Monday Mashups: Ocean Spray Holds Thanksgiving Boot Camp

Each year, nearly 20 million Americans prepare to deliver a Thanksgiving feast for the first time ever. Ocean Spray wanted to do its part to help these newbies by inviting them to their recent brand activation at Rockefeller Center. The festive, multi-generational event on November 1 whipped guests into holiday-hosting shape at the Thanksgiving-themed boot camp with CranMas (that's grandmas, Ocean Spray style) and celebrity chef Curtis Stone providing instruction.

To create the perfect autumnal experience for the holiday-entertaining course, Arnold Worldwide—Ocean Spray’s long-time brand experience agency—enlisted design and production partner Tyger Productions. Led by Ty Kuppig, Tyger has partnered with Arnold and Ocean Spray on numerous projects across the country, including the Thanksgiving Then & Now event for Ocean Spray at Rockefeller Center in 2015.

Before press and influencer invitees entered the 20- by 60-foot cranberry bog, they first visited four stations where they learned a different skill for the Thanksgiving holiday. These included how to welcome guests with a crafted cocktail, hacks for impressive side dishes, techniques for preparing the turkey, and “Setting the Scene”—how to set the perfect table. We could've totally used an invite to this boot camp! After making their way through the stations, guests were invited to join Ocean Spray’s CranMas and Chef Stone to sit down for an early Thanksgiving meal in the cranberry bog.

To create a more intimate experience and suggest a dinner under the canopy of a fall forest, Tyger Productions constructed a 12-foot-tall by 36-foot-long arbor covered in autumn foliage surrounded by live cranberry turf installed by a professional horticulturalist. In addition to creating a cozy cocoon for the press and influencers while they dined, the arbor created a social media-friendly statement that could easily be seen over the heads of the crowd, adding further excitement and inviting passersby to watch from the sidelines.

Tyger pulled inspiration from Arnold’s CranMa concept to design an environment that elicited a sense of nostalgia, displaying traditional elements that evoked grandmothers with more contemporary touches that a first-time holiday host might incorporate from their own home. Mismatched vintage china was paired with modern rose-gold flatware. Cut crystal stemware was mixed with vintage embossed glass and new cranberry-red goblets. Handmade crocheted table runners were paired with rose-gold glass candleholders. The 32-foot-long dining table in the center of the bog was anchored by oversize autumnal floral arrangements of lush blossoms, greens, and fruits.

Following the lunch, and to emphasize the health benefits of the cranberry, yoga was held at the bog the next day, as well as a spin class with Vitamix blenders attached to each bike to blend a cranberry smoothie. In addition, Ocean Spray team members handed out samples of its various cranberry products.

The New York activation was part of a five-city “Bogs Across America” tour. Tyger Productions created three different-sized bogs that were featured in Hollywood (at an indoor venue), Washington, Chicago, and New York, and culminated outside the Prudential Center in Boston. Only the New York location served lunch. Ocean Spray sure knows how to devour the details of a cranberry-filled Thanksgiving! We hope these tips and tricks inspire you for future Turkey Days to come.