In the modern cut-throat market where competition is fierce and the risk of failing is very real, some large companies, even those with solid market dominance, are becoming hyper-vigilant. This means that teams are being hired to analyze and manage every aspect of these companies’ products. This is very likely beneficial in most situations, but these teams’ desire to be active and improve already strong, stable products could lead to bad business decisions, as with the redesign of Tropicana’s classic cartons in 2009.
In conjunction with an outside consulting firm, Tropicana spent $35 million on a new branding campaign which involved the design of a new carton for their juices which would put the class straw-in-orange design to rest. Despite the time, money and resources spent on this campaign, Tropicana was soon flooded with complaints from customers who wanted the straw design back, and Tropicana was soon forced to abandon the new design.
This business mistake provides a valuable lesson for my future endeavors in the business world. When I first enter the workforce fresh out of business school, I will likely be overeager to apply what I’ve learnt and make valuable contributions to the company for which I work. However, I must not forget the fundamental maxim: if it’s not broken don’t fix it.
New York Times: Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Packaging