This morning on NPR, I heard a story that today Tropicana is expected to announce that they are discontinuing their redesigned packaging introduced in early January.
Over the past few weeks, they have received several complaints that the new “squeeze” campaign makes the product indistinguishable from generic store brands. Many people complained they were unable to even find Tropicana products on the shelf, assuming their local store had discontinued Tropicana in the tough economic times. One consumer said there didn’t appear to be anything “premium” about the product worth paying extra for anymore, now that it holds the look of an overpriced generic.
NPR discussed the possibility that, although the rebrand lacks in design, by appearing more generic it portrays the image of being less expensive, thus swaying the purchasing decisions of budget-conscious shoppers in this time of recession. The major problem with this attempt is that once the economy returns and consumer mindset changes, it will take time and money to rebuild the “premium” look Tropicana once held with its original branding.
The New York Times reported that chief creative officer Peter Arnell (of Arnell in New York, who created the redesign) said Tropicana would spend over $35 million on the “Squeeze” campaign. That is a hefty price for a temporary look. While the “squeeze” aspect of the campaign is getting praise for its father and child hugging imagery, which is rare in food ads for its focus on the dad, the consumers have spoken unfavorably.
“Do any of these package-design people actually shop for orange juice?” asked one customer in an e-mail complaint.
The President of Tropicana North America said he underestimated the connection and passion people had for the long-held image of the orange with the straw. With the increased methods of communication through email, blogs, facebook, and others, the consumer reaction came fast and loud. How do you feel about the old orange and straw versus the new squeeze?
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Coming Soon! |
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