In a distinctive marketing move, Tropicana has taken an unconventional approach by temporarily rebranding itself as 'Tropcn'. The company intentionally omitted the letters 'AI' from its name to underscore its commitment to using natural ingredients in its orange juice.
Removing AI in Tropicana
As the world's leading orange juice maker, Tropicana is distributing limited edition Tropicn bottles at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and concealing a hundred bottles across the US at Kroger-owned grocery stores, including Fry's and Fred Meyer.
Interesting Engineering reported that Tropicana emphasized its dedication to providing orange juice free from artificial elements, stating that it has never incorporated any artificial ingredients.
The company enumerated the benefits of its fruit juice, highlighting features such as no added sugar and 100 percent of your daily dose of vitamin C. Concluding with a lighthearted touch, the company bid farewell to AI, stating, "As for AI? Bye for now. Sorry, you weren't a natural fit."
Artificial intelligence garnered significant attention last year, notably with the introduction of ChatGPT, an AI language model credited with displacing various job roles. This prevailing theme has extended into this year's CES in Las Vegas, where numerous companies are emphasizing AI's pivotal role in their latest products.
Highlighting Tropicana's rich history since 1954, Monica McGurk, the CEO of Tropicana Brands Group's North American business unit, expressed the company's dedication to providing top-tier 100 percent orange juice through the exclusive release of 'Tropcn' bottles.
PR Newswire reported that McGurk emphasized the brand's ongoing commitment to innovating and delivering fresh-tasting orange juice sourced from natural oranges to households across the United States. She affirmed that artificial elements are not part of Tropicana's identity and ethos.
Facing Challenges Over the Years
Tropicana finds itself in a challenging position compared to PepsiCo's major soft drink brands.
During 2021, PepsiCo made a strategic move by divesting a majority stake in Tropicana to a private equity firm in a significant $3.3 billion deal. This decision aligns with PepsiCo's heightened emphasis on lower-calorie beverages such as sodas and water.
The juice business, encompassing Tropicana and Naked, had proven to be a financial burden for PepsiCo. The orange juice segment, in particular, witnessed a consistent decline in sales over the past decade, although there was a slight uptick last year attributed to pandemic-related factors.
According to CNN, Neil Saunders, a retail analyst and managing director at GlobalData Retail noted that Tropicana remains a significant player in the juice market, but it has experienced a decline in market share over time, losing ground to private label products and niche brands perceived as more natural.
Given these challenges, Tropicana's marketing move prompts considerations about its effectiveness. It appears to be either a clever strategy to capture attention at CES this year or a somewhat intricate and potentially desperate attempt to align with both the AI and natural drinks trends.
