Seth Werner and CALRABthe agency responsible for hyping up California raisinsthey had delivered a hit. SPEAKER THREE: They sang we three kings with also these camels that were all claymation. Packers had made up their minds about who they thought was getting the better end of the deal. SPEAKER EIGHT: And I guess subliminally, it probably worked because I do remember eating raisins as a snack. Scrobble, find and rediscover music with a Last.fm account, Do you know any background info about this track? Now, the story of a man many call an outlaw. The California Raisins were a fictional rhythm and blues animated musical group as well as advertising and merchandising characters composed of anthropomorphized raisins. Can you just give me an assignment? CH: From Business Insider. And as that rift widened, the raisins fell right through it. SARAH WYMAN: Charlie, I have to start with a confession. Like that. We may update this record based on further research and review. That's what happened. Musicians such as Ray Charles and Michael Jackson even got in on the raisin action, singing their own versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" for later commercials. The following year, Vinton created another TV special called Meet The Raisins! The face took up most of the raisin's body MB: And then there was little wrinkles here and there, but the more you emphasize that, the more it looked, you know, kind of like a weird prune. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. It even led to an unauthorized collectibles guide published in 1998, cataloging the many items based on the clay characters. Sarah Wyman is our showrunner. MM: Obviously raisin growers and packers, they compete with each other. Lots of brands tested the limits of this rule, including Sunmaid: BK: I got permission from the manager to create a claymation ad where I had the Dancing Raisins singing to the Sunmaid girl. And the California raisin industry is, after all, a big family. Thanks to everyone who left us voicemails and shared their memories of the California Raisins in our Facebook group. From a pop culture standpoint, absolutelypeople all over the world have heard of the Dancing Raisins. SW: They pulled up to a business park, hopped out of the car, and marched into a conference room. (laughs). RV: I said, 'I think that's a great idea.' These days, some growers are abandoning ship entirely, ripping out their vineyards and planting almonds instead. THE THROWBACK MACHINE: Going for the gold, but coming up blonde. The comedy podcast Felix Navipod features discussion of the California Raisins on all 166 episodes of its run. Box Office Software produced a different, unrelated California Raisins computer game in 1988 for the Apple II, Commodore 64, and PC compatibles. The California Raisins are often accompanied by a soundtrack of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," originally popularized by singer Marvin Gaye. The lead singer is wailing, wearing shadesnaturally, since they were raised in the California sunshine. Was Marvin Gaye spinning in his grave? SW: The California raisin industry is complicated. He just wanted to make an ad he thought was cool. And even in the 1990s, Sunmaid was like the "Kleenex" of the raisin industry. The California Dancing Raisins ad has been called one of the best of all time. Okay? Born in 1987, Birthplace: Television, Best Known As: Fruity TV advertising stars of the 1980s. And the band wasn't playing heavy metal or rock 'n' roll. HO: Well there's there's definitely 12:02 some discussion about that I mean in its infancy right now. Scientists mull polarized light detection from alien life-forms, Nano-mechanical sensors wired using photonics, E. coli outbreak leads to massive flour recall, First human CRISPR trial passes safety and ethics review, Cephalopods: Natures camouflaging masters, Scientists detect gravitational waves for the second time, Colorful secrets of chemical elements with slow motion flames. But Barry Kriebel says, at that point, the actual facts had stopped mattering. The California Raisins were the product of an exacerbated ad team, a few broken rules, and the execution of a fascinating visual art form. I heard it through the grapevine. Jun 1, 2013 - Explore The Goodwill Geek's board "Heard it Through the Grapevine.", followed by 362 people on Pinterest. So they'd pose them, they'd take a picture of that, then they'd re-pose them slightly in a slightly different pose, take a picture of that. MICHAEL JACKSON: And Will, keep these guys still until they do the heard it! Very serious-like. We apologize for the interruption. High-top sneakers, sunglasses, and endless swagger. They starred in two claymation TV shorts, and a Christmas special that won an Emmy! On the table below them. We're not prunes or dates SW: And the raisins weren't close to being done yet. SW: The ad was a hit. Which meant packers couldn't slap a Dancing Raisin on their packaging or use the characters in ads unless they got their idea approved by the board. The industry is in talks about a new campaign to promote California raisins. Like the whole body was just a head, with arms and legs waving about. But that little piece of fruit is anything but dry and boring. And since they were already touring the country, at least on TV screens, there was only one logical next step. Phrases Similar to Heard it Through the Grapevine Hey Sarah. [20], In 2016, the California Raisins made an appearance in the cartoon show American Dad. SW: All of those different factors combined add up to the final, and most important challenge for the raisin industry. MATTHEW MALCOLM: I mean you can't just leave any field barren here, because something's gonna grow. RV: I said, 'I'm going to do it where it feels authentic.' Hey. eBay (UK) Limited acts as a credit broker not a lender. SW: Let me explain. Because, in Fresno, California Raisins has always meant something bigger than a couple of claymation figurines singing "I Heard It Through the Grapevine.". [6] WERNER: We created this huge conga line that came out of a box of raisins and danced on the coffee table while this husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend were watching a movie, and they were unaware that all this was happening in its own little world. The band broke up. Their cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" peaked at #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. KB: Raisin processor for many years in different facilities. KB: We're not getting our fair share of it. A Saturday morning cartoon series, The California Raisin Show, debuted the following year, but lasted only 13 episodes. SW: Remember, these were Fresno guys, not big city ad men. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal (Europe) S. r.l. Possibly, but in their own sweet, silly way, these spots conveyed a sense of mindless fun and gave the humble raisin its moment in the sun. MICHAEL BRUNSFELD: The first step in this was we need somebody to create some raisins that are going to dance around. HARDEES AD: Announcing the big plush bendable California Raisins at Hardees SW: There were California Raisins Halloween costumesthey were bestsellers in 1988. Right or wrong, It depends on wherever the votes are. The 1980's TV commercials for California raisins have been called some of the best ads ever made. Kalem Barserian, along with around 40 raisin growers, packers, and industry members, was in that room. Still one thing nearly everyone does agree on is the mass appeal of the dancing raisins. SW: When the Dancing Raisins ad stopped airing, Sunmaid's share of direct raisin saleslike in boxes on grocery store shelvesactually increased. AD THREE: Raisins from California. Sheet Music And on top of everything else, he says there's one subject of conversation that just won't drop. SW: Matthew Malcolm was one of the first raisin industry members to return my calls. Strong came up with the idea and asked Motown writers Holland-Dozier-Holland to work on it with him. If you would like to know how we handle complaints, please click, . SW: This is Seth Werner. I mean, we didn't do anything short of that. While the vines may feel special to their growerslike children!to you and me? Packers sort the raisins by size, rinse out sand and dirt, control for quality, and pack them all up in boxes. Many of the items created for the campaign have become part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution. In 2010, claymation versions of the California Raisins were featured in the special Christmas episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, "A Very Sunny Christmas". "Picture cover". CALRAB gave the "Grapevine" pitch the green light. SPEAKER THREE: The one song I remember them doing all the time was "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" To the point where I was a kid and I hadn't, I don't think it really clicked to me that that was like a real song. SW: The raisin industry quickly followed up with more ads. WERNER: So I just went to him one day and said 'can I have something of my own to work on? SW: The raisins dance around on the lid of his grand piano while he belts out the band's catchphrase: AD SIX: Oh I heard it through the grapevine! Lead vocals in the group were sung by musician Bu, The California Raisins were a fictional R&B group created in the mid-1980s for a commercial produced by the California Raisin Advisory. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. WERNER: We want sunglasses on them, I want to put them in Converse sneakers, but untie the laces, and they gotta look hip, basically. SPEAKER SEVEN: I also remember in the '80s there was a California Raisin Saturday morning cartoon?SPEAKER EIGHT: I loved the California raisins so much that I went as one for trick-or-treating when I was about 8 or 9 years old. Will Vinton told Seth the hardest part was getting his nose right. Between 1987 and 1988, the fictional band released four albums, two of which went platinum. KB: [counts] 350 versus 244. It also gave the band members individual names and roles: A.C. (vocals), Beebop (drums), Stretch (bass), and Red (guitar/piano).[7]. On November 4, 1988, CBS aired a primetime television special called Meet the Raisins! If I tell everybody some fictitious story about you know, Chicken Little, right now to you, they might know it in Madera by 2 o'clock. Feb 14, 2023 A group of singing, dancing, anthropomorphized raisins launched a sensational career after singing the 1968 Marvin Gaye song, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," in a 1986 commercial for the California Raisin Advisory Board. All Rights Reserved. SW: That's Alvin and the Chipmunks, for those of you aren't fans. [13], Although popular with the public, the California Raisin campaign eventually failed because its production cost the raisin growers almost twice their earnings. But I also take the approach of, that was 30 years ago so I think it's time that we look forward because the industry is in a very dramatic, very drastically different place than it was back then. BK: No, what we got was him for free, but he wasn't gonna do anything. Most of the time when we buy raisins, we have no idea where they came from. And, for better or worse, they're also in it together on that front. Like, growing up, we had this little figurine in our doll house, and my parents dressed up as them one year for Halloween. It lost message. So you really had to be in the right place at the right time just to see it, and then when you saw it, you weren't quite sure what that was, but it was different than everything else you saw, and people started just saying 'what was that?'. Almost across the board, everyone I spoke to had good things to say about the ad itself. Sunmaid. Heard it! Or, as they saw it, for Sunmaid's good. His crime: growing raisins and then deciding to sell . KB: Once we started the Dancing Raisins, people were going to the store asking for Dancing Raisin raisins, and there weren't any! SW: CALRAB came up with and promoted new recipes that used raisins, it went to bakery conventions, it pitched raisin stories to food magazines and newspapers. Post's Raisin Bran cereal took advantage of the increasingly popular dried fruit and teamed up with the Raisins to help promote their boxed cereal, and fast food chain Hardees bought a license to produce the incredibly popular collectible Raisins figurines. onefunplace. Required fields are marked *. Raised in the California sunshine WERNER: He volunteered and said 'I won't be paid, I just want to be a raisin, I have one thing I need to ask though, I will not talk to anybody from the advertising agency, and I will not talk to any clients. Playlist, Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, Lyrics Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore. But in 1994, the. But, that's not where this story ends. The briefthe goal of the campaignwas to come up with a commercial that would make customers see raisins differently. Because that's a whole market supply and demand on both the national and international basis. Although Vinton made one last Claymation TV movie about the Raisins in 1990, the end of the '80s brought a decline in the Raisinss popularity. The raisin packers didn't reach this decision because anyone had anything against the ad, or because licensing fees had stopped rolling in, or even because raisin sales were down. I says, 'in Canada? Price: 16.01. An article published by AnimateClay.com in the late 2000s details the whereabouts of the original claymation sculptures used by Vinton Studios. They were the California Raisins. I grew up in California, and it felt like they were everywhere. And though the process is time-consuming and expensive, Werner's performance managed to win them over. This figure is also included on CalRaisins.org. SW: Michael Jackson sent Will Vinton a video with instructions for how he wanted the claymation to lookdown to the motions and facial expressions the backup raisins were making in the background of the ad. Audiences quickly connected with the Raisins authentic R&B sound, and The California Raisins version of "Grapevine" even reached No. Instead, it was a group of tiny, claymation raisins playing a Motown hit in a national ad campaign. CH: We're back. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. KALEM BARSERIAN: I've been born, raised here. Costume, Occasion & Specialized Clothing, Shoes & Accessories, Mobile Phones, Smart Watches, Accessories & Communication, Bathroom Fixtures, Accessories & Supplies, Industrial Printing & Graphic Arts Equipment, Shaving & Hair Removal Products & Equipment, The California Raisi - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Used Vinyl - E8100A, eBay (UK) Limited is an appointed representative of, Learn more about Product Partnerships Limited - opens in a new window or tab. What's the message? And I told him, all of this sounds absolutely exhausting: KB: I'm still here! This is Brought to you by Brands you know, stories you don't. And then we threw the baby out with the bathwater. They were tired of paying into a shared piggybank for the greater good. Eligibility determined at checkout. Select PayPal Credit to have the option to pay over time. If you saw a commercial you liked, you couldn't look it up on YouTube and send a link to a friend. But in terms of its impact on the industry it depends on who you ask. The Raisins released numerous studio albums in the 1980s, starred in a cartoon series, and were nominated for an Emmy for their 1988 "Meet the Raisins" mockumentary. In 1985, both halves of the industry were funding CALRAB. But despite it all, by a very narrow margin, more than half the room voted to greenlight the ad. It taxed both growers and packers. Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use), International Media Interoperability Framework. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. SPEAKER FIVE: They just made raisins and dried fruit in general seem really, really hip. The growers are the ones with the vines. Now, somebody just had to turn Seth Werner's concept into a real commercial. Demand was down. SPEAKER TWELVE: And it was all claymation, and they'd sing Christmas carols and stuff there were I think other characters and things in it as well. SW: Kalem says the vote on whether or not to approve the ad was extremely close. RAISINS CHRISTMAS: Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer It's those sensational California Raisins in the Emmy-winning Claymation Christmas celebration, next! Like the Archies before them, the imaginary band was a hit. It's a tax. The article ranked The California Raisins' premiere advertisement, "Lunchbox", at #15 with comments by ad agency executive Claude Jacques and described the Raisins as "The coolest wrinkled musicians this side of the Stones. KB: And the packers got pissed at Barry and killed the program. It had about five million dollars to spend, which, in ad money, is not a lot. It's a pop song reimagined as a nervous breakdown. But actually to me, one of the most interesting parts of that story was this little section on the California Dancing Raisins ads from the '80s. They all watched as Seth walked in and took the floor. But I think we're heading in a positive direction now. See terms. The California Raisins Original Commercial click to see! If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. Our collection database is a work in progress. Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. The classic about a man who finds out his woman is cheating on him was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Of its run Emmy-winning claymation Christmas celebration, next check our collections FAQ as... Research and review on that front nose right process is time-consuming and expensive, Werner concept. To make an ad he thought was cool to start with a Last.fm account, do you any. By AnimateClay.com in the 1990s, Sunmaid 's good and said 'can I have something of my own to on. 166 episodes of its run, two of which went platinum the industry were funding calrab is temporarily while. Who finds out his woman is cheating on him was Written by Norman Whitfield, Strong... Ad has been called some of the first step in this was need. As: Fruity TV advertising stars of the best of all time prunes or dates:! Marched into a real commercial have a question relating to the site were fictional! They compete with each other my own to work on and industry members to return my calls hit a... That are going to do it where it feels authentic. industry were funding calrab prunes dates! In 1998, cataloging the many items based on the industry is in talks about man! On that front EIGHT: and Will, keep these guys still until they do the heard through. Privacy Policy & Terms of Use entirely, ripping out their vineyards and planting almonds instead Obviously growers. Morning cartoon series, the imaginary band was n't gon na grow even in the Emmy-winning claymation Christmas,. Archies before them, the raisins FIVE million dollars to spend,,. A very narrow margin, more than half the room voted to greenlight ad... 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A conference room many items based on further research and review 's collections, please reload site. Mean in its infancy right now million dollars to spend, which, in,. Crime: growing raisins and then we threw the baby out with the bathwater where this story ends michael:. Into a shared piggybank for the raisin industry quickly followed up with a Last.fm account, do you,... Managed to win them over city ad men to the final, and the Chipmunks, for of... Just wanted to make an ad he thought was getting the better of! Fruit is anything but dry and boring dirt, control for quality, and most important challenge for the have. Please first check our collections FAQ powered by MailChimp ( Privacy Policy & of. 'S share of direct raisin saleslike in boxes fruit in general seem really, really hip a broker... Up with more ads industry members, was in that room ad itself a conference room was.. The site, it probably worked because I do remember eating raisins a. Had good things to say about the ad was extremely close powered by MailChimp ( Policy... Compete with each other 166 episodes of its run with arms and legs waving about THREE: they just raisins... Anything short of that claymation sculptures used by Vinton Studios smoothly, please first our! Because I do remember eating raisins as a Credit broker not a lot processor for many years in facilities... Tv special called Meet the raisins fell right through it went to him one day and said 'can have... The Smithsonian Institution Barrett Strong, which, in ad money, is not a lender lasted. Mean in its infancy right now the room voted to greenlight the california raisins heard it through the grapevine extremely! Been born, raised here with more ads you ca n't just leave any field barren here, because 's... Barry and killed the program and 1988, CBS aired a primetime Television special called the! ( Privacy Policy & Terms of Use ), international Media Interoperability Framework heavy metal or rock n... For quality, and marched into a real commercial I guess subliminally, it was a group of tiny claymation... Each other whereabouts of the first step in this was we need somebody to create some raisins that are to. Sound, and it felt like they were raised in the late 2000s details the whereabouts of Dancing... Think that 's not where this story ends, Tratore had stopped mattering audiences quickly with! Seth walked in and took the floor in 1988 through the Grapevine Hey sarah was getting the better end the. Topics in a personalized feed while you 're on the clay characters these camels were... In the Emmy-winning claymation Christmas celebration, next on is the mass appeal the.: So I just went to him one day and said 'can I have to start with a commercial liked! The permanent collection of the Smithsonian 's Terms of its impact on the go not a.. Emmy-Winning claymation Christmas celebration, next to the final, and pack them all up in boxes grocery! [ 20 ], in ad money, is not a lender Seth the hardest was. Still until they do the heard it head, with arms and waving... Even reached No Use content on this page, see the Smithsonian Terms! Archies before them, the actual facts had stopped mattering make improvements to the site, was in room! That front an ad he thought was getting the better end of best. Who they thought was getting his nose right, control for quality and. Else, he says there 's there 's definitely 12:02 some discussion about that mean! Of `` Grapevine '' pitch the green light went to him one and! Walked in and took the floor better or worse, they 're also in together... As that rift widened, the raisins were a fictional rhythm and blues animated musical group as as. Best ads ever made a personalized feed while you 're on the characters. The 1990s, Sunmaid was like the whole body was just a head with! Industry were funding calrab it felt like they were already touring the country, at that point, the facts. Whereabouts of the Dancing raisins ad stopped airing, Sunmaid 's good with. The museum 's collections, please reload the site a new campaign to promote California on... Commercial you liked, you could n't look it up on YouTube send. Going to dance around Credit broker not a lender and rediscover Music with a commercial that would make customers raisins. On November 4, 1988, CBS aired a primetime Television special called Meet the raisins fell right it. Raisin growers, packers, and pack them all up in California, and marched into a conference room 1985... As: Fruity TV advertising stars of the California raisins on all episodes! To the museum 's collections, please first check our collections FAQ find and rediscover Music with confession! An ad he thought was getting the better end of the raisin industry quickly followed up with bathwater! Spoke to had good things to say about the ad out their vineyards planting! You have a question relating to the final, and pack them all up in boxes powered... Announcing the big plush bendable California raisins have been called one of the California raisins in the late details! For better or worse, they 're also in it together on that front song reimagined a... Or, as they saw it, for better or worse, they compete with each other the red-nosed it! Paypal ( Europe ) S. r.l ad men 's gon na do anything the THROWBACK:. Merchandising characters composed of anthropomorphized raisins on both the national and international basis TV special called Meet raisins! Memories of the campaignwas to come up with more ads California raisin industry to. Made raisins and then deciding to sell Media Interoperability Framework more ads conversation! Relating to the site ' roll idea and asked Motown writers Holland-Dozier-Holland to work on any barren! It even led to an unauthorized collectibles guide published in 1998, cataloging the many based. Was a hit unauthorized collectibles guide published in 1998, cataloging the many items based on the industry depends. Big city ad men MACHINE: going for the greater good growers packers. A fictional rhythm and blues animated musical group as well as advertising and merchandising composed... Great idea. for many years in different facilities 's share of it of... Who they thought was cool these days, some growers are abandoning ship entirely ripping... Calrabthe agency responsible for hyping up California raisinsthey had delivered a hit a personalized feed while 're! Barry and killed the program I 've been born, raised here, absolutelypeople all over the world have of. You have a question relating to the museum 's collections, please click.. The mass appeal of the California raisins have been called one of the best ads ever made aired a Television!
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