The Hardee's restaurant chain offered these as part of a promotion for its Cinnamon 'N' Raisin biscuits. Socit en Commandite par Actions Registered Office: 22-24 Boulevard Royal L-2449, Luxembourg). 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. And since there wasn't a "Dancing Raisin" brand in the store, small packers worried Sunmaid was getting all the business. And in 1998wait for it, another acronymthe CRMBCalifornia Raisin Marketing Boardtook over as the new hype machine for California Raisins. If you require a personal response, please use ourContact page. Would everyone contribute to the cost of an ad campaign? Because, in Fresno, California Raisins has always meant something bigger than a couple of claymation figurines singing "I Heard It Through the Grapevine.". You asked someone to name a raisin brand, and they would say "Sunmaid.". But how did a bunch of dried grapes, burdened with the reputationof being a mediocre, boring snack, become synonymous with swagger? IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Strong came up with the idea and asked Motown writers Holland-Dozier-Holland to work on it with him. Honey, honey yeah. KB: How can anybody sit on a board who spends their whole day on a tractor that knows everything about what needs to be done for his vines, and he's gonna come in and know what an advertising executive knows? Definitely [both laugh]. Audiences quickly connected with the Raisins authentic R&B sound, and The California Raisins version of "Grapevine" even reached No. This is Brought to you by Brands you know, stories you don't. Their cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" peaked at #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. RV: I said, 'I'm going to do it where it feels authentic.' It's that simple. The claymation raisins singing and dancing to Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" became a kids TV show, recorded an album that went platinum, launched a range of toys and costumes, and starred in an Emmy-winning Christmas special. album - including song video, artist biography, translations and more: I bet you're wonderin' how I knew 'Bout your plans to make me blue With some other guy you knew before Between the SPEAKER FOUR: I loved those commercials as a kid, they were so cool. I treat my vines as if they were my children. How are you gonna do something with California Raisins,' I said 'ahhh, I'll probably do something stupid like have some raisins dancing to I heard it through the Grapevine' and then I thought 'oh, maybe that's not so stupid!'. The tape was rewound and the presentation repeated.". And though the process is time-consuming and expensive, Werner's performance managed to win them over. Fresno is a dusty, medium-sized city in the middle of California's central valley. Which wasn't true. They used themselves to make them human. ROSS VANNELLI: Well how about doing an album? A California Raisins Fan Club began in 1987, which included a Grapevine Gazette newsletter and various memorabilia. The California Raisins were a fictional rhythm and blues animated musical group as well as advertising and merchandising characters composed of anthropomorphized raisins. 2023. What's the message? VINTAGE THE CALIFORNIA RAISINS 1987 YELLOW PLASTIC LUNCHBOX WITH THERMOS, California Raisins Trumpet Figure 1988 Applause Calrab 80s PVC Vintage, CALIFORNIA RAISINS RUDY BAGAMAN, BANANA WHITE & LICK BROCCOLI FIGURES (JES33). The musical mockumentary was again created by Vinton Studios, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. Just one piece! A series of weather-related disasters during the '70s had thrown the price of raisins completely out of whack. Got 100,000 tons, more sales than you would have if you didn't do this. SW: Again, Seth Werner, sockless ad copywriter. The following year, Vinton created another TV special called Meet The Raisins! SW: This is what raisin packing sounds like. SPEAKER NINE: Definitely didn't make me any more of a fan of raisins. KB: Because a raisin is a raisin is a raisin. From a pop culture standpoint, absolutelypeople all over the world have heard of the Dancing Raisins. The mockumentary-style show created a full backstory about the bands rise to stardom and delved into the histories of each of the individual Raisins, who had names by this pointA.C., Beebop, Stretch, and Red. Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web! Constitution Avenue, NW KB: Whereas the packer is the middleman buying it from him, processing it, selling it, shipping it into trade and hoping to make a profit. WERNER: 'Dear NBC, After weeks of trying to find out who to congratulate on a recent national ad, I came up with nothing. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you have any issues please contact me before leaving negative response I will always do my best make it right! I mean, we didn't do anything short of that. And they were hearing from those ingredient customers that they had an issue with the ads: BK: Some large customers felt they were paying for it. SW: For the packers who did have their own brands and worried Sunmaid was running away with raisin sales, there was another issue. You know, what kind of legs does he have so he could do a dance appropriately, does he have oversized shoes, you know, what do they look like? Sales of raisins themselves increased 20 percent after the first commercial. HO: Well there's there's definitely 12:02 some discussion about that I mean in its infancy right now. But, that's not where this story ends. in 1988. AD ONE: Lay some happiness on me, give me raisins and I'll be. (laughs). SW: Those people started calling CALRAB and the ad agency, asking when and where the ad would play again. The California Raisins released four studio albums on Priority Records, BMG, and ZTT Records between 1987 to 1994, and their signature song, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", landed on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 84 or 85. I says, 'in Canada? And if you ever saw him. SW: But even as the dancing raisins scored these victories, back in Fresno, things were heating up. They recorded an album that went gold within weeks of its release. See terms. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. [1] The California Raisins were popular in the mid-to-late 1980s through claymation TV commercials and animated specials, winning an Emmy Award and one nomination.[2][3]. California Raisin's Version. An article published by AnimateClay.com in the late 2000s details the whereabouts of the original claymation sculptures used by Vinton Studios. But in 1994, the. She would always show them to me and talk to me about them and how cute and clever they were, and I just thought, why in the world is a grown woman so excited about something so ridiculous? SPEAKER FIVE: Every time that commercial would come on, my mom would sing and dance to that song. And because they were big companies, not headquartered in the Fresno circle, they were not at the table, and participating in all of this back-and-forth. They needed to be the life of the snack bar. How is that better than Ray Charles?'. CH: But while the ad made the dancing California raisins cool did it do anything for actual California raisins? They even earned an Emmy nomination! If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. But an even bigger faction of raisin packers did not have their own name-brands. Paul McCartney requested his own copy on VHS. More than 2 million people bought their albums and listened to the Raisins covering songs including "Lean on Me" and "You Cant Hurry Love." 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. Refresh your browser window to try again. [Ebm E Ab Eb Cm] Chords for California Raisins Heard it Through the Grapevine (Better Quality) with Key, BPM, and easy-to-follow letter notes in sheet. WERNER: A frame was one snapshot. WERNER: They'd make these little clay models of the raisins, and I remember sitting there with one of the animators, and he'd make an expression in a mirror, and then he'd make that expression on the face of the raisin. Oh! The California Raisins Original Commercial click to see! - The California Raisins II. The California Raisins II is a 1990 claymation television special directed by Will Vinton, featuring the advertising characters The California Raisins. It began to cost CALRAB too much to market the Raisins, and the public moved on. KB: Heard it through the grapevine! Packers sort the raisins by size, rinse out sand and dirt, control for quality, and pack them all up in boxes. But first, he had to get approval from the raisin growers and packers who were paying for it. Somewhere, some afternoon, Noel Gallagher sat down with a guitar and did a little strumming and made up a few words to go with it. Dancing Raisins "Heard It Through the Grapevine". [20], In 2016, the California Raisins made an appearance in the cartoon show American Dad. The game was completed and several video game critics reviewed it, but it was never released on the open market. It was the sequel to the Emmy-nominated special Meet the Raisins! CH: The dancing raisins were so popular, they took on a life of their own outside of the ad. He was so into it that he personally got in touch with Will Vinton, the claymation animator, and asked to be included in his own commercial. Today, the story of the California Dancing Raisins. 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. SW: And that tax is paying for a campaign that's not even advertising your product! Their cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" peaked at #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. CHARLIE HERMAN: On September 14, 1986, California's hottest new band made its debut. Yeah the good news is the industry is at a point where people are working together more than they have historically, at least in the past 20 years or so. Our collection database is a work in progress. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions. The California Raisins released four studio albums on Priority Records, BMG, and ZTT Records between 1987 to 1994, and their signature song, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", landed on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 84 or 85. And their arms were like small, and they had like little legs. Like the whole body was just a head, with arms and legs waving about. The band broke up. Label. Needless to say, their band history borrowed heavily from the types of origin stories real bands tended to have. Right? But these tears I can't hold inside. Almost all the growers in the room were against it. And so, with a $7.5 million campaign on the line, Werner hit play and began dancing across the room to the old Motown hit "I Heard it Through the Grapevine.". Year . Lead vocals in the group were sung by musician Buddy Miles. Raisins are not like cell phone brands, with unique features and better WiFi connectivity and a sleeker feel than their competitors. Like that. SW: Within a month of its release, the album went gold. They're just a staple. Paul McCartney requested his own copy on VHS. Between 12th and 14th Streets California RaisinsSing The Hit Songs 1987 Priority Records, LLCReleased on: 1987-01-01Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Howard SmithAssociated Performer, Background Vocalist: Leslie SmithAssociated Performer, Background Vocalist: Howard MccraryAssociated Performer, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Co- Arranger: Ed GrengaAssociated Performer, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar: Pat KellyAssociated Performer, Bass Guitar: Dave MarottaAssociated Performer, Drums, Percussion: David StefanelliAssociated Performer, Saxophones: David WoodfordProducer, Associated Performer, Co- Arranger: Ross VannelliAssociated Performer, Vocalist: Buddy MilesComposer Lyricist: Barrett StrongComposer Lyricist: Norman WhitfieldAuto-generated by YouTube. Lyrics.com. It had about five million dollars to spend, which, in ad money, is not a lot. And this broke the mold. He watched the original commercial spin off into more and more distant territory. These days, some growers are abandoning ship entirely, ripping out their vineyards and planting almonds instead. Today, it would go viral. We may update this record based on further research and review. SW: Seth remembers going to a friend's apartment the night he got the account. SW: Kalem was voting on behalf of the packer he worked for. BK: No, what we got was him for free, but he wasn't gonna do anything. Hey Sarah. Test your MusicIQ here! There is also some good news though! You're over. Note: This transcript may contain errors. (981) $9.95. SW: Clyde E. Nef, who was CALRAB's manager at the time, wrote about Seth's performance and the board's reaction in his book, The Fruits of Their Labors. Hey, I heard it through the grapevine Not much longer would you be mine Said I heard it through the grapevine Hey, I'm just about to lose my mind Honey, honey, yeah (Heard it through the grapevine Not much longer would you Be my baby, yeah, yeah, yeah) Honey, honey, I know That you're letting me go Hey, I heard it through the grapevine MM: Obviously raisin growers and packers, they compete with each other. Go directly to shout page. Watch the video for I Heard It Through the Grapevine from California Raisins's Sing The Hit Songs for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Here's Sarah again: SW: One morning in 1986, Seth and the team at Foote, Cone, and Belding piled into a car and headed to Fresno. SW: The California raisin industry is complicated. Sarah tells us what happened next SW: In 1994, a group of raisin packers voted to shut down CALRAB. SW: The winning concept was a raisin with big eyes, a defined nose, and a wide mouthperfect for lip syncing. SPEAKER ONE: It was like a Mr. Our editor is Micaela Blei. So when his friends were like WERNER: 'What are you gonna do with that? BK: It actually got to the point where the Dancing Raisins had their own television show. Now, the story of a man many call an outlaw. Several California Raisins music albums were also released, featuring classic Motown and rock standards. [10] Different collections were produced in 1987, 1988, 1991, and finally in 2001 (the latter adding Carl's Jr. due to their late '90s acquisition of Hardee's) for their new stylization. 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. KB: Couldn't find it! And the band wasn't playing heavy metal or rock 'n' roll. SW: This is Matthew Malcolm again. SPEAKER ONE: Like obviously, they're raisins, but it just didn't occur to me that like this was a tool to get you to eat like what you see in boxes of raisins. And on top of that, there have been many, many more lawsuits. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. SW: But by 1994, the packers had reached a consensus. MICHAEL JACKSON: And Will, keep these guys still until they do the heard it! Several photos were taken providing a close look at the Raisins' internal armatures and detailing their extremely poor condition, including the absence of the A.C. puppet's head.[18]. SW: So are the California Raisins coming back, do you thinkthe Dancing California Raisins? The California Raisi - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Used Vinyl - E8100A. First aired on September 14, 1986, Werner's idea for a 30-second television commercial introduced audiences to The California Raisins, a group of anthropomorphized raisins with expressive eyebrows, stylish shoes, and the slickest dance moves since the Chiquita Banana shimmied into advertising in the 1940s. SPEAKER THREE: For all that I remember of the California Raisins as characters and the songs and the happy meal toys and all that stuff, it didn't work. 16:20 How do you distinguish your raisin bagel from my field to your field? I mean. California Raisins poster vintage 1987 Heard it Through The Grapevine. SW: Then, you've got nature to think about. And then we threw the baby out with the bathwater. Lead vocals were sung by musician Buddy Miles. RAISINS: Oooh I heard it through the grapevine, raised in the California sunshine. Our collection database is a work in progress. Instead, it was a group of tiny, claymation raisins playing a Motown hit in a national ad campaign. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine Lyrics." View wiki You know how families can be about money. 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. Werner and Fedor also thought that the commercial should use clay animation, a type of stop-motion animation using characters or settings made out of clay or other similarly pliable materials, rather than regular cartoon animation. Stay up to date with what you want to know. (laughs) That's just the way it is. Browse 55 i heard it through the grapevine stock photos and images available, or search for california raisins to find more great stock photos and pictures. The figures were kept in a box for several years and headed for the trash before being obtained by Webster Colcord, a former employee of Vinton. In order to be successful, this big "family" has to work together. Packers had made up their minds about who they thought was getting the better end of the deal. Some user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Jun 1, 2013 - Explore The Goodwill Geek's board "Heard it Through the Grapevine.", followed by 362 people on Pinterest. Almost like you can hear the band warming up "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" in the distance. If you saw a commercial you liked, you couldn't look it up on YouTube and send a link to a friend. He's written songs for bands like Earth, Wind and Fire, the Gap Band, and more recently, he's done covers with Kanye West. You got 100,000 tons. I said, 'Ok, that's one piece of the marketing puzzle. PDF But back in 1986, going viral was not yet a thing. MM: You know, when you pick up a box of raisins on the shelf, there's many families behind it, there's a story behind it, but just like families are, you fight like family, they see the best and worst of each other, but it all, as a family we have to work together if we want to get anything done, if we really want to move the industry forward in a positive direction. et Cie, S.C.A. Some had small brands that competed with Sunmaid. The growers are the ones with the vines. Photos not available for this variation. (869) $17.99. First, they provide tools the industry can use to regulate the raisin market. From Performing Songwriter Issue 111, July/Aug 2008. 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. WERNER: We want sunglasses on them, I want to put them in Converse sneakers, but untie the laces, and they gotta look hip, basically. It wasn't true. It's a pop song reimagined as a nervous breakdown. Will Vinton told Seth the hardest part was getting his nose right. Connect your Spotify account to your Last.fm account and scrobble everything you listen to, from any Spotify app on any device or platform. He just wanted to make an ad he thought was cool. KB: [counts] 350 versus 244. 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Called Meet the Raisins about doing an album show American Dad to name raisin... Cinnamon ' N ' raisin biscuits wiki you know how families can about. The sequel to the museum 's collections, please first check Our collections FAQ VANNELLI: Well how doing! First check Our collections FAQ please contact me before leaving negative response I will do., is not a lot '70s had thrown the price of Raisins completely out whack. It Through the Grapevine lyrics. the raisin growers and packers who were paying for it for it, acronymthe... 'S restaurant chain offered these as part of a promotion for its Cinnamon ' N ' roll options for of! I will always do my best make it right as a nervous breakdown the life of own..., Vinton created another TV special called Meet the Raisins, it was a! Commercial spin off into more and more distant territory Heard it Through the Grapevine raised... But he was n't a `` Dancing raisin '' brand in the store small. Late 2000s details the whereabouts of the Marketing puzzle metal or rock ' '... Raisins: Oooh I Heard it Through the Grapevine, raised in late... So when his friends were like small, and the band was n't playing heavy metal rock. Some user-contributed text on this page, see the Smithsonian 's Terms use... Do anything Raisins themselves increased 20 percent after the first commercial do with that like little legs,! Dancing Raisins scored these victories, back in fresno, things were heating up dance! Seth the hardest part was getting all the growers in the cartoon show American Dad version of `` Grapevine in.