Innocent reunites St Winifred's School Choir for Grandma remake
LONDON - Smoothie drinks brand Innocent is making its first foray into the music business today with the release of a remake of St Winifred's School Choir's 80's wonder hit 'There's No One Quite Like Grandma'.
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The company has reunited members of the original choir to record a new version of the song, which sold a million copies and spent two weeks at number one when first released in 1980, proceeds from which will go to its Big Knit charity.
The Innocent Big Knit Choir, whose members are now aged in their late 30s, counts a police detective, HR consultant and mortgage advisor among its ranks.
To mark the launch of the single, released today via iTunes, 14 members of the original choir are braving the rain for a live performance of the song in the bandstand in London's Regent's Park at 10.30 this morning.
The Original St Winfred's School Choir
Fleetwood Mac and Britney Spears producer Darran Bennett and former 'X Factor' vocal coach Annie Skates have both helped put the record together.
Now in its sixth year, the Big Knit campaign asks members of the public to hand-knit woollen hats for innocent Smoothies and Squeezies, and woollen warmers for innocent Veg Pots. For every woolly product sold in Sainsbury's stores, innocent and Sainsbury's give 35p to Age Concern and Help the Aged.
The reunited members
Comments
Jeremy Lee - 23/11/2009
groan...
Oliver Trethewey - 30/11/2009
I'm not sure I completely agree with Jeremy Lee - yes, there is a small element of 'groan' to it, and it should almost be a Shreddies cereal advert, perhaps ? \(the whole 'granny' vibe) - however, Innocent as a brand have been very clever in representing themselves through wholesome, virtuous activities that have done their brand proud, and I think this is another example - It's cheesy, but I'm sure we think that, in part, because we're all cynical, jaded marketing people trying to be cool - others out there will surely love the 'heritage' / 'charity' / 'revival' vibe - but I hope that they use the "Big Knit Choir" on more than one occasion, having made this much PR out of it, and that there is integration in their ATL, using the music would be a massive awareness raising point and show they have thought about all their consumer messaging linking together. This would also show that the brand get's "the new music landscape" and understands that brands can, sometimes, act like record labels - when it suits their goals - music is no longer something that is just bought, via Synch deals, at great expense, to stick next to creative.