NEW YORK In a campaign that would have made George Carlin proud, Snapple's upcoming ads will riff off the word "stuff." The brand, which has long claimed to be “Made from the best stuff on Earth,” is now promoting the fact that its “stuff” has gotten better.
New TV ads, from Deutsch, Marina del Rey, Calif., play up the fact that Snapple is now made with natural sugar and includes “healthy green and tasty black tea leaves.”
Snapple is one brand that badly needs to get its “stuff” in order. Today, parent company Dr Pepper Snapple Group reported a net loss of $312 million for 2008. The company expects overall full-year 2009 net sales declines of up to 4 percent. Snapple, in particular, has served as a drag on its portfolio as its volume was off 7 percent for the year. In the fourth quarter it was down 17 percent.
Snapple announced earlier this year it was undergoing its most radical packaging and formulation change in the company’s 37-year history. Snapple is the latest to drop high-fructose corn syrup from its beverages. Pepsi Natural and Pepsi-Cola Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, which all use natural sugar, debuted earlier this month. The relaunch of the brand is absolutely the right thing to do,” said John Sicher, editor of Beverage Digest. “The brand is currently being hurt by the downturn in the economy as it’s a premium-priced brand. Over the long-term, Snapple should be able to return to growth with the moves they are making.”
The new ads debut March 30 on ABC, Fox, NBC, E!, Comedy Central, TBS and USA Network with the tagline, “The best stuff on Earth just got better.” Banner ads will run on MSN.com and other sites. New merchandising displays will appear at convenience stores, grocery and major retailers throughout the U.S. Snapple.com also is being revamped.
Snapple spent $18 million on U.S. media last year, excluding online, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
