Clear craze

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The Play It Loud! version of Nintendo's hit Game Boy is an example of clear craze design. Game Boy Play It Loud! Transparent American Edition.png
The Play It Loud! version of Nintendo's hit Game Boy is an example of clear craze design.

The clear craze was a marketing fashion from the late 1980s to early 2000s, often equating transparency with purity. Inspired by Ivory's "99 and 44/100 percent pure" campaign for bath soap and by low-calorie or "light" beverages, sodas were redesigned in the 1980s and 1990s as being free of artificial dyes. This trend saw use in hygiene products, focusing on dye-free gels; many electronic products of the time also advertised translucent variants.

Contents

History

Pontiac Deluxe Six 1939 Ghost Sedan Pontiac Deluxe Six Sedan 1939 Ghost Car.jpg
Pontiac Deluxe Six 1939 Ghost Sedan

Since the introduction of Plexiglas in the late 1930s, devices have been made with clear shells to expose the electromechanical components inside. At the 1939 New York World's Fair, a 139 Pontiac Deluxe Six engine with a clear Plexiglas body was put on display. [1] [2] Peaking in the 1960s and 1970s, transparent-shelled devices fell out of fashion until the clear craze in the late 1980s. Following the breakup of the Bell System in the mid 1980s, a surge of manufacturers began creating phones, some of them transparent. [3]

In the 1970s, transparent-shelled devices were introduced into prisons, especially with CRT televisions, to prevent hiding contraband. [4] [5]

A trend of "light" beer with fewer calories started in the 1960s. At the time, color was identified in the marketing industry as a "tool for visual persuasion" toward a product's purity and health consciousness. Ivory soap was adapted from its classic milky solution and its slogan of "99 and 44/100 percent pure". [6]

In the early 1990s, marketers briefly tried to revive old products with a collective "blue period" of blue popcorn, candy, and gelatin. New Product News explained that "Marketers will try anything to get the grocers to put a product on the shelves, even if it doesn't offer any significant benefit." Newsweek explained that "Companies hope the new products will help them catch the green wave-they're betting that customers will equate clear products with things that are pure and good for them and the environment. [...] marketers are trying to squeeze sales out of so-called mature products like Pepsi. After all, with Caffeine Free Pepsi, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi and Wild Cherry Pepsi, what else is there?" [7]

The clear craze became official with its first wave of products, and in 1993, a Gillette spokesperson reflected, "Clear represents the biggest trend in consumer products since the 'lite' products craze of the '80s." To showcase the reduction of calories or artificial flavors, many companies released clear versions of their products. A business professor commented on the clear craze about cars: "[The idea is] we drink clear water, so the car should drink natural things, too." [7]

The clear cola market was entered by Crystal Pepsi on April 13, 1992 [8] exalting its lack of preservatives and caffeine, although Pepsi already had no preservatives and had a caffeine-free version. [6] [9] Coca-Cola soon responded with Tab Clear. [10] Clearly Canadian sparkling water followed. [7] In August 1992, Coors announced Zima ClearMalt, a clear, carbonated malt beer it described as "not sweet, does not have a fruity taste, is not heavy or filling and leaves no aftertaste". [7] In 1993, Miller released Miller Clear to mixed reviews. [11] [7] Palmolive introduced a clear dishwashing liquid for sensitive skin and gained 5% market share. [7] Gillette launched ClearGel versions of its existing deodorants and shaving creams, with an estimated $2 million for 90 seconds of Super Bowl airtime, and these lines have continued indefinitely. [12]

Through the 1990s, clear product launches included mouthwash (such as alcohol-free ClearChoice), mascara, [7] watches, staplers, calculators, handheld gaming devices such as the Game Boy, [13] and computers such as Apple's iMac G3.[ citation needed ]

In September 1993, Amoco joined the clear craze by renaming its plain high-octane gasoline to Crystal Clear Amoco Ultimate; this rebranding had previously been launched 77 years prior in 1915 without particular success. [7] While the brand claimed to reduce tailpipe emissions by 13%, the FTC in a 1996 settlement found this unsubstantiated. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcopop</span> Flavored beverage with relatively low alcohol content

An alcopop is any of certain mixed alcoholic beverages with relatively low alcohol content, including:

  1. Malt beverages to which various fruit juices or other flavorings have been added
  2. Wine coolers: beverages containing wine to which ingredients such as fruit juice or other flavorings have been added
  3. Mixed drinks containing distilled alcohol and sweet liquids such as fruit juices or other flavourings
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cola</span> Carbonated soft drink

Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imitated by other manufacturers. Most colas originally contained caffeine from the kola nut, leading to the drink's name, though other sources of caffeine are generally used in modern formulations. The Pemberton cola drink also contained a coca plant extract. His non-alcoholic recipe was inspired by the coca wine of pharmacist Angelo Mariani, created in 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pepsi</span> Soft drink by PepsiCo

Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, manufactured by PepsiCo. As of 2023, Pepsi is the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long-standing rivalry in what has been called the "cola wars".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jolt Cola</span> Carbonated soft drink

Jolt Cola was a carbonated soft drink produced by The Jolt Company, Inc.. The cola drink was created in 1985 by C. J. Rapp as a highly caffeinated beverage. It was targeted towards students and young professionals, stressing its use as a stimulant in a similar manner as energy drinks. Its slogan reads "All the sugar and twice the caffeine!"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gatorade</span> Brand of sports-themed beverages and food products

Gatorade is an American brand of sports-themed beverage and food products, built around its signature line of sports drinks. The drink is manufactured by PepsiCo and is distributed in over 80 countries. The beverage was developed in 1965 by a team of researchers led by Robert Cade. It was originally made for the Gators at the University of Florida to replenish the carbohydrates that the school's student-athletes burned and the combination of water and electrolytes that they lost in sweat during vigorous sports activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Pepsi</span> Clear cola by PepsiCo

Crystal Pepsi is a cola soft drink made by PepsiCo. It was initially released in the United States and Canada from 1992 to 1994. It was briefly sold in the United Kingdom and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet soda</span> Type of sugar-free or artificially sweetened soda

Diet or light beverages are generally sugar-free, artificially sweetened beverages with few or no calories. They are marketed for diabetics and other people who want to reduce their sugar and/or caloric intake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tab (drink)</span> Diet cola brand

Tab was a diet cola soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company, introduced in 1963 and discontinued in 2020. The company's first diet drink, Tab was popular among some people throughout the 1960s and 1970s as an alternative to Coca-Cola. Several variations were made, including a number of fruit-flavored, root beer, and ginger ale versions. Caffeine-free and clear variations were released in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pepsi Max</span> Sugar-free cola

Pepsi Max is a low-calorie, sugar-free cola, marketed by PepsiCo as an alternative to Pepsi and Diet Pepsi, except for Norway, where it is the main Pepsi flavor. Pepsi Max is available primarily in Asian, European and Australia/New Zealand markets. While Pepsi Max was released in April 1993, it did not become available in the United States until 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A&W Cream Soda</span> Carbonated soft drink

A&W Cream Soda is a cream soda carbonated soft drink introduced by A&W Root Beer in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar (drink)</span> Energy drink trademark

Rockstar is an energy drink created in 2001, which, as of 2020, had a 10% market share of the global energy drink market, the third-highest after Red Bull and Monster Energy. Rockstar is based in Purchase, New York. As of January 2013, Rockstar Energy Drink was available in more than 20 flavors and in more than 30 countries. Since March 2020 Rockstar is a part of PepsiCo.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet Pepsi</span> Sugar-free, artificially sweetened soda

Diet Pepsi, currently stylised in all caps as Pepsi Diet, is a diet carbonated cola soft drink produced by PepsiCo, introduced in 1964 as a variant of Pepsi with no sugar. First test marketed in 1963 under the name Patio Diet Cola, it was re-branded as Diet Pepsi the following year, becoming the first diet cola to be distributed on a national scale in the United States. In the 1960s and 1970s, its competition consisted of the Coca-Cola Company's subsequently discontinued Tab. The United States represents the largest single market for Diet Pepsi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweepstake</span> Type of lottery where products are awarded as prizes

In the United States, a sweepstake is a type of contest where a prize or prizes may be awarded to a winner or winners. Sweepstakes began as a form of lottery that were tied to products sold. In response, the FCC and FTC refined U.S. broadcasting laws. Under these laws sweepstakes became strictly "No purchase necessary to enter or win" and "A purchase will not increase your chances of winning", especially since many sweepstakes companies skirted the law by stating only "no purchase necessary to enter", removing the consideration to stop abuse of sweepstakes. Today, sweepstakes in the United States are used as marketing promotions to reward existing consumers and to draw attention to a product. By definition, the winner is determined by pure random chance rather than skill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shasta (drink)</span> American soft drink brand

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Light</span> Line of powdered beverage mixes produced by Kraft Foods

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropicana Products</span> Orange/fruit juice and soft drink maker

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Slice was a line of fruit-flavored soft drinks originally manufactured by PepsiCo and introduced in 1984 but discontinued by PepsiCo in North America in the late 2000s. Slice was reintroduced in the United States and Canada as a brand of organic food by "New Slice Ventures LLC", which acquired the trademark rights in those countries.

Tab Clear was a variation of Tab. It is Coca-Cola's contribution to the short-lived "clear cola" movement during the early 1990s. It was introduced in the United States on December 14, 1992, in the United Kingdom a month later and in Japan in March 1993 to initially positive results. Tab Clear was, however, discontinued after only a short time of marketing in 1994. Unlike most other "clear" soft drinks, Tab Clear contained caffeine and, according to the company, had the flavor of cola.

Apple Inc. products has had various design motifs since its inception. Recent motifs were mainly developed under the collaboration of Steve Jobs and Jony Ive beginning in 1997, radically altering the previous Apple computer designs.

References

  1. ↑ Joslin, Tom (July 31, 2011). "See-through 1939 Pontiac sells for $308,000". Jalopnik.
  2. ↑ "Ghost Car -- A 1939 Plexiglas Pontiac Deluxe Six -- To Be Auctioned". Huff Post. July 6, 2011.
  3. ↑ "April 26, 1990, 13 - The Daily Journal". The Daily Journal . April 26, 1990. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "SecureView - RCA 13" Television For Prisons". Retro Thing. February 15, 2008. Retrieved August 24, 2024.{{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ Vohra, Sushant (December 12, 2023). "This is why we're falling back in love with clear tech". Fast Company . Retrieved August 24, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. 1 2 Garber, Lawrence L. Jr. (2003). "Color as a Tool for Visual Persuasion". In Linda M. Scott (ed.). Persuasive Imagery: A Consumer Response Perspective. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. p. 313. ISBN   0-8058-4202-0 . Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Springen, Karen (February 14, 1993). "Clear, And Cashing In". Newsweek . Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Business Digest". The New York Times, April 13, 1992
  9. ↑ Zyman, Sergio. The End of Marketing as We Know It. Harper-Collins, 1999. ISBN   0-88730-983-6
  10. ↑ "February 15, 1993, 35 - The Morning Call at Newspapers.com".
  11. ↑ "June 27, 1993, 5". The News Leader. June 27, 1993. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "February 15, 1993, 42 - The Morning Call at Newspapers.com".
  13. ↑ "Arizona Republic" . Arizona Republic. October 8, 1996. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "AMOCO to Settle FTC Charges Over "Crystal Clear" Ad Campaign". Federal Trade Commission. February 22, 1996. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
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