DAMNIT! I am so angry right now I can barely think in English! It's the kind of anger brought on by being used, by being lied to, by being betrayed.
Y'all know I worked for Tropicana OJ - who is owned by PepsiCo. I loved that job. I believed in the company I worked for, and most importantly I believed in my product. I worked VERY hard at that job. I went to classes and meetings and learned about my product - Orange Juice. Tropicana Orange Juice. I took a lot of pride in the fact that it was something that was good for you - something that helped people. And I spread that word far and wide.
So you can imagine my pride, my excitement back in March of 2002 when we, Tropicana, announced that it had been proven that 2 or more glasses of OJ a day was good for your heart. Helped to reduce blood pressure, helped with cholestrol. I spread that news far and wide. I preached it in the stores, I put together fliers to hand out, I sponsered special events with my customers to educate the consumer. We could say that because we had proof. They, upper managment and research and development, told us so. They said the tests had been run and it was a fact.
Well - seems they lied. Seems they didn't really have that proof. Seems they were so desperate to win that flippin' juice war that they were prepared to say what ever they felt needed to be said.
June 2 Businessweek put out an article saying that Tropicana has pulled the claim of being HEART HEALTHY. They pulled it because the FDA found out they don't have the proof.
They didn't have the proof. They lied to me. They lied to all of us. I spent precious time and energy on a lie.
Damn them.
Now - you're probably thinking I'm over reacting. And maybe I am. But you know what?! I hate to be used. I hate to be lied to. And I really believed them. I took pride in something that was no more than some rich businessman's wet dream. "If we make it the healthiest juice ever, more people will buy it and I will make even MORE money." Well screw that. I never thought it was ALL about the money - I thought it was about making a quality product that helped.
Silly me. There I go - trusting again.
Posted by Tammi at June 5, 2005 03:10 PM*sigh* Sorry sweetie... I know how much you loved your job there and now twice in the last couple of weeks... they've kinda slapped you upside the head with bad stuff. I'm really just glad you don't work for them anymore - that would be far worse!
Posted by: Teresa at June 5, 2005 03:58 PMWhew, I thought you were going to say that you went to a company party and they were serving Coke! What in the heck are they thinking, next thing you know they're going to be giving cigarettes to minors!
Posted by: Sean at June 5, 2005 04:59 PMSorry to hear you're so upset. Go have Cody get you a beer!
Posted by: TNT at June 5, 2005 06:55 PMOK, I can confess to you now, i don't drink Tropicana. I drink a private label brand made of Indian River citrus fruit. ;-)
Posted by: Bou at June 5, 2005 08:52 PMLook on the good side -- you found this out AFTER you left there!
Posted by: Ogre at June 6, 2005 05:25 AMOw.
Just ow.
*applies emotional band-aid to Tammi's soul*
Posted by: Harvey at June 6, 2005 06:42 AMYou learned a valuable lesson in business - It's ALWAYS about the money. Keep that in mind and you'll understand a lot more.
Besides, I drive too damn fast to worry about my cholesterol.
Posted by: Dash at June 6, 2005 08:23 PMIt would really bother me that the company had lied AND that I had unintentionally told my customers a made up piece of propaganda designed solely to sell more juice.
From reading your blog I can tell that you take pride in anything you do and feel a great responsibility and honor toward your customers.
I'd have to go hug on Cody a lot to get over the mad. ;)
Posted by: pam at June 6, 2005 08:42 PMBleep. I can understand the mad and the feeling of betrayal. Glad you are not there anymore...
Posted by: Laughing Wolf at June 7, 2005 04:08 AM