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Fortune
Fortune
Technology
Tatiana Sataua

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

cc (Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images)

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.

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