UnSpun

Old Fashioned OJ

People do not like change, not even in the media.  Actually, especially not in the media.  People always seem to want the next innovation, the next big new thing.  However, change never seems to go as smoothly as you would think.  Take for example, the new Tropicana campaign and packaging.  This is a brand that’s been around for quite a while with that signature straw-impaled orange.  When they switched to the new, more modern and minimalistic look in January people went crazy.  Criticism was everywhere and eventually led to the discontinuation of the new packaging.  We say that we don’t like advertising in general, but it seems that we really do have an attachment to it.  Frankly, I couldn’t car less about a different orange juice package.  But I’m not a big OJ drinker.

What this shows is that advertising works a little too well sometimes.  An effective image and brand really can get to you, no matter how much you think you don’t care.  We’re so saturated with advertising from all sides that we can’t help but factor it into our media landscape, often times even forming long-lasting attachments.  I’m a bit conflicted about this, but I think it’s not all bad.  Forming attachments to commercial products is pretty standard, whether it’s TV shows or the commercials within them.  At least the Tropicana campaign showed that if people show they care they can have an impact on what they see.  The fact that the overwhelmingly negative reaction led to the discontinuation of the campaign is actually very impressive.  The people have spoken, and they like their OJ old-fashioned.