I have three kids. consequently we drink A LOT of orange juice chez nous. and Tropicana was our family’s preferred OJ. All was well.
And then for some reason Tropicana changed their packaging radically. And in the wrong direction. They dropped their saliva-inducing orange-with-a-straw-stuck-in-it icon for bizarrely anodyne and bland-looking new packaging that threw us – and a lot of other people – for the proverbial loop. it was boring and unappealing.
(OLD BUT GOOD PACKAGING)
(NEW MEH PACKAGING)
so much so that i noticed my wife had started buying this orange juice instead. 
It’s called Simply Juice. And that’s what it is. it was so much more appealing to look at than Tropicana’s new and decidedly unimproved packaging. and therefore it won at retail. for very obvious reasons.
Tropicana’s mistake was the best thing to ever happen to Simply Juice. this previous blog post recounted that event. and I severely admonished Tropicana for what was a very basic and fundamental error. you had something good – something with appetite appeal. all you had to do was not do anything. and you couldn’t even do that. not only that but you went off in the opposite direction of good. tsk, and frankly, tsk!
So recently while on vacation, i picked up what i thought was Simply Juice.
But closer inspection revealed it to be a Tropicana clone!
Clearly someone (or someones) at Tropicana clearly reads this blog. you devils! We really should start charging you guys for this advice.
8 responses so far ↓
Dan // August 17, 2009 at 6:39 pm |
I guess accidentally grabbing the Tropicana is a step back in the right direction. But doesn’t seem quite as good as purposefully choosing the brand.
Just checked the fridge, turns out we’ve been buying the Simply Orange stuff for a while now. I’d love to give you all the credit for that, but I just can’t prove it.
theescapepod // August 17, 2009 at 10:33 pm |
yes dan. being super-appetizing works in the food category, i guess.
nico akkerman // August 18, 2009 at 6:18 am |
The stopped selling Tropicana over here (Holland) years ago.
There was a rumor that it caused cancer.
Turned out to be false ofcourse but the brand was dead.
theescapepod // August 18, 2009 at 10:41 am |
really? that would do it.
john w. // August 18, 2009 at 11:40 am |
Who the eff would believe that Tropicana O.J would cause cancer. I mean wtf! Jeez what would David Cross make of those people!? Anyway rant aside. I like the bottle shape. Very grabable.
john w. // August 18, 2009 at 11:41 am |
…make that grabbable.
nico akkerman // August 19, 2009 at 3:42 am |
turns out i was mistaken about tropicana not being sold here anymore because of vicious cancer rumor.
it’s Punica. do they sell that in the US?
by the way Vinny, i think why you like the old packaging so much. It says “no pulp”
PACKAGING. YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF COMMUNICATION. « ESCAPOLOGY (the escape pod’s blog) // November 27, 2009 at 7:53 pm |
[...] In a crowded supermarket the pickle jar with the nicer packaging will probably win out over the dull looking one. The orange juice that shows you the actual juice will win over the greasy cardboard box with a lame picture of an orange on it. You’re buying orange JUICE after all. [...]