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The lore of the \u201cfridge cigarette\u201d recently tore through my algorithm. The internet-born metaphor comparing a cold can of Diet Coke to sneaking out for a smoke, capturing the craving for a small, guilty pleasure pause in the middle of the day, was everywhere, all at once.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, Coca-Cola\u2019s latest earnings report landed with a surprise. The mini can, the petite, perfectly proportioned, seven-and-a-half-ounce aluminum can, is part of the reason for the brand\u2019s increase in third-quarter earnings. But behind this miniature-sized success is a big \u201cwhy?\u201d It\u2019s definitely a shift in how we think about consumption, design, and even self-control. The age of more might finally be giving way to the age of just enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cMini cans turn a universal icon into something personal, smaller, deliberate, and beautifully proportioned,\u201d says Rapha Abreu, Global Vice President of Design at The Coca-Cola Company.<\/a> \u201cThey carry an emotional quality that feels both familiar and fresh.\u201d In other words, the mini can is a whole mood. A lifestyle object. Performative? Maybe. Because we\u2019re no longer supersizing or using as much maximalist branding, the sense of restraint, elegance, and even mindfulness is in.<\/p>\n