Distinctive.

Captivating.

Those were my only two thoughts as I stood transfixed before a stack of Pepsi cases today in Target. Featuring a dark navy background, that says simply "Pepsi," and the red-blue-and-white logo twisted around itself, the new design simply grabbed my attention and wouldn't let it go.

In general, I'm a fan of simple pop-art-esque designs. My favorite can drink is Safeway's Orange Soda, a simple orange can with black lettering featuring a stylized orange, nothing more. The soda inside is delicious, to be sure, but not nearly as satisfying as the can's calming simplicity. And it's totally cheap, too!

Sadly,* I've never been a fan of Pepsi. My priorities in a cola are the weight of the flavor and the body. Coke's had Pepsi beat in those departments for a number of years. Of course, I'm willing to keep an open mind. Visionaries like Albert Einstein, Immanuel Kant, Aaron Mandel and John F. Kennedy have built entire careers on their open-mind skills. (To be fair, Kant's career was predicated more on his questions about the nature of existence, but how else could he have been so inspired?) Thus, I'm willing to continue tasting Pepsi and comparing it to Coke, and even to non-mainstream colas like Shasta and RC. However, judging by my past patterns of experience, I will continue enjoying the taste of Coke despite the appeal of Pepsi's new design.

*because the can design appeals to me