Coke on its rebrand accidentally nailing Gen Z’s ‘fridge cigarette’ joke: ‘building on on the things people already know and love’

A cold Diet Coke—sometimes paired with a shot of espresso—has become one of social media’s favorite afternoon rituals. Gen Z even gave it a nickname: the “fridge cigarette.” That’s why it was so strange when Coca-Cola introduced a new font that eerily resembled an iconic one straight out of the cigarette world. 

“Coke and Marlboro had a baby—and it’s a font!,” one X user wrote after seeing the company’s updated typography. Others echoed the comparison, saying Coca-Cola’s refreshed typography looked strikingly similar to Marlboros, in a case of reality imitating memes. Still others wondered whether the company had unintentionally leaned into the internet’s “fridge cigarette” joke.

“Is Coca Cola rebranding like that because we all started calling ‘em fridge cigarettes???,” another fan questioned.

Coca-Cola said the refresh was designed to create “one iconic look” across more than 200 markets by updating its packaging and typography.

“This refresh is about being clearer and more consistent in...