Wonderful Pistachios Launches Largest-Ever Get Crackin' Ad Campaign

 Wonderful Pistachios launched its biggest “Get Crackin’” advertising campaign ever, investing $55 million to support the largest pistachio crop in history. The commercials feature the introduction of Ernie the Elephant. This pistachio-loving, computer-generated spokes-elephant is voiced by WWE Superstar John Cena (“Trainwreck,” Fox’s “American Grit”).

“Ernie and I are alike in many ways,” says Cena. “We’re both fun-loving guys, confident in our choices. I’m excited to join Wonderful Pistachios’s popular ‘Get Crackin’’ campaign by bringing to life its newest character, Ernie the Elephant, whose favorite food is Wonderful Pistachios. Whether you’re in the ring, on the go, at work, or hanging out with friends, Wonderful Pistachios is a fun, healthy snack that’s a good source of protein and fiber, and a strong foundation for good nutritional choices.”

Ernie the Elephant makes his debut in two commercials, which air during “Monday Night Football,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and more. In one spot, Ernie attends a baseball game, touting Wonderful Pistachios as a superior snack to those tired old peanuts sold at the stadium. Another features Ernie as “the elephant in the room”—or elevator—talking up pistachios. In the coming months, eight more commercials will air.

Later this football season, two more spots feature Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman schooling Ernie with his best defensive moves—and his famous trash talk—both on and off the field.

“Ernie and I know that choosing Wonderful Pistachios as your game-day snack is sure to score big at home,” says Sherman. “And we encourage fans to trade in their salty snacks for something new this season. To snack smarter, fans should crack open Wonderful Pistachios, a natural, guilt-free option that’s one of the lowest-calorie and highest protein nuts.”

The newest evolution of the “Get Crackin’” campaign was created by Wonderful Pistachios’s in-house creative team, Wonderful Agency. Ernie was animated by Moving Picture Company (MPC), the Academy Award-winning global creative studio behind VFX for Disney’s recent hit film “The Jungle Book.” The campaign will be amplified by print and outdoor advertising, in-store POS, a large-scale digital and social media campaign, and public relations. In addition, Wonderful Pistachios and their new spokes-elephant Ernie are committed to elephant conservation and will soon announce how they will join the herd in protecting the future of elephants worldwide.

“Stephen Colbert has moved on. Ernie the Elephant has moved in,” says Michael Perdigao, president, Wonderful Agency. “Our “Get Crackin’” campaign has featured some of Hollywood’s hottest talent: Snoop Dogg, Khloé Kardashian and even Miss Piggy. This year we’re going back to the animal kingdom with Ernie the Elephant who’s bringing along some top-name talent of his own with WWE Superstar John Cena as his voice and the NFL’s best cornerback, Richard Sherman, as one of his best buds. We’ve got tons of pistachios to sell this year and a multi-ton elephant to help us do it!”

Adam Cooper, vice president of marketing, Wonderful Pistachios, adds, “The industry is harvesting a record-setting 800 million pounds of pistachios this season, so it’s time to go big or go home! It’s only natural we go big in every way—a big new “Get Crackin’” campaign, with our biggest star, Ernie the Elephant. People love snacking—in fact, snacking makes up half of all eating occasions in America—so our goal is to make healthy Wonderful Pistachios even more accessible to everyone. Ernie will help drive awareness and remind pistachio fans to “Get Crackin’” every day and on every snack occasion.”