Ocean Spray Hails Cranberry's Whole-body Health Benefits

This holiday season, the Ocean Spray cooperative reminds Americans that cranberries not only taste good but, more importantly, are good for them. Through an exclusive online video, Ocean Spray’s CEO Randy Papadellis and the brand’s comical grower duo banter about the berry’s whole-body health benefits.

The video, in keeping with the good-humored ad campaign, builds on the success Ocean Spray has had with its latest TV ad campaign, which tops the list of Nielson’s leading CPG TV ads of 2012. Now, the characters are being called on to urge consumers to sign an online petition at www.cranberryhealth.com recognizing the cranberry’s exceptional health benefits.

“Lately, there’s been a lot of mixed messages about whether the cranberry has a place in a healthy diet,” said Papadellis. “So we called on a few of our friends to help remind consumers that cranberry products, particularly cranberry juice, can be an important part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.”

The partnership is one of the latest initiatives Ocean Spray is employing to educate the public about the cranberry, following nearly a half dozen newly published studies – including those conducted by the Archives of Internal Medicine, The Journal of Urology, and the American Heart Association - that provide further evidence of the cranberry’s role in supporting whole-body health, particularly urinary tract and heart health.

“While cranberries are naturally low in sugar and need to be sweetened to be enjoyed, they are packed with nutrients and offer well-documented health benefits," said Connie Diekman, past president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly the American Dietetic Association. “They can also help to fill the nutrition gap for many Americans who have trouble meeting the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.”

Consumers interested in viewing the abstracts online, signing the petition, or learning more about the cranberry and the families who grow them, are invited to visit www.cranberryhealth.com and continue the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Lakeville-Middleboro, Mass.-based Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as 35 Florida grapefruit growers.