Ocean Spray Takes Craisins Courtside

Ocean Spray is sweetening up the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) through a partnership that takes its Craisins sweetened dried cranberries brand courtside at WNBA games and tours, and via a supermarket sweeps tied to the sport.

Throughout the WNBA’s summer basketball season, Ocean Spray is giving fans free samples of Craisins and conducting promotional activities at select games.

As part of the WNBA’s Be Fit Tour, a mobile tour that promotes physical wellbeing for teens and women, Ocean Spray is conducting on-site activities including a Craisins Pop-a-Shot contest. During the tour, which stops at high-traffic event locations in 14 WNBA markets, fans shoot for Craisins prizes and learn tips on how to incorporate Craisins as a snack and as part of picnics. Meanwhile, Skills in the Kitchen, an on-site cooking demonstration, will teach fans how to prepare recipes and meals with Craisins conducted by local celebrity chefs. The mobile tour kicked off in May and runs through Aug. 20.

“Our Craisins sweetened dried cranberries are a perfect fit for the WNBA’s Be Fit Tour, promoting the importance of healthy lifestyles,” said Ken Romanzi, COO Ocean Spray in a statement.

Craisins and the WNBA are also conducting supermarket sweepstakes in several markets, allowing customers offering them a shot at $50,000. Entry forms are available on supermarket Craisins displays. Two winners will be chosen in each market and will have the chance to make their shots during a designated WNBA game in their area.

The Lakeville-Middleboro, MA-based company also kicked off a mobile sampling tour to promote its diet juice drinks which launched earlier in the year (Xtra June 5, 2006).

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 650 cranberry growers in the U.S. and Canada. The company generated approximately $1.4 billion in revenues last year.

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