I think I stepped in something and it smells like...

I want to meet the agency who was able to convince Tropicana to alienate all their loyal orange juice consumers and sold them on this self-damaging visual design. I personally love Tropicana and have been drinking it since I was a child so the fact that I have been unable to find any Tropicana on the shelf since late December 2008 annoys me. I hate the cheap stuff and as a consumer it comes down to ease, convenience and conditioning. I see the orange fruit  with a straw and I buy it. Where is the orange? Its not the color I was drawn to it was the Tropicana chick originally and then the orange with a straw shape. I could buy the cheaper stuff for $1.50 but I splurge on my O.J. (orange juice) and drop $3.00 -$4.00 on Tropicana.

Why they failed in their re-branding?

I see a carton which I thought was Pathmark's No Frills with a little color. Anyone who has lived in New York or New Jersey will remember the no frills aisle. Not bad stuff just cheaper for lots of reasons. See this image: "Beer" would you buy it?

1> Too much of a leap in branding. (Where's the damn orange with the straw?) They changed everything including the color codes that use to identify the different type of tropicana. Now it's some tiny stripe of color at the top of the new container which I now need a computer APP to determine its relevance.

2> Too much misleading and useless text "100% Orange Juice" is a new add on to this updated design. Well, hey I was already in the orange juice area of the freezer looking for orange juice so why I buy it now. Its like text to the testament that they destroyed the branding of Tropicana.

3> Don't alert anyone to changing the design. But build a a fun flash page known as the "Juice finder widget". Too bad they didn't have an Iphone app to walk me through the juice finder widget when I'm at the store in front of the cooler. Oh, and have no engaging presence on Twitter, because there is just no way anyone on twitter might drink Tropicana." - (Just dumb on so many levels.)

For more a diversity of opinions and a laundry list of why it doesnt work from other educacted perspectives check out Matt Everson, Yovav "Jay" Meydad's, BrandNew, BrandCurve, Design Everything blogs.

Finally, my love love letter would read:

Dear Arnell,

Lets keep this simple ...Please do not ever take on clients such as my Angelsoft or Quilted Northern toilet paper. I want to be able to find the product on the shelf when I want to buy it.

Many Thanks and Love,

All consumers everywhere

Update: They now have a cap for their 1/2 gallon container that looks a mini orange half; a minor improvement and I do also like the snap top of the gallon container.

If your looking for your favorite brands and unable to find them then they have been infected with Arnell's talents of destroying brands. Find their client list and find your MIA products Click "Clients" here.

Questions:

Know of any other product who have redesigned for the worse? Branding companies who have aided in there self destruction of a brand?  Tell me about another Orange Juice as delicious as Tropicana and I swear I'll switch:)

Shortened URL: http://is.gd/ktoc

Photo Credit: No Frills Beer