Orangina's Stay Alive Campaign Falls Flat

I've never liked Orangina's advertising. With slogans like "naturally juicy" against photos of animals in very unnatural situations, I assume they are meant to be ironic. They are trying to keep their brand young and fresh with these provocative ads, but they are falling short. 

The problem with this "Stay Alive, Drink Orangina" advertising is it gets away from the differentiating factor that makes Orangina stand out in the market, and it suggests claims that are not true. Plus the product featured in the ads is out of proportion and looks nothing like the product looks on shelves. In a over-saturated advertising market, you can't treat the consumer like they're stupid. They know that drinking Orangina will not keep you alive longer. They don't need all of these excessive advertising gimmicks, they want the facts about the drink. 

I want to see more about the pulp inside Orangina. This is what makes it special. The brand has gotten so far away from their strategy, that they let their execution become their differentiating factor. This does nothing to reinforce the brands image and build brand loyalty. Disruption theory and standing out in the market only work if it reinforces your brand image. If not, your brand just stands out in a shocking, unproductive way. 

I'd like to see a fresh, new campaign from Orangina, how about you? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Converse Keeps It Fresh by Getting Dirty

I noticed this new Converse ad campaign a week ago in the Opera metro station. I love the concept. Its a fresh way to advertise sneakers. Converse is a brand that is constantly transforming. It went from athlete sponsored athletic gear, to being infused into youth culture. You see Converse everywhere you look in Paris. They are so engrained in youth culture that I remember last year, I had a pair of Coach sneakers, and the kid I used to babysit told me I was wearing "fake Converse." Apparently my sneakers didn't have that cool factor of Converse!

I like these ads because they remind me of being a teenager. Everyone can relate to having a favorite pair of sneakers, that they wore all the time. They were completely dirty, worn-in and probably had a few doodles drawn on them. Overtime, our favorite go-to footwear develops its own character. The dirty Converse in these ads serve two purposes for me. First, they evoke a sense of nostalgia for my carefree teenage years. Second, Converse succeeds at making sneakers sexy. These sneakers have a gritty, urban sex appeal. Unlike the perfect, glossy shoes you usually see in shoe ads, these Converse already developed their own history. They want to tell a story and they are calling consumers to wear them and create a story of their own. 

I wasn't a big fan of some of their past campaign, for example the "Get Chucked"campaign. This one gets back to the point and makes the sneakers the star. In previous campaigns it seemed that Converse were a part of a cool story, but now, its the Converse who tell the nostalgic, sexy story. 

If this is where Converse is going with its brand image, I want to see more.