Decoder Ring | Mailbag: Fruit Snacks, Waterbeds, and Lobster Tanks
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Deep Dive
Why are fruit snacks marketed as healthier than candy despite being nutritionally similar?
Fruit snacks are marketed as healthier than candy by emphasizing their fruit content, even though they are nutritionally similar to candy. Companies use terms like 'real fruit' and include vitamins like vitamin C to create a perception of healthfulness. However, the fruit content is often minimal, and the primary ingredients are sugar and fruit juice concentrates, which are stripped of most nutrients. This marketing strategy allows fruit snacks to be placed in the snack aisle rather than the candy aisle, appealing to parents looking for healthier options for their children.
What is the origin of fruit snacks and how did they become popular?
Fruit snacks originated from Middle Eastern treats like amardine, a dried apricot paste. In the 1960s, Joray Fruit Rolls, inspired by these treats, were introduced in the U.S. General Mills later launched Fruit Roll-Ups in 1979, which became a massive success by marketing them as made with real fruit. This led to a boom in the fruit snack category, with companies like Sunkist and General Mills creating various gummy fruit products. By the 1980s and 1990s, fruit snacks had become a staple in children's lunches, marketed as a healthier alternative to candy.
Why did scented magazine ads decline in popularity?
Scented magazine ads, or scent strips, declined in popularity due to consumer backlash and the overall decline of print magazines. Initially, scent strips were a revolutionary marketing tool, allowing readers to sample perfumes at home. However, people began to complain about the overwhelming and pervasive smell of these strips, even before opening the magazine. Additionally, the rise of digital media and the decline of print magazines in the 2010s reduced the presence of scent strips, as fewer beauty magazines were published in print.
What led to the rise and fall of waterbeds?
Waterbeds rose to popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by their association with the counterculture and sexual revolution. Invented by Charlie Hall, waterbeds were marketed as both comfortable and sensual. By the 1980s, they became mainstream, with one in five Americans owning one. However, the advent of memory foam and other mattress technologies in the 1990s offered similar comfort without the hassle of waterbeds, leading to their decline. Today, waterbeds make up only about 2% of mattress sales, though they remain a nostalgic symbol of their era.
Why are lobsters sold live in grocery stores unlike other animals?
Lobsters are sold live in grocery stores because of the belief that they must be consumed fresh to taste their best. Historically, live animals like chickens and turtles were displayed in restaurants to assure customers of their freshness. While food safety advancements made this practice unnecessary for most animals, lobsters remained an exception due to the perception that their meat degrades quickly after death. However, scientific evidence suggests that lobsters do not need to be killed immediately before consumption, and the practice is largely driven by convention and consumer expectations.
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