The graphic above is from a website promoting an extremely good idea - "healthy" drinks for kids that don't include High Fructose Corn Syrup (code name: Sugary Crap).
There are three groups of Enterprise that seem to embrace Sadvertising as a practice - Politics, Churches and Health Food. All three have the potential to do real good in the world but sweet jimminy, they can trip over themselves...
http://www.drinkcrayons.com
This post is written with empathy. I've named products before. The feeling of watching said product roll off the assembly line and into the marketplace is at once exhilarating and terrifying. Suddenly, "the smartest guys in the room" can look like utter boobs - "Hey Gary! Did you know that new sandwich we named means Explosive Diarrhea in sanskrit? It's on Fox right now..."
Ya'know, parents try to keep their kids from EATING Crayons. Now, they can drink them. And kids - never trust kids in a Focus Group - they think everything is cool as long as it isn't homework, grandma's perfume or broccoli. The second mom starts insisting, "Drink your Crayons! I paid good money for that and you're going to drink every last can!" Crayons™ is going to crumble.
But what a great idea - the company's vision, formulation...and surely taste, all rock! Wish, hope, pray that the beverage is a success, but am concerned that a long-term brand can be built on such colorful novelty.
I hope I have to eat my words - grilled with capers, honey and cracked pepper.
crayon photo courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/laffy4k/404313786/Note: A Sadvertising reader remembers eating crayons as a kid. He puked.
Note: A client just suggested Huggies® baby food. Hmmm. Would be especially poignant in "Creamed Squash" flavor...
Note: A Sadvertising reader wonders if "...it tastes like Puce?"
