15. 1993
$561million
1992
$ 231million
1989
$ 80million
1986
$ 8million
market
Napa Naturals
Natural
Quencher
SoHo
After the Fall
Original
NY Seltzer
30-40%
of market share
$674
million1994
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
16. Question
Did Snapple do everything they could to
differentiate themselves from competitors?
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
18. 1993
$561million
1992
$ 231million
1989
$ 80million
1986
$ 8million
market
Napa Naturals
Natural
Quencher
SoHo
After the Fall
Original
NY Seltzer
30-40%
of market share
$674
million1994
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
19. 1993
$561million
1992
$ 231million
1989
$ 80million
1986
$ 8million
market
Napa Naturals
Natural
Quencher
SoHo
After the Fall
Original
NY Seltzer
30-40%
of market share
$674
million1994
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
33. Question
What could Quaker have done differently in
an effort to keep the essences of the
Snapple brand alive?
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
37. Wendy reaches all Snapple drinkers but not with equal efficacy. In New
York and Seattle, people are
more likely to read Wendy on multiple levels. In New
York individuals tend to be much more
familiar with the Snapple story, and Wendy Kaufman is familiar in terms of lived experience, “I
know
people like that.” Wendy plays least well in heartland, where she seems more “exotic” than
“could be anyone.” In Dallas and St. Louis respondents see Wendy as “funny,” “friendly,” “full of
life,” “energetic, not M
adison Avenue slick.”
Conclusions and Implications
•
Regional ethos. Areas that are most “settled,” self-satisfied, are least susceptible to
Snapple’s “subversive” appeal. Areas with a postmodern mindset—
a playful exuberance,
expression of vivid sensuality (personal authenticity), and mix and match ethos—
are
Snapple territory.
•
Authenticity is pivotal. Overstating or misrepresenting Snapple’s health benefits does
more harm
than good. Snapple needs to be just healthy enough. Feeling better about
yourself is an integral part of the Snapple experience, but it need not be the most important
part.
•
Corporate image influences brand image. It need not be a small company, but should be a
caring company. Like social reinforcement, corporate image provides justification for use.
Snapple needs to stand for something.
•
Intermediate/interstitial character of Snapple is both strength and weakness. As a
strength, it broadens the customer base and market niche and is a source of symbolic
power. As a weakness, the brand can move quickly from
hero to villain. (In mythology,
interstitial figures frequently play the role of “trickster.”)
•
Social influence. Intensity of Snapple use is closely correlated with social presence.
(Serious Snapple drinkers far more likely to be surrounded by other Snapple drinkers.)
•
Become more established. M
ust move Snapple from
a “fashion water” to a staple brand
like Pepsi, Coke, Sprite with well-defined benefits and image.
•
Develop sensuality of the Snapple experience. As with apples, there is an emphasis on
mouth feel. Consumption is not a rational act, as water consumption is. Unlike sodas,
Snapple is both soothing and stimulating.
•
Snapple moments. Fold Snapple into personal, daily rituals—
time out from
the mundane,
transitional moments, sense of “letting go,” both restorative and sensual. Link to trend
away from
a mechanistic vision of health toward a more holistic, “good for you,” being
good to yourself, getting back in touch, de-stressing vision.
•
Community marketing strategies. Build on brand’s personal, local character.
Rumors
There is a disproportionate number of rumors about Snapple, initially fueled by Snapple’s
mysterious and unsettling florescence. They typically start with GenXs studying the label and
detecting a slave ship or the letters KKK, combined with a cynical worldview
where conspiracies
are rampant, and a taste for celebrating the down and out.
Rumors have suggested that Snapple is anti-abortion, anti-gay, donating money to Jesse Helms, and
that Rush Limbaugh has major investment with Snapple. The rumors vary but the themes are
remarkably consistent. They are not about the product, but about the company, the “owners.”
Snapple is in an analogous situation to the Body Shop, which is also the subject of a
disproportionate number of rumors.
The issue is not the truth or falsity, or even impact on sales, but rather the underlying message,
which is one of a deep sense of betrayal, perhaps over implicit health claims, or a fear that Snapple
is not alternative but rather reactionary.
What Is Driving Decreased Consumption?
There appears to be no “Great Attractor” sucking consumers away from
the brand, rather a drift
away in all directions, toward water, back to sodas, to other competitors in the category, e.g.,
AriZona, Fruitopia. No competing brand stands out. Most competitors within the category were
seen as inferior, even by lapsers, e.g., “too sweet.” Some drink less Snapple juice and add ice tea.
There is also natural attrition, caused by problems of distribution: “I can’t find my flavor anymore,”
or “My grocery store has only peach diet tea and kiwi strawberry and I’m
getting tired of kiwi
strawberry” or “Coke made them
take the Snapple coolers out at high school.”
There are health issues, especially with 30–44 age group, a wake-up call from
the doctor, increasing
health sophistication. Non-lapsers often were not label readers.
Authenticity was a concern, especially with 18–29 age group, who are very sensitive to being
tricked: “It even costs more than real juice,” or the contrast between Snapple’s small company
image and the size of the company.
Fashionability and negative social pressure were sometimes explicit: A
young male in SL, “I used to
drink a lot of Snapple, AriZona is newer” or a 40-year-old artist in NY, “It’s no longer avant
guarde.” More often they were implicit, a feeling you get carrying or drinking Snapple in public,
often expressed as a lack of presence, “You just don’t see it anymore,” “W
hat happened to Wendy?”
there was a feeling that Snapple has lost its focus and no longer appeals to imagination. “I heard
they fired Wendy.”
Social Reinforcement
The amount of Snapple consumed is highly correlated with intensity of Snapple use in the
respondent’s immediate social environment. It’s not that Snapple is a social beverage—it is rarely
shared, and it is not true that those who drink Snapple with others (e.g., lunch with colleagues)
are more likely to be a loyalist.
Rather Snapple use needs to be socially reinforced. It is not physiologically addictive, and it lacks
the conceptual coherence that drives bottled water (good for you, purifying, intimations of
working out) or Gatorade (replenishment, intensity, etc.).
Adoption Process
Adoption, becoming a heavy user, is typically extended over several years. Most “new” drinkers
had been aware of Snapple as far back in time as long-term
loyalists. Many have been drinking
Snapple for years. Conversion to heavy use is typically no sudden revelation, but an extended
process.
Snapple drinking flows through friendship networks. “Significant others” stand out as a key
influence. Flow
tends to be from
female to male. Among females, “we talk about everything.”
Among guys, it typically works differently. It is based on observing what friends order, how
much they wanted it, etc. But generally adopters try not to imitate immediately.
If it comes from
Mom, becomes sacred.
Usage
A high percentage of purchases are single bottles for immediate consumption, “I could save
money by buying in bulk, but I don’t.” Snapple fits with sandwiches and delis, not fast food.
Usage fluctuates seasonally, diurnally, and cyclically: “I drink Snapple when I drive on long
trips.” It’s an individualistic, atomistic experience, normally not social or familial.
Snapple moments tend to be on the go, between here and there, yet for many loyalists it’s not
truly an impulse buy: “That first 15 minutes when I get home from
work . . . I don’t answer the
phone, sit down and have a Snapple.” It is part of a salesman’s routine stop for gas, part of
taking baby for a morning stroll, a way to get through early morning class, “breakfast at Dunkin’
Donuts, then home with a Snapple while I do the crossword in the morning newspaper.”
ivotal Characteristics
• Authentic The brand pivots on trust. It makes implicit health claims. Its name conveys
healthiness:
snap active, healthy
apple healthy
The fruitiness claim
works on the same level as the vegetable content of V8 juice. Fruit is healthy,
Snapple is fruity, so Snapple is healthy. If it is seen as faux fruit juice (e.g., Sunny Delight, Kool-
Aid, etc.), then its claims (All natural ingredients, Made from
the best stuff on earth) become just so
much hype and Snapple drinkers are chumps. As a brand there is a Johnnie Walker character to
Snapple. It can flicker from
optimum
and premium
to impure and inauthentic.
• Fun It’s irreverent. Serious and Snapple go together like oil and water. To some extent fun is a
category characteristic, differentiating all such beverages from
serious health drinks, but Snapple is
fun in a way unduplicated by any other brand of soft drink. It is informal, natural, personal, and
playful. That partly derives from
full taste, and partly because it represents a break from
mundane
roles and responsibilities. It is not “a pure escape” but of a circumscribed and portable sort, one
which is easily resealed and apportioned. The playfulness is reinforced by imaginative use of
names, e.g., Melon Berry, Kiwi Strawberry, Mango Madness.
• Personal There’s so much variety to choose from. You can find yourself within the brand. The
diversity within Snapple Brand makes it a model for a multicultural society. There’s a creative
dimension that enhances and enlarges who you are. The logic of Snapple is very like the logic of
contemporary music, a creative fusion of styles and genres. Snapple as a brand is constantly
revising what it is. There is the image of a small, caring company. It is almost too individualistic. It
is not a family drink. Snapple in the refrigerator increases family tension.
• Vividly Sensual Snapple tastes good or it is nothing. Luxury today is being redefined. It need not
be a big purchase.
1.
• Snapple defined by what it is not. It is suspended between:
depravity Snapple deprivation
(colas) (water, carrot juice, etc.)
It may substitute for cola, but is by no means conceptually equivalent. Snapple
use is driven, and defined in large part, by a reaction against colas:
Colas = modernity:
unnatural
artificial image impersonal uniformity , exclusion mass production authority
Snapple = reaction to modernity:
natural
real
personal
diversity , inclusiveness variety , individualism
anti-authority, irreverence
It is not necessarily new age, nor a return to the past, but a bit of both. By “alternative,”
users do not mean drop-outs, sullen and alienated. Snapple is not like water. Snapple is
a treat: Unlike water, “You can’t carry it around without drinking it.”
The Cultural Logic of the Snapple Brand
Extracts from a report prepared by the Cultural Analysis Group for Deutsch, Inc.
November 1997
Objectives
•
Who are core users of Snapple, and how the Snapple brand is expressed in their lives?
•
How does Snapple intersect with key trends and values in contemporary life?
•
What binds consumers to the brand?
•
Why do formerly heavy users step away from Snapple, reduce their consumption?
•
Ultimately, what is the meaning of Snapple in people’s lives? How can we develop a
positioning that transcends demography and geography?
1.
Method
•
72 in-home interviews in 4 markets
2 developed markets: 2 undeveloped markets:
• New York • Dallas
• Seattle • St. Louis
•
Divided evenly by age:
1⁄2 were with ages 18–29
1⁄2 were with ages 30–44
•
Divided into three groups:
1. Long-time loyalists (3+ years), heavy users (4+ times/wk.)
2. New to franchise heavy users (where Snapple has become their favorite non-
carbonated
beverage in the last year)
3. Lapsed users, former heavy users who continue to drink it (1–4 times/mo.)
The Study
Why people
LOVED
Snapple
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
38. Wendy reaches all Snapple drinkers but not with equal efficacy. In New
York and Seattle, people are
more likely to read Wendy on multiple levels. In New
York individuals tend to be much more
familiar with the Snapple story, and Wendy Kaufman is familiar in terms of lived experience, “I
know
people like that.” Wendy plays least well in heartland, where she seems more “exotic” than
“could be anyone.” In Dallas and St. Louis respondents see Wendy as “funny,” “friendly,” “full of
life,” “energetic, not M
adison Avenue slick.”
Conclusions and Implications
•
Regional ethos. Areas that are most “settled,” self-satisfied, are least susceptible to
Snapple’s “subversive” appeal. Areas with a postmodern mindset—
a playful exuberance,
expression of vivid sensuality (personal authenticity), and mix and match ethos—
are
Snapple territory.
•
Authenticity is pivotal. Overstating or misrepresenting Snapple’s health benefits does
more harm
than good. Snapple needs to be just healthy enough. Feeling better about
yourself is an integral part of the Snapple experience, but it need not be the most important
part.
•
Corporate image influences brand image. It need not be a small company, but should be a
caring company. Like social reinforcement, corporate image provides justification for use.
Snapple needs to stand for something.
•
Intermediate/interstitial character of Snapple is both strength and weakness. As a
strength, it broadens the customer base and market niche and is a source of symbolic
power. As a weakness, the brand can move quickly from
hero to villain. (In mythology,
interstitial figures frequently play the role of “trickster.”)
•
Social influence. Intensity of Snapple use is closely correlated with social presence.
(Serious Snapple drinkers far more likely to be surrounded by other Snapple drinkers.)
•
Become more established. M
ust move Snapple from
a “fashion water” to a staple brand
like Pepsi, Coke, Sprite with well-defined benefits and image.
•
Develop sensuality of the Snapple experience. As with apples, there is an emphasis on
mouth feel. Consumption is not a rational act, as water consumption is. Unlike sodas,
Snapple is both soothing and stimulating.
•
Snapple moments. Fold Snapple into personal, daily rituals—
time out from
the mundane,
transitional moments, sense of “letting go,” both restorative and sensual. Link to trend
away from
a mechanistic vision of health toward a more holistic, “good for you,” being
good to yourself, getting back in touch, de-stressing vision.
•
Community marketing strategies. Build on brand’s personal, local character.
Rumors
There is a disproportionate number of rumors about Snapple, initially fueled by Snapple’s
mysterious and unsettling florescence. They typically start with GenXs studying the label and
detecting a slave ship or the letters KKK, combined with a cynical worldview
where conspiracies
are rampant, and a taste for celebrating the down and out.
Rumors have suggested that Snapple is anti-abortion, anti-gay, donating money to Jesse Helms, and
that Rush Limbaugh has major investment with Snapple. The rumors vary but the themes are
remarkably consistent. They are not about the product, but about the company, the “owners.”
Snapple is in an analogous situation to the Body Shop, which is also the subject of a
disproportionate number of rumors.
The issue is not the truth or falsity, or even impact on sales, but rather the underlying message,
which is one of a deep sense of betrayal, perhaps over implicit health claims, or a fear that Snapple
is not alternative but rather reactionary.
What Is Driving Decreased Consumption?
There appears to be no “Great Attractor” sucking consumers away from
the brand, rather a drift
away in all directions, toward water, back to sodas, to other competitors in the category, e.g.,
AriZona, Fruitopia. No competing brand stands out. Most competitors within the category were
seen as inferior, even by lapsers, e.g., “too sweet.” Some drink less Snapple juice and add ice tea.
There is also natural attrition, caused by problems of distribution: “I can’t find my flavor anymore,”
or “My grocery store has only peach diet tea and kiwi strawberry and I’m
getting tired of kiwi
strawberry” or “Coke made them
take the Snapple coolers out at high school.”
There are health issues, especially with 30–44 age group, a wake-up call from
the doctor, increasing
health sophistication. Non-lapsers often were not label readers.
Authenticity was a concern, especially with 18–29 age group, who are very sensitive to being
tricked: “It even costs more than real juice,” or the contrast between Snapple’s small company
image and the size of the company.
Fashionability and negative social pressure were sometimes explicit: A
young male in SL, “I used to
drink a lot of Snapple, AriZona is newer” or a 40-year-old artist in NY, “It’s no longer avant
guarde.” More often they were implicit, a feeling you get carrying or drinking Snapple in public,
often expressed as a lack of presence, “You just don’t see it anymore,” “W
hat happened to Wendy?”
there was a feeling that Snapple has lost its focus and no longer appeals to imagination. “I heard
they fired Wendy.”
Social Reinforcement
The amount of Snapple consumed is highly correlated with intensity of Snapple use in the
respondent’s immediate social environment. It’s not that Snapple is a social beverage—it is rarely
shared, and it is not true that those who drink Snapple with others (e.g., lunch with colleagues)
are more likely to be a loyalist.
Rather Snapple use needs to be socially reinforced. It is not physiologically addictive, and it lacks
the conceptual coherence that drives bottled water (good for you, purifying, intimations of
working out) or Gatorade (replenishment, intensity, etc.).
Adoption Process
Adoption, becoming a heavy user, is typically extended over several years. Most “new” drinkers
had been aware of Snapple as far back in time as long-term
loyalists. Many have been drinking
Snapple for years. Conversion to heavy use is typically no sudden revelation, but an extended
process.
Snapple drinking flows through friendship networks. “Significant others” stand out as a key
influence. Flow
tends to be from
female to male. Among females, “we talk about everything.”
Among guys, it typically works differently. It is based on observing what friends order, how
much they wanted it, etc. But generally adopters try not to imitate immediately.
If it comes from
Mom, becomes sacred.
Usage
A high percentage of purchases are single bottles for immediate consumption, “I could save
money by buying in bulk, but I don’t.” Snapple fits with sandwiches and delis, not fast food.
Usage fluctuates seasonally, diurnally, and cyclically: “I drink Snapple when I drive on long
trips.” It’s an individualistic, atomistic experience, normally not social or familial.
Snapple moments tend to be on the go, between here and there, yet for many loyalists it’s not
truly an impulse buy: “That first 15 minutes when I get home from
work . . . I don’t answer the
phone, sit down and have a Snapple.” It is part of a salesman’s routine stop for gas, part of
taking baby for a morning stroll, a way to get through early morning class, “breakfast at Dunkin’
Donuts, then home with a Snapple while I do the crossword in the morning newspaper.”
ivotal Characteristics
• Authentic The brand pivots on trust. It makes implicit health claims. Its name conveys
healthiness:
snap active, healthy
apple healthy
The fruitiness claim
works on the same level as the vegetable content of V8 juice. Fruit is healthy,
Snapple is fruity, so Snapple is healthy. If it is seen as faux fruit juice (e.g., Sunny Delight, Kool-
Aid, etc.), then its claims (All natural ingredients, Made from
the best stuff on earth) become just so
much hype and Snapple drinkers are chumps. As a brand there is a Johnnie Walker character to
Snapple. It can flicker from
optimum
and premium
to impure and inauthentic.
• Fun It’s irreverent. Serious and Snapple go together like oil and water. To some extent fun is a
category characteristic, differentiating all such beverages from
serious health drinks, but Snapple is
fun in a way unduplicated by any other brand of soft drink. It is informal, natural, personal, and
playful. That partly derives from
full taste, and partly because it represents a break from
mundane
roles and responsibilities. It is not “a pure escape” but of a circumscribed and portable sort, one
which is easily resealed and apportioned. The playfulness is reinforced by imaginative use of
names, e.g., Melon Berry, Kiwi Strawberry, Mango Madness.
• Personal There’s so much variety to choose from. You can find yourself within the brand. The
diversity within Snapple Brand makes it a model for a multicultural society. There’s a creative
dimension that enhances and enlarges who you are. The logic of Snapple is very like the logic of
contemporary music, a creative fusion of styles and genres. Snapple as a brand is constantly
revising what it is. There is the image of a small, caring company. It is almost too individualistic. It
is not a family drink. Snapple in the refrigerator increases family tension.
• Vividly Sensual Snapple tastes good or it is nothing. Luxury today is being redefined. It need not
be a big purchase.
1.
• Snapple defined by what it is not. It is suspended between:
depravity Snapple deprivation
(colas) (water, carrot juice, etc.)
It may substitute for cola, but is by no means conceptually equivalent. Snapple
use is driven, and defined in large part, by a reaction against colas:
Colas = modernity:
unnatural
artificial image impersonal uniformity , exclusion mass production authority
Snapple = reaction to modernity:
natural
real
personal
diversity , inclusiveness variety , individualism
anti-authority, irreverence
It is not necessarily new age, nor a return to the past, but a bit of both. By “alternative,”
users do not mean drop-outs, sullen and alienated. Snapple is not like water. Snapple is
a treat: Unlike water, “You can’t carry it around without drinking it.”
The Cultural Logic of the Snapple Brand
Extracts from a report prepared by the Cultural Analysis Group for Deutsch, Inc.
November 1997
Objectives
•
Who are core users of Snapple, and how the Snapple brand is expressed in their lives?
•
How does Snapple intersect with key trends and values in contemporary life?
•
What binds consumers to the brand?
•
Why do formerly heavy users step away from Snapple, reduce their consumption?
•
Ultimately, what is the meaning of Snapple in people’s lives? How can we develop a
positioning that transcends demography and geography?
1.
Method
•
72 in-home interviews in 4 markets
2 developed markets: 2 undeveloped markets:
• New York • Dallas
• Seattle • St. Louis
•
Divided evenly by age:
1⁄2 were with ages 18–29
1⁄2 were with ages 30–44
•
Divided into three groups:
1. Long-time loyalists (3+ years), heavy users (4+ times/wk.)
2. New to franchise heavy users (where Snapple has become their favorite non-
carbonated
beverage in the last year)
3. Lapsed users, former heavy users who continue to drink it (1–4 times/mo.)
The Study
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
43. Wendy reaches all Snapple drinkers but not with equal efficacy. In New
York and Seattle, people are
more likely to read Wendy on multiple levels. In New
York individuals tend to be much more
familiar with the Snapple story, and Wendy Kaufman is familiar in terms of lived experience, “I
know
people like that.” Wendy plays least well in heartland, where she seems more “exotic” than
“could be anyone.” In Dallas and St. Louis respondents see Wendy as “funny,” “friendly,” “full of
life,” “energetic, not M
adison Avenue slick.”
Conclusions and Implications
•
Regional ethos. Areas that are most “settled,” self-satisfied, are least susceptible to
Snapple’s “subversive” appeal. Areas with a postmodern mindset—
a playful exuberance,
expression of vivid sensuality (personal authenticity), and mix and match ethos—
are
Snapple territory.
•
Authenticity is pivotal. Overstating or misrepresenting Snapple’s health benefits does
more harm
than good. Snapple needs to be just healthy enough. Feeling better about
yourself is an integral part of the Snapple experience, but it need not be the most
important part.
•
Corporate image influences brand image. It need not be a small company, but should be a
caring company. Like social reinforcement, corporate image provides justification for use.
Snapple needs to stand for something.
•
Intermediate/interstitial character of Snapple is both strength and weakness. As a
strength, it broadens the customer base and market niche and is a source of symbolic
power. As a weakness, the brand can move quickly from
hero to villain. (In mythology,
interstitial figures frequently play the role of “trickster.”)
•
Social influence. Intensity of Snapple use is closely correlated with social presence.
(Serious Snapple drinkers far more likely to be surrounded by other Snapple drinkers.)
•
Become more established. M
ust move Snapple from
a “fashion water” to a staple brand
like Pepsi, Coke, Sprite with well-defined benefits and image.
•
Develop sensuality of the Snapple experience. As with apples, there is an emphasis on
mouth feel. Consumption is not a rational act, as water consumption is. Unlike sodas,
Snapple is both soothing and stimulating.
•
Snapple moments. Fold Snapple into personal, daily rituals—
time out from
the mundane,
transitional moments, sense of “letting go,” both restorative and sensual. Link to trend
away from
a mechanistic vision of health toward a more holistic, “good for you,” being
good to yourself, getting back in touch, de-stressing vision.
•
Community marketing strategies. Build on brand’s personal, local character.
Rumors
There is a disproportionate number of rumors about Snapple, initially fueled by Snapple’s
mysterious and unsettling florescence. They typically start with GenXs studying the label and
detecting a slave ship or the letters KKK, combined with a cynical worldview
where conspiracies
are rampant, and a taste for celebrating the down and out.
Rumors have suggested that Snapple is anti-abortion, anti-gay, donating money to Jesse Helms,
and that Rush Limbaugh has major investment with Snapple. The rumors vary but the themes are
remarkably consistent. They are not about the product, but about the company, the “owners.”
Snapple is in an analogous situation to the Body Shop, which is also the subject of a
disproportionate number of rumors.
The issue is not the truth or falsity, or even impact on sales, but rather the underlying message,
which is one of a deep sense of betrayal, perhaps over implicit health claims, or a fear that Snapple
is not alternative but rather reactionary.
What Is Driving Decreased Consumption?
There appears to be no “Great Attractor” sucking consumers away from
the brand, rather a drift
away in all directions, toward water, back to sodas, to other competitors in the category, e.g.,
AriZona, Fruitopia. No competing brand stands out. Most competitors within the category were
seen as inferior, even by lapsers, e.g., “too sweet.” Some drink less Snapple juice and add ice tea.
There is also natural attrition, caused by problems of distribution: “I can’t find my flavor
anymore,” or “My grocery store has only peach diet tea and kiwi strawberry and I’m
getting tired
of kiwi strawberry” or “Coke made them
take the Snapple coolers out at high school.”
There are health issues, especially with 30–44 age group, a wake-up call from
the doctor, increasing
health sophistication. Non-lapsers often were not label readers.
Authenticity was a concern, especially with 18–29 age group, who are very sensitive to being
tricked: “It even costs more than real juice,” or the contrast between Snapple’s small company
image and the size of the company.
Fashionability and negative social pressure were sometimes explicit: A
young male in SL, “I used
to drink a lot of Snapple, AriZona is newer” or a 40-year-old artist in NY, “It’s no longer avant
guarde.” More often they were implicit, a feeling you get carrying or drinking Snapple in public,
often expressed as a lack of presence, “You just don’t see it anymore,” “W
hat happened to
Wendy?” there was a feeling that Snapple has lost its focus and no longer appeals to imagination.
“I heard they fired Wendy.”
Social Reinforcement
The amount of Snapple consumed is highly correlated with intensity of Snapple use in the
respondent’s immediate social environment. It’s not that Snapple is a social beverage—it is
rarely shared, and it is not true that those who drink Snapple with others (e.g., lunch with
colleagues) are more likely to be a loyalist.
Rather Snapple use needs to be socially reinforced. It is not physiologically addictive, and it
lacks the conceptual coherence that drives bottled water (good for you, purifying, intimations of
working out) or Gatorade (replenishment, intensity, etc.).
Adoption Process
Adoption, becoming a heavy user, is typically extended over several years. Most “new” drinkers
had been aware of Snapple as far back in time as long-term
loyalists. Many have been drinking
Snapple for years. Conversion to heavy use is typically no sudden revelation, but an extended
process.
Snapple drinking flows through friendship networks. “Significant others” stand out as a key
influence. Flow
tends to be from
female to male. Among females, “we talk about everything.”
Among guys, it typically works differently. It is based on observing what friends order, how
much they wanted it, etc. But generally adopters try not to imitate immediately.
If it comes from
Mom, becomes sacred.
Usage
A high percentage of purchases are single bottles for immediate consumption, “I could save
money by buying in bulk, but I don’t.” Snapple fits with sandwiches and delis, not fast food.
Usage fluctuates seasonally, diurnally, and cyclically: “I drink Snapple when I drive on long
trips.” It’s an individualistic, atomistic experience, normally not social or familial.
Snapple moments tend to be on the go, between here and there, yet for many loyalists it’s not
truly an impulse buy: “That first 15 minutes when I get home from
work . . . I don’t answer the
phone, sit down and have a Snapple.” It is part of a salesman’s routine stop for gas, part of
taking baby for a morning stroll, a way to get through early morning class, “breakfast at
Dunkin’ Donuts, then home with a Snapple while I do the crossword in the morning
newspaper.”
ivotal Characteristics
• Authentic The brand pivots on trust. It makes implicit health claims. Its name conveys
healthiness:
snap active, healthy
apple healthy
The fruitiness claim
works on the same level as the vegetable content of V8 juice. Fruit is healthy,
Snapple is fruity, so Snapple is healthy. If it is seen as faux fruit juice (e.g., Sunny Delight, Kool-
Aid, etc.), then its claims (All natural ingredients, Made from
the best stuff on earth) become just
so much hype and Snapple drinkers are chumps. As a brand there is a Johnnie Walker character to
Snapple. It can flicker from
optimum
and premium
to impure and inauthentic.
• Fun It’s irreverent. Serious and Snapple go together like oil and water. To some extent fun is a
category characteristic, differentiating all such beverages from
serious health drinks, but Snapple
is fun in a way unduplicated by any other brand of soft drink. It is informal, natural, personal,
and playful. That partly derives from
full taste, and partly because it represents a break from
mundane roles and responsibilities. It is not “a pure escape” but of a circumscribed and portable
sort, one which is easily resealed and apportioned. The playfulness is reinforced by imaginative
use of names, e.g., Melon Berry, Kiwi Strawberry, Mango Madness.
• Personal There’s so much variety to choose from. You can find yourself within the brand. The
diversity within Snapple Brand makes it a model for a multicultural society. There’s a creative
dimension that enhances and enlarges who you are. The logic of Snapple is very like the logic of
contemporary music, a creative fusion of styles and genres. Snapple as a brand is constantly
revising what it is. There is the image of a small, caring company. It is almost too individualistic. It
is not a family drink. Snapple in the refrigerator increases family tension.
• Vividly Sensual Snapple tastes good or it is nothing. Luxury today is being redefined. It need
not be a big purchase.
1.
• Snapple defined by what it is not. It is suspended between:
depravity Snapple deprivation
(colas) (water, carrot juice, etc.)
It may substitute for cola, but is by no means conceptually equivalent.
Snapple use is driven, and defined in large part, by a reaction against colas:
Colas = modernity:
unnatural
artificial image impersonal uniformity , exclusion mass production authority
Snapple = reaction to modernity:
natural
real
personal
diversity , inclusiveness variety , individualism
anti-authority, irreverence
It is not necessarily new age, nor a return to the past, but a bit of both. By
“alternative,” users do not mean drop-outs, sullen and alienated. Snapple is not like
water. Snapple is a treat: Unlike water, “You can’t carry it around without drinking it.”
The Cultural Logic of the Snapple Brand
Extracts from a report prepared by the Cultural Analysis Group for Deutsch, Inc.
November 1997
Objectives
•
Who are core users of Snapple, and how the Snapple brand is expressed in their lives?
•
How does Snapple intersect with key trends and values in contemporary life?
•
What binds consumers to the brand?
•
Why do formerly heavy users step away from Snapple, reduce their consumption?
•
Ultimately, what is the meaning of Snapple in people’s lives? How can we develop a
positioning that transcends demography and geography?
1.
Method
•
72 in-home interviews in 4 markets
2 developed markets: 2 undeveloped markets:
• New York • Dallas
• Seattle • St. Louis
•
Divided evenly by age:
1⁄2 were with ages 18–29
1⁄2 were with ages 30–44
•
Divided into three groups:
1. Long-time loyalists (3+ years), heavy users (4+ times/wk.)
2. New to franchise heavy users (where Snapple has become their favorite non-
carbonated
beverage in the last year)
3. Lapsed users, former heavy users who continue to drink it (1–4 times/mo.)
The Study
3MAJOR
DIMENSIONS0
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
52. MASS8
The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
CARBONATED8
UNIFORM8
AUTHORITY
IRREVERENT
SILLY
REAL
NATURE
AUTHENTICITY
PERSONAL
INDIVIDUALISTIC
ARTIFICIAL8
PRODUCTION
53. The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
L8
EMPTY
TASTELESS
BORING
TOO8SERIOUS
GOOD8FOR8YOU
FUN
WAKES8UP
YOUR8MOUTH
VIVID8SENSORY
QUIRKY
IMAGINATIVE
EXPERIENTIAL8
54. The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
L8
IRREVERENT
SILLY
REAL
NATURE
AUTHENTICITY
PERSONAL
INDIVIDUALISTIC
FUN
WAKES8UP
YOUR8MOUTH
VIVID8SENSORY
QUIRKY
IMAGINATIVE
EXPERIENTIAL8
59. The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
So0now.......Triarc0is0trying0to0save0the0dying0brand.
SO0SHOULD0WE...
Where
Are We
Now?
60. Question
In regards to the time between Snapple’s glory
years and when Quaker was in control, have
the needs of consumers changed?
61. The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
So0now.......Triarc0is0trying0to0save0the0dying0brand.
Where
Are We
Now?
Where
Should
We Go?
SO0SHOULD0WE...
62. Question
How does Triarc reconnect the
Snapple brand with its customers?
– should we bring silly back?
– be smarter than Quaker?
63. The GloryYears Quaker The StudyTriarcThe Origins
So0now.......Triarc0is0trying0to0save0the0dying0brand.
Where
Are We
Now?
Where
Should
We Go?
How Do
We Get
There?
SO0SHOULD0WE...
64. Question
What should Snapple do in terms of:
-!Positioning
-!Messaging
-!Distribution
-!Spokesperson
-!Sponsorships
-!Silly and Quirky
Attributes