Amy Grant worked with Target on a 1989 Christmas campaign while seven months pregnant, filmed from the neck up. She turned down a seven-figure Cheerios deal because she didn't use the product and wanted to protect her kids' privacy, though she later regretted it after financial struggles.
Questions this video answers
Fall of 1989.
"Love makes you Real."
John Pellegrin.
Seven months pregnant.
A Cheerios campaign (reported as a seven-figure deal).
Chapters
You really liked about any interesting stories over the time? Sure, yes. Well, I was asked by Target in the fall of 1989 to spearhead their Christmas campaign that was based on Velveteen Rabbit. The campaign was Love makes you Real. I was seven months pregnant at the time, and as an entertainer, it's tough to get work with a big belly. And so they just, they filmed me in the commercial, you know, from the neck up. And. And. But to me, that was a great. That was a great combo. And we did John Pellegrin, who was the head of Target at the time. We had an amazing relationship. And that sort of dovetailed into a relationship with the Target house in St. Jude. And I loved that there was the business and the philanthropic component with that. And then years later, Target was one of several companies that had always had a very strong philanthropic arm, but had been quiet about it because that generation was sort of, you know, don't tell the whole world what you're doing. But then they saw a generation of young entrepreneurs and business people coming along who were not doing the same kind of giving that the older generations were. And they felt it was their responsibility to try to teach that. And so they invited me back to be a part of their philanthropic campaign. And some of those details are kind of sketchy for me, but I'm sure that was on the DVD we meant to play. Have there been any sponsorship or branding opportunities that you look back and say, darn, I wish I would have done that, or I wish I hadn't done that or something like that? Anything over the years that you either turned down or took and you wish you hadn't, and hopefully they're not in the room if that was it. Well, I remember during when Baby Baby was a hit, I was approached by Cheerios to do a campaign for them with my children. And I have always tried to keep my kids just safe and normal. They don't know the words to any of my songs. It's not that I'm trying to be weird, but my main interaction with them as a mother. And also, I've always been a stickler for integrity. And even though our cabinet is filled with Cheerios right now, Honey Nut, Banana Nut, all brands, at the time, I was not eating Cheerios. And so I passed on a seven figure deal. And my manager was furious with me. It was Jennifer's partner, Chaz. And I said, I'm not going to lie, I don't use Cheerios. Not right now. And so I guess if I had any regret now, having been through a divorce and squandered a lot of money in my youth. I kind of wish I had that million dollars. Anyone have any questions in the audience?
