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Oh, Joy! A "Commercial-Free" Infomercial
Christopher Lisotta
Portfolio.com
November 12, 2008
The holidays has long been an animaniac's best friend,
what with the umpteenth airing of How the Grinch Stole
Christmas and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer warming up
the airwaves.
This year cable network ABC Family is getting into the
animated holiday half-hour mix. That makes sense,
considering the cable channel is once again rolling out
its "25 Days of Christmas" programming platform next
month. But its approach has all the charm of a plastic
star on an aluminum tree.
ABC Family is airing a Cranberry Christmas on December
8, an animated adaptation of the popular 1976 children's
book of the same title, according to online newsletter
Cynopsis.
That sounds promising. The story takes place in the town
of Cranberryport, where mean old Cyrus Grape won't let
young Maggie and her friends skate on his frozen-over
cranberry bog until some hilarious hi-jinks and tender
holiday moments ensue.
So far, so good. Songwriter Barry Manilow and his
longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman are collaborating on
two songs that will air during the special. A little
cheesy, but syrupy songs are what animated Christmas
specials are all about. (The jazzy soundtrack of A
Charlie Brown Christmas being the glorious notable
exception.)
The problems begin with a press release touting the
Cranberry Christmas from none other than the folks at
canned and bottled juice producer Ocean Spray. It turns
out Cranberry Christmas was created "as a special gift
to consumers, commercial free," the release reads.
Ken Romanzi, Ocean Spray's C.E.O., quickly gets into the
act.
"We have taken a story that is near and dear to Ocean
Spray's heart and brought it to life to share with other
families," Romanzi says, "and we hope that Cranberry
Christmas will take its place as a perennial holiday
favorite."
Apparently at Christmastime "infomercial" gets
translated into a "special gift." Why this particular
story is chosen goes beyond the cranberry in the title
and Ocean Spray's interest in the lovely holiday treat.
The book is also famous for a recipe for cranberry
cookies that is included among its pages. The press
release features the recipe, along with the ingredient
"1 six-ounce package Ocean Spray Craisins Original
Sweetened Dried Cranberries."
Even during animated holiday specials, there is no such
thing as a free gift. "Special gift," apparently, but
not free. |
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