To Crunch or To Chew? With New Jolly Rancher Crunch 'n Chew Candy, You Can Do Both!

HERSHEY, Pa., Jan. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jolly Rancher® brand is introducing a unique way to enjoy bold fruit flavor with Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew® candy.  With a crunchy candy shell and a soft, chewy center, new Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew combines the unmistakably, bold fruit flavors of original Jolly Rancher® Hard Candy with the chewiness of Jolly Rancher® Chews. The result is a new, untamed candy experience that satisfies both crunchy and chewy candy fans. To celebrate the product launch, Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew candy partnered with Poptent, an online videographer community, to create cool original video spots highlighting the crunchy and chewy elements of the new Jolly Rancher product and is inviting consumers to cast their vote and help choose the winning video.

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Poptent is a vibrant community of filmmakers, actors, comedians, animators and more who are connecting to each other and to brands to showcase their talents while exploring a new way of creating branded messages for the Internet age. The Jolly Rancher assignment received a tremendous response, surpassing expectations with nearly 200 creative submissions ranging from catchy musical raps to humorous spoofs focusing on the product's unique characteristics. Consumers are invited to engage with Jolly Rancher and learn about the new product by voting for their favorite Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew candy video at www.jollyrancher.com.

Starting today, fans can visit the Jolly Rancher website (www.jollyrancher.com) to view the final three videos and cast their vote for their favorite commercial once per day through February 15, 2012. After the votes are tallied, the prize-winning videographer will produce two additional videos, resulting in a three-part video series that will be posted on the Jolly Rancher website this spring. 

Jolly Rancher fans can visit www.jollyrancher.com and vote for one of three original video spots:

• Do You Wanna Crunch – A vibrant and catchy Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew rap, highlighting the product's crunchy and chewy characteristics.
• Brand New – Jolly Rancher's newest product inspires young artists to produce a fresh new track that starts on the basketball court and finishes as a colorful music video.
• The Adventures of Bart the Bold – Part 1 – Bart the Bold goes on a bold adventure, defeating villains and eating Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew candy along the way. Consumers can choose where Bart's adventure takes him next!

"The combination of a hard candy shell and a soft, chewy center gives candy lovers the best of both worlds and the chance to experience the untamed fruit flavor of Jolly Rancher candies in a brand new way," said Anna Lingeris, spokesperson for the Jolly Rancher brand and The Hershey Company. "We wanted to give our fans the opportunity to engage with the brand like never before and after reviewing the nearly 200 submissions from Poptent videographers across the country, we've selected our top three videos and are excited for our fans to select the winner."

With four mouthwatering flavors including cherry, blue raspberry, green apple and watermelon, Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew candy offers an intense taste experience unlike any other and is available nationwide at mass grocery, drug and convenience stores. For more information and to cast your vote for one of three original Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew video spots, visit Jolly Rancher online at www.jollyrancher.com.

About Jolly Rancher
The Jolly Rancher® brand produces a wide selection of candy varieties, including Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Gummies, Chews, Awesome Twosome Chews, Sours Candy, Jelly Beans, Candy Canes, Stix Candy, Lollipops and the latest, Jolly Rancher Crunch 'N Chew. With a wide variety of flavors to choose from, including cherry, blue raspberry, watermelon and green apple, among others, Jolly Rancher candy is the perfect dose of bold fruit flavor to wake up your taste buds.

Jolly Rancher was founded in 1949 and acquired by The Hershey Company in 1996. For more information, visit www.jollyrancher.com.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, PA, The Hershey Company has operations throughout the world and more than 12,000 employees. With revenues of nearly $6 billion, Hershey offers confectionery products under more than 25 brand names, including such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Hershey's Bliss, Hershey's Special Dark and Hershey's Extra Dark, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, and Ice Breakers. Hershey also is a leader in the premium and artisan chocolate segments, with such brands as Scharffen Berger and Dagoba, offered through the Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. The company is focused on growing its presence in key international markets such as China and Mexico while continuing to build its competitive advantage in the United States and Canada.

For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company has been a leader in making a positive difference in the communities where its employees live, work and do business. Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of the company's global business strategy, which includes goals and priorities focused on fair and ethical business dealings, environmental stewardship, fostering a desirable workplace for employees, and positively impacting society and local communities. Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company's founder and administered by Hershey Trust Company, provides a quality education, housing, and medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need. Students of Milton Hershey School are direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company's success.

SOURCE The Hershey Company