The Near-Ultimate Conspiracy Theory (Laško ‘ma spet novo flaško)
After decades of using its traditional logo and years of sticking to the same design, Laško Brewery is changing its corporate and end-product image. Given the traditional rivarly between Štajerska-based Laško and Ljubljana-based Union (which is, however, owned by Laško), this is the local equal of Olga Kurylenko showing more tits (thanks, Adriaan! 
)
But there’s more… As avid readers of this blog know, Laško Brewery (LJSE: PILR) and its CEO Boško Šrot are at the heart of the current political turmoil in Slovenia. Laško owns Delo newspaper and has recently had a very public split with PM Janez Janša. Given the paranoid nature JJ, I’m sure that we won’t have to wait long for him to claim that Laško’s going from this…
…to this…
It reads: “A goldhorn changes its fur, but never changes its beer. A new image for a new era”
…is yet another example of Laško’s shameless tycoon-like behavious. I expect Janša saying something along the lines of “as the rest of the country is coping with rising prices, some companies are spending profits made by underpaid workers on renewing their image“
January 26th, 2008 at 8:42 am
They should rather put their money in to making drinkable beer than to this…
January 26th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Actually I like Laško better… But neither comes close to the Good Stuff
January 26th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
… Which will be rolling your way again come April 6th.
January 27th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Pengovsky, I see you were also betting on the right horse! “As the rest of the country is coping with rising prices, some companies are spending profits made by underpaid workers on renewing their image.” Did perhaps Boško pay for your new image?
Nice, by the way, very nice. Should do similar thing with The Firm.
January 27th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
You noticed!
But don’t you think I would change the colour scheme to green if it were Boško Šrot paying for it? 
January 27th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Ok, I get the hint. So LDS in paying you! Still, me like. (Nova podoba za nove čase!)
January 27th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Methinks Boško’s designer team was raised on this: the H, but possibly did not feel comfortable about including a red star considering the recent cracks down the party line
January 27th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Maybe they were just so high on shit that they forgot all about the star
January 27th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
@P: My first thought was to blame it on absinthe, but given the Dutch connection, I concur with you.
@Luka: Shame on you for failing to break away from the typical capitalist line of reasoning. P’s new blogclothes (or the lach thereof) may well be the result of dedicated and enthusiastic ‘udarnisko delo’
January 27th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
@dr. fil: Yes, the new “Laško” does resemble the mentioned beer a bit. As far as Pengovsky’s new image goes, my judgement might have been a bit too rash. It could also be NSi that’s behind him.
January 27th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I actually like it, finally a decent design. Now they need to work on the beer. Still nothing better than a Belgian Hoegaarden or Leffe. Or any of the other 200 sorts…
January 27th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
@Luka: NSi? Do explain, I’m all ears
@Marko: Welcome! (your first comment, methinks). In all honesty, I do agree with the good doctor. Both typeface and colour and are too-much-like-Heineken.
As for the content of the bottle is concerned, we’re almost in agreement
January 27th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
It’s ok, but not nearly as bold (and creative and enlightening) a change as Pengovsky’s. I still like the brown label which I believe was (still is?) primarily used for export.
January 27th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
My change was actually a collaborative effort by yours trully and the good doctor
But I do hope that Laško keeps the brown label for export.
January 27th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
From the point of view of design, new Laško label looks cool as opposed to the old one, which was … well it didn’t have a design anyway.
As for NSi, I believe blue colour is not exclusive to LDS, n’est pas?
January 27th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
n’est ce pas. My mistake.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
@Luka: Slipping on your French, are you?
January 27th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
As long as it’s just with reference to the language, that’s Ok
January 27th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
@p & dr. f - nice job on the facelift! while i like laško’s new look, yours is much better…and your content is a lot tastier!;)
@marko - i am in full agreement!
January 28th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
hey P! i didn’t know where to post this, so you may relocate my question. anyway, i was just curious how come you haven’t commented on the article in Frankfurter Allgemeiner Zeitung about the press censorship in our country. I couldn’t find a link at the FAZ, but Silvester Šurla mentions it in his blog (http://www.silvestersurla.com/?p=27). so, what’s your verdict this time?
January 28th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
The new Lasko design looks like ZARES. New design, same old crap.
As for beers… Since my time in the army I only swear on Alsatian Kronenbourg.
what’s your verdict this time?
I am sure Pengovsky will not disappoint us with another conspiracy construct from his deep box of “mental monstrum” inventions. I could use some good laughter today or tomorrow.
n’est ce pas = n’est-ce pas (French don’t like grammatical mistakes)
January 28th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
nah, i’m just plain curious. i like different flow of ideas.
January 29th, 2008 at 5:00 am
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