Pepsi's "Refresh Everything" campaign looks like it's set out to change the country around on it's own. According to refresheverything.com, Pepsi is hosting a symposium featuring seminars on refreshing the economy, education, gender, black america and even hip-hop. 

Walking down The Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago, it's 

virtually impossible to ignore Pepsi's logo replacing the letter "o" in cheerful (if sometimes vague) messages like "Howdy," "Oh Boy," "Lovetc," "Hooray!," "Soda Pop," and my personal favourite, "Fo Sho."  The whole thing is exuberant, fun, beautifully designed, and most importantly, simple. There's no complex, intellectual punch line. The big idea, if there even is one, is pretty much just fuck yeah!

But Pepsi isn't the only one cashing in on optimism and the almighty Obama. Sak's

Fifth Avenue has commissioned artist Shepard Fairey of Studio Number One to create equally motivating graphics for their store displays as part of a campaign called "WANT IT" for spring 2009. Fairey is the man behind the iconic Obama posters you can see now on every yuppie in the country (and even a few in Canada). The store displays are totally consumeristic and totally appealing. "Stride forth in aggressive shoes!" they read. "Believe in Brighter Lips." "Cherish a romantic blouse!" It's giddy and American and completely affective. Even though I can't afford a tie off the Sak's sale rack, I swiped a catalogue so that I can frame the prints. I'm banking on Fairey's hope-infused recession-era art to be the new Andy Warhol soup cans one day.