Welch’s Selects New Spokeschild
Russian orphan overcomes odds, finds his place in American family and on national TV
Concord, MA, December 18, 2003
For its fourth spokeschild in the decade-long "Memories" grape juice television advertising campaign, Welch's has selected a spunky five-year-old Siberian boy who's living an American dream.
In just four years, Russell Levering has gone from a one-room orphanage in Siberia to become the treasured son in a warm, all-American family, and an effective and energetic commercial spokesperson for one of America’s leading consumer brands — Welch's.
Since his adoption in 2000, Russell has evolved from Russian-speaking Ruslan (pronounced Rooslan) into the English-speaking Russell. As a kindergartener, he has won the role of Welch's youngest-ever spokeschild in a national casting call that auditioned 2,500 children from nearly every state in the nation.
"We like to say that Russell is five going on 15," says his mom, Nancy Levering, a Maryland kindergarten teacher. "His sister Ashley's teenage friends are always at our house, and they just love being around Russell. The boys think he is cool, and the girls think he is cute. The time they have spent together has made him a pretty outgoing conversationalist. I think that has contributed a lot to his rapid language development and easygoing personality," says Russell's Dad, Tom Levering.
Not bad for a boy who started out with few promising prospects in Russia. But one need only see his commercials, which premiered nationwide in mid-October, to realize Russell has an engaging personality and a spirit that can conquer any adversity. It also is pretty obvious he has acquired a real love for Welch's products.
Russell is the fourth Welch's spokeschild in its decade-long "Memories" advertising campaign. According to James Callahan, Welch's director of corporate communications, "The campaign communicates, through a child's perspective, Welch's message of wholesome goodness, quality, and taste in a charming, yet spontaneous manner." Callahan says commercials in the campaign, which first aired in 1994, evoke the magical time in childhood when kids really connect with juice and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Two girls and one boy have previously starred in Welch's "Memories" campaign commercials.
Russell was selected from a year-long national casting call process that included auditions in five U.S. cities and videotape audition submissions from proud parents in nearly every state, according to casting and talent director Dennis Gallegos. Gallegos, in addition to casting and directing Russell Levering for the role, also has cast and directed two of the previous Welch's kids. More than 2,500 children were considered for the role, according to Arnold Worldwide, Welch's New York-based advertising agency. The agency shot the new spots featuring Levering in New York City in early July.
Welch's is the world's leading marketer of Concord and Niagara grape-based products, including grape juice and jelly. The company produces a variety of other fruit-based products, including 100 percent juices, juice cocktails, and drinks in the following forms: bottled, refrigerated, single-serve, and frozen and shelf-stable concentrates. In addition, Welch's produces a number of fruit spreads under both the Welch's and BAMA brand names. For more information on Welch's, visit its Web site at www.welchs.com.
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