Monday, April 20, 2009

Why must there be change? New Snapple bottles too big and too generic!

We purchased some Snapple last week and finally bought some with the new packaging. Snapple apparently has found "Better Stuff"tm for their product that's "Made from the Best Stuff on Earth"tm (sugar instead of HFCS). It doesn't taste any different, which is good because I like the product. I am a Peach Iced Tea Snapple fan and I thought the new stuff tasted more peachy than the previous bottle I had just finished, but I also have noticed that the Snapple tastes different depending on the temperature as well. It is a subtle change and probably all in my head.

There is one problem though -

The new bottle is taller than the old one.

We noticed when it didn't fit on the bottom shelf of our drink fridge that we have been using for years to store the Snapple in.

The old bottle height slides in nicely, the new bottle clunks its top on the shelf. "Raise the shelf," you say, but then the beer on the next level won't fit. Both bottles have 16 ounces. I suppose to make the bottle fit into a cupholder it becomes slimmer but taller. Perhaps the new bottle is cheaper than the old one since it does away with the impressed "Snapple" on their glass. But it does replace it with a raised "S". I think the "Snapple" on the glass is pretty iconic, it is always risky to change.

I don't understand why companies with brand recognition that works always try to retool. Perhaps they are losing sales or the brand is losing its luster, perhaps the marketing department wants to justify their existence. The new design looks more generic. I am not the only one who thinks so. I just wonder if they are pulling a Tropicana.

Please go back to the old bottle Snapple, so it can fit in my fridge.

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