31. Snapple: Pitching the Best Catchphrase On Earth, with Jane Cavalier and Richard Kirshenbaum

Lead Balloon - Public Relations, Marketing and Strategic Communications Stories

The strategy at the heart of the Snapple brand's precipitous rise... and its cataclysmic fall... is simple:

Embrace your roots. Celebrate authenticity.

It's a lesson that's been served up again and again in the brands and marketing ecosystem. But it never seems to sink in.

So in this episode, we'll pop the top on a Snapple double feature.

First, Jane Cavalier tells us about pitching Snapple's iconic slogan, "Made From the Best Stuff on Earth," and watching it flop with the company's original owners.

And then, Richard Kirshenbaum outlines the genesis of the iconic "Snapple Lady" ad campaign, which catapulted Snapple into a multi-billion dollar brand--that is, until new owners changed course and sunk $1.4 billion in mismanaged brand value.

Together, Jane and Richard will parse lessons hard-earned in the hustle of Madison Avenue and retell a tale as old as the Golden Goose itself: "If you've got a good thing going, but you don't understand how it works, for the love of God don't tinker with it."

While you're here:

• Leave us a message on the Lead Balloon Comms Gripe Line
• Sign up for the Podcamp Media e-newsletter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices