Wonderful(R) Pistachios Invites America to "Get Crackin'"

Wonderful(R) Pistachios Invites America to "Get Crackin'"

National Celebrity Campaign Features Eight Uniquely Humorous Ways to Crack Open a Pistachio - From Mobster to Newlywed Style

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- A nutty new national advertising campaign, launching today, is challenging Americans to pick up their pistachios and "Get Crackin.'" The $15 million Wonderful Pistachios campaign is the first campaign for the category and features eight celebrity figures demonstrating how they crack open a pistachio, each in their own unique, light-hearted way, through a series of commercials airing on national prime-time programming.

Featured celebrities include Olympic swimmer and record-setting medalist Dara Torres; Brady Bunch alum Christopher Knight and America's Next Top Model wife Adrianne Curry; Jackass prankster Wee-Man; The Sopranos actor Vincent Pastore; former Miss South Carolina Teen USA Lauren Caitlin Upton; the Denny quintuplets; father of Sarah Palin's grandchild, Levi Johnston; and a real-life dominatrix. The commercials will air on top-rated shows including Monday Night Football, Saturday Night Live and The Office.

"We want to remind America, in a light-hearted way, that pistachios are a unique, fun and healthy snack," said Dominic Engels, vice president of global marketing, Paramount Farms, producer of Wonderful Pistachios. "The experience of cracking open a pistachio is unlike any other and we're using a humorous, tongue-in-cheek approach, and a wide range of celebrity figures, to remind people of that. We feel confident that our irreverent approach will help break through the marketing clutter and make people feel good about pistachios."

   The series of eight "Get Crackin'" commercials feature:   --  Now, Levi Johnston Does it with Protection.  As Levi and his bodyguard       Tank make a Hollywood-style entrance complete with paparazzi, Tank       assesses the situation and surroundings. Tank then motions for Levi       that it's safe for him to do his thing - crack open a pistachio and       flash the cameras a winning smile.   --  Mobsters Do it with Muscle.  Vincent Pastore plays the mobster part       like a virtuoso.  Decked in a sweat suit and popping his knuckles, he       cracks his pistachio open by slamming the head of a thug on a table.   --  Newlyweds Do it Five Times a Day.  Chris Knight and Adrianne Curry are       caught on an electric green chaise in a post-coital embrace with       nothing on but a bed sheet and a smile.  As they giggle in newlywed       bliss, he lovingly cracks open pistachios and feeds her.   --  Dara Torres Does it in Record Time.  Approaching the starting block       like an Olympic pro, Dara steps up to the edge to reveal not only her       green toes, but a beautiful pistachio.  When the buzzer rings, she       picks up the pistachio and cracks it. . . in record time, of course.   --  Beauty Queens Do it Without a Clue.  Lauren Caitlin Upton is       resplendent in all her pageant glory, complete with a "Miss Wonderful"       sash across her shoulder.  She answers the question in a comically       nonsensical way - and with a wink - that shows she's not just poking       fun at herself, she's enjoying her pistachio.   --  Wee-Man does it Dangerously.  Taking it to the extreme is part of       Wee-Man's DNA.  And, when a green baseball shoots out of a machine, it       smacks him dead-center in the forehead - crackin' the nut, but not his       noggin.   --  Quintuplets do it with Bounce.  For once, five five-year-olds were       encouraged to "bounce off the walls" - well, bounce around a set full       of pistachios.  Their method to the cracking is giant green bouncy       balls. . . and lots of giggles!    --  A Dominatrix Does it on Command.  A sexy dominatrix gingerly enters       the scene and places a helpless pistachio on a black cabaret chair.        With the snap of her 10-foot-long bull whip, she cracks the pistachio       open on command.  And, there were no special effects used in this       spot!     "Get Crackin'" America, and Win $25,000  

Wonderful Pistachios encourages Americans to "Get Crackin'" with a video submission contest that asks nut lovers to develop their own video commercial for a chance to win $25,000 and an airing on national television.

"We recognize that there are hundreds - if not thousands - of original ways to crack open a pistachio," said Engels. "We challenge Americans to get creative and submit their own innovative take on our campaign."

Video submissions will be aired on the "Get Crackin'" YouTube channel beginning on October 5 and accepted until November 30, 2009. For complete rules and guidelines, please go to www.YouTube.com/WonderfulPistachios. A winning video will be selected on or about December 15, 2009.

Pistachios: The Skinny Nut

Pistachios have a number of important health benefits to offer and are one of the lowest-calorie, lowest-fat nuts. A 30-gram serving of pistachios, with 49 kernels and 170 calories, provides more than 30 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6, copper and manganese; and a good source of protein, fiber, thiamin and phosphorus. Known as the "Skinny Nut," pistachios offering the most nut per 1oz serving; 30 kernels make a satisfying, delicious snack for about 100 calories.

"Pistachios aren't just fun and social, they're 'skinny' too," added Engels. "Consumers love the wonderful taste of pistachios, but need to be educated and enlightened about their unique health benefits."

About Wonderful® Pistachios

The Wonderful Pistachios brand features upscale, premium packaging and a bold contemporary look, appealing to a sophisticated, health-conscious consumer. Wonderful Pistachios are grown in Lost Hills, California, part of the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heartland of California. Grown, processed and packaged by Paramount Farms, Wonderful Pistachios are available at retail outlets and grocery stores nationwide including Albertsons, Giant Eagle, Kroger, Safeway, Vons and Wegmans, and are available in a variety of sizes. For more information about Wonderful Pistachios or the Get Crackin' campaign, including a behind-the-scenes look, visit www.wonderfulpistachios.com; www.getcrackin.com; http://www.facebook.com/wonderfulpistachios and http://twitter.com/getcrackin.

About Paramount Farms

Paramount Farms is the world's largest vertically integrated supplier of pistachios and almonds. The company's 30,000 acres of pistachio orchards, located in California's San Joaquin Valley, are the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Paramount Farms' pistachios can be found in the produce department of grocery stores nationwide sold under the Wonderful®, Everybody's Nuts!® and Sunkist® brand names. Paramount has also developed PistachioHealth.com, the leading online source of information on the health and nutrition benefits of pistachios as a resource for both consumers and health professionals.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Paramount Farms

CONTACT: Dimitri Czupylo, +1-310-966-8617, dczupylo@roll.com, or Grace
Kang, +1-310-966-3586, gkang@roll.com, both of Paramount Farms

Web Site: http://www.paramountfarms.com/
http://www.wonderfulpistachios.com/
http://www.getcrackin.com/
http://www.pistachiohealth.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment