Snapple just can't get a break.
After a rocky start involving distribution problems as a unit ofChicago-based Quaker Oats, the alternative beverage brand is countingon a summer of hot sales to bring it out of the doghouse.
Last week, just as the brand's new television ad campaign was infull swing, a network television news show stirred up old rumorsabout Snapple's labels.ABC's "20/20" show empaneled a group of African-Americanconsumers to discuss their suspicions about several consumerproducts, including Snapple. Labels for Snapple's iced-tea productscarry pictures of ships that some consumers believe are slave ships.And an encircled K on the label is code for Ku Klux Klan, somebelieve.Such rumors were no surprise to parent company Quaker.Officials for the company say the rumors started before Quakeracquired Snapple in November, 1994. This season, responding tothose concerns, Snapple's redesigned iced tea labels also carry thewords "Boston Tea Party" to clarify the subject of the picture. Andthe encircled K now carries the words "kosher pareve," to clarifythat the product is kosher, spokesman Ronald Bottrell said."The actual number of calls to our 800 line for consumers hasslowed to less than five a month," Bottrell said, adding that "only ahandful" of calls were taken after the "20; 20" story.
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