About this episode

The episode discusses the Clear Craze, a marketing phenomenon that popularized transparent products in the late 20th century.

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration The “Clear Craze” was a marketing fad from the late 1980s to early 2000s that led to an influx of transparent and translucent products. Consumers could suddenly purchase clear versions of electronics, beverages, mouthwash, mascara, deodorant, laundry detergent, and even gasoline. Many clear products were purported to have benefits over their opaque counterparts, such as how clear beverages were marketed as being “lite” or low calorie. But were they actually healthier, as many claimed? And what did they symbolize on a deeper level? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by discussing consumer electronics that debuted during the Clear Craze like the Conair Clear Phone, iMac G3, and Gameboy Color. The two then pivot to clear beverages that launched in the ‘90s, detailing why drinks like Crystal Pepsi and Zima flopped. They round out the episode with a discussion about why the Clear Craze is unlikely to ever truly experience a revival due to tech companies’ aversion to the right to repair. Links: The Clear Craze The Clear Craze & Prison Electronics The Clear Craze of Y2K…

People in this episode

Hosts: Nathan, Sebastien

Topics covered

• consumer electronics
• marketing trends
• clear products
• 1990s beverages
• cultural symbolism

Keywords

• Clear Craze
• transparent products
• consumer electronics
• Crystal Pepsi
• Zima

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Patreon

Products: Conair Clear Phone, iMac G3, Gameboy Color, Crystal Pepsi, Zima

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Silent Generation podcast page.