C.C. Lemon
| File:Cclemon.JPG | |
| Type | Lemon-flavored soft drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Suntory |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Introduced | 1994 |
| Website | www |
C.C. Lemon is a Japanese soft drink created by Suntory. It is the third most popular soft drink in Japan behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi.[1] It is known for its lemony taste and for its commercial advertisements featuring characters from the popular American cartoon The Simpsons.
Sizes
C.C. Lemon comes in a variety of sizes. Below is a table stating the volume, type of container, and amount of lemons worth of vitamin C.[2]
| Volume | Container | Amount of Lemons worth of vitamin C |
|---|---|---|
| 160 mL | Can | 22 Lemons |
| 250 mL | Can | 35 Lemons |
| 280 mL | Can | 40 Apples |
| 350 mL | Can | 50 Lemons |
| 500 mL | Can/Bottle | 70 Lemons |
| 1500 mL | Bottle | 210 Lemons |
C.C. Lemon and The Simpsons
The Simpsons have appeared in numerous commercials for C.C. Lemon. In Japan, The Simpsons are better known for being featured in C.C. Lemon commercials than for their television show.[3] References to the yellow color of the Simpsons features heavily in the marketing.
In addition to the many television commercials, The Simpsons also appear on a wide range of merchandise for the product. The promotional items include 500 mL beverage holders, pens, coasters, magnets, lunchboxes, and foldable lawn chairs. The Simpsons also appeared on the 500mL bottles in their winter attire one year during the Christmas season.
The Simpsons aren't C.C. Lemon's only mascot.[2] There is Mr. C.C. Lemon too. He greets people on the official website and says he's, "a sparkling guy who LOVES to make people laugh." He is a barrel-chested Caucasian man, played by American actor Guy Totaro (http://web.mac.com/supagaijin/iWeb/Gipsy-Family-Circus/GIPSY_FAMILY_CIRCUS.html ), dressed entirely in yellow. On his legs he wears yellow shorts, knee-length yellow socks along with yellow high tops, and his top is a yellow t-shirt with the C.C. Lemon logo. Images and television commercials are at the C.C. Lemon home page: http://www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/cclemon/
Controversy
The controversy surrounding the drink comes mainly from the fact that it appears to be mislabeled. The label on the front of the drink claims it has a certain number of lemons worth of vitamin C (70 in the case of the 500 mL bottle) but the back of the packaging suggests otherwise. The nutrition facts added for American distribution are frequently mislabeled. Many labels claim that the drink contains 0% vitamin C[4] to anywhere as high as 50% vitamin C.
Other Flavors
In 2001, Suntory released C.C. Grape to extend the C.C. lineup. It never gained widespread popularity and was eventually discontinued.
References
- ^ "Japanese Snacks.com - Pocky and other popular Japanese snacks." 2006-06-12.
- ^ a b C.C. Lemon Bottle Information. Suntory Site. 2006-04-21. Suntory. 2006-06-11.
- ^ "Simpsons: Cape Feare." Simpsons: Cape Feare Best Source for Simpsons Videos. 2005-10-15. 2006-06-11
- ^ endlesslight. "endlesslight: First I'm not asleep yet. Second: I pull." Live Journal. 2005-02-08. Live Journal. 2006-06-11. - Livejournal post commenting on such a label.
External links
- Suntory's official website
- Simpsons fansite - with videos of the commercials and pictures of the merchandise