Score One for the People

So a few weeks ago something weird happened. Before you read on and think hey, this is a lame crisis, know that I love OJ more than anything…more than Brian Williams even. Anyway, I was strolling through the market looking for my OJ and for the first time, I couldn’t find it. Knowing full well they couldn’t be out of Tropicana and there was likely no sudden rush on orange juice, I got up close and personal with the OJ rack. Sure enough, they had changed the packaging on the orange juice.  It looked like some generic store brand–completely foreign to me. I was a little shocked by how upsetting this was. How OLD am I? I thought. Why is this so disconcerting? Not only did I have a hard time locating it, but then it was another few minutes before I could decipher the type of juice I required. Let me clarify. If you’re not a Tropicana addict, they make umpteen kinds of juice: low pulp, no pulp, high pulp, some pulp, low acid, etc. That in and of itself is annoying. But hey, as long as I get my favorite. So with the new packaging, you had to have at least 20/20 to make out the type of juice in the carton. It was now written in a tiny line in about 10 pt. type. What happened here? God help us all. (OMG, I’m sounding more and more like Andy Rooney every day.)

Once I reconciled that there was a brand change and figuring I’d adjust, I gave it a chance. But the next two times I went to buy juice, same drill. Complete paralysis–staring at the plain-looking cartons like they were aliens. Where in the hell was low acid? My first thought was that they weren’t making it anymore. Not the case. It was just that the packaging was so poorly done it was impossible for me to see it. Enough, I thought. I’m taking the old lady way out and writing a letter…er…email. When I got home, I fired off an email to Tropicana marketing, fueled by my love for juice and brand loyalty, which was being battered by some marketing newbie with a packaging idea gone wrong. I’m sure my email sounded grumpy…yada yada…I’m done searching for this stuff…yada yada.

Sure enough, I got a somewhat generic reply, not unlike the new packaging, telling me that they still made low acid and “We greatly value you as a Tropicana consumer and it’s disappointing to learn of your dissatisfaction with our new cartons. We wanted to focus more on the juice itself and update the cartons with a modern and contemporary feel. We’re sharing your comments with our marketing team and thank you for providing valuable feedback.” Gah. Note to marketers everywhere: We don’t need modern, contemporary packaging.  Recognizable works fine.

Here’s where things get really weird. My husband emailed me last week, telling me that he heard on the radio that Tropicana was changing the packaging BACK TO THE ORIGINAL! What the what? Did my little email do that? Or were millions of other marginally blind, semi-stupid individuals complaining too? Maybe I am the change I want to see in the world. Maybe the little man can be heard. Maybe nobody could find the damned juice and profits were taking a hit. No matter. They’re putting it back the way it was! Yep, apparently I was a card-carrying member of the Orange Juice Revolt of 2009.

People love familiarity, especially in times like these. Moreover, old people can’t see that well. Thanks for listening, Tropicana. I take back the mean things I said in my email. I love your juice. I wasn’t really going to abandon it.