When I first saw Coca-Cola’s new identity video, the “More iconic than ever” card stopped me. The red-and-white serif type immediately reminded me of Marlboro. I know the fonts are different. I also know I’m not alone in seeing it.

That collision is frustrating because the system itself is excellent. Brand New writer and UnderConsideration co-founder Armin Vit:

Overall, a lot of work and thought went into this and it shows. The identity elements, as ubiquitous as they have been for decades, feel as if they’ve been given a new lease on life and have found an exciting way of coming together to infuse Coca-Cola with a breath of fresh air. The brand could have easily rested on its laurels and 140-year momentum but it’s quite commendable they have challenged themselves to reinvent without actually reinventing anything but rather by remodulating the existing equity of all of its elements in exciting new ways.

Vit’s typography assessment is just as positive:

Speaking of the new typography, this is probably the best effort yet between Brody Associates and Coca-Cola, which has included a rather tame sans serif and a more expressive serif, which seems to be the starting point for this newest family and it’s excellent. Thick serifs, tall x-height, and short ascenders and descenders add up to an elegant yet playful type family that is a perfect complement and contrast to the Spencerian script, not to mention a nice nod to the first Coke shorthand logo.

Still, Remy Tumin, writing for The New York Times (gift link), says other viewers made the same comparison. One designer she interviewed explains why:

“The big part of the Marlboro comparison comes down to the most simple elements, which are type and color,” said Elizabeth Goodspeed, a graphic designer and adjunct professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. But the fonts are not the same: Coke is using a custom serif design called Better With, and Marlboro’s font is Neo Contact.

This is professional-level work. But brand perception isn’t a type specimen: once a prominent execution makes people think of cigarettes, proving the fonts are different doesn’t make the association disappear.