Ep. 104: The Clear Craze [TEASER]

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration   The “Clear Craze” was a marketing 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 Electronics Ep. 55: Y2K Futurism Colorless Craze Makes Many Things Clear by Morning Call (1993) Clear, And Cashing In by Karen Springen (1993) “It Was the Coolest Phone I’d Ever Seen” by Heather Schwedel Why The '90s Clear Phones Became So Popular by William Kennedy The Mac that saved Apple (and Steve Jobs): Deep Inside the Bondi Blue by Rik Myslewski iMac | The Computer of the Future Why Crystal Pepsi Flopped What Happened to Crystal Pepsi? How the 'Clear Craze' Drink Became No More by Kenn C. Bivins Crystal Pepsi 1992: Transparency Without Demand 10 Things You Should Know About Zima by Olivia White The Clear Beverage Craze of the ‘90s by The 80s and 90s Uncensored  This is Why We’re Falling Back in Love with Clear Tech by Sushant Vohra   Artwork: スケルトンClear by Kazzycom   Recorded on 4/29/2026