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Tropicana’s Stunning Chicago Campaign on the CTA Brown Line

The Tropicana ad campaign splashed within the CTA, covering the train cars in yellow

Branded environments are a great way to execute a high-impact messaging strategy. Tropicana is currently running a transit-oriented campaign in Chicago, and the result is stunning.

Check out the gaggle of CTA Brown Line trains…these message boards-in-motion  have been transformed into sunburst yellow ambassadors of a brand that promises a great day begins with a sip of Tropicana orange juice. The campaign is adapted locally for the urbanite 20 and 30-somethings – young professionals and white collar commuters — who use the trains to travel to and from their ultra-hip neighborhoods.

The Tropicana ad campaign splashed within the CTA, covering the train cars in yellow
Photo Credit: Titan360 via Youtube

The environments themselves look sharp, too. Both the train exteriors and interiors feature the rich yellow on every surface that mesmerizes in a stupefyingly happy way. Alternating graphics and lines of copy on the overhead ad panels use a fun pop-art inspired color palette that perfectly complements the happy yellow. Such examples include a graphic showing a directional sign emblazoned with an arrow and the word “LOOP” alongside copy bemoaning “You could have sworn the train said KIMBALL,” the opposite direction of travel, suggesting that the passenger accidentally got on the wrong train but it will all turn out okay as soon as you grab a “CHI OJ.”

The Tropicana ad campaign splashed within the CTA, covering the train cars in yellow
Photo Credit: Titan360 via Youtube

“CHI OJ” is featured on the customized packaging for local distribution within the integrated campaign. The motif is repeated both within the trains themselves and at the stations, with many messages featuring “CHI” as the prefix, a beloved abbreviation for Chicago.

The campaign unfortunately does not include a local social media campaign to supplement the experience and build buzz. An opportunity for future implementations, Tropicana should leverage their current brand social strategy and integrate hashtags on the physical installations of the ads to encourage conversation around the brand. Imagine how much more engaging the campaign could be if Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram were leveraged.

The campaign was conceived last summer by DDB in New York and adapted for Chicago by out-of-home media specialists Titan360. The prominent media placement signals an increased investment by PepsiCo in Tropicana. The greater national messaging strategy is evolved and artfully crafted to fulfill the demands of an urban environment. The simple design elements and strategic placement on the Brown Line capitalize on the notion that a good bottle of CHI OJ is truly the right way to start a good day.

Photo Credit: Titan360 via Youtube.

Mike Weiss is a Social Media Marketing Associate at Otherwise Incorporated.