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Watson later likened the filming process to watching paint dry.<ref name="Dye interview Watson"/>
Watson later likened the filming process to watching paint dry.<ref name="Dye interview Watson"/>


For the advertisement's [[Wikipedia:Voice-over|voice-over]], TBWA initially considered using actor and comedian [[Wikipedia:Mike Reid (actor)|Mike Reid]] before deciding on entertainer [[Wikipedia:Tommy Cooper|Tommy Cooper]], as his voice had done well in [[Wikipedia:Market research|market research]] at the time.<ref name="Robinson 2000"/> However, Cooper was ultimately replaced by [[Wikipedia:Sound-alike|sound-alike]] [[Wikipedia:Roger Kitter|Roger Kitter]].<ref name="Lego Parents"/><ref name="McCarthy Drum"/> Cooper was ill at the time,<ref name="Robinson 2000"/> and Cooper's agent advised Cozens and Watson "For Christ's sake, don't use Tommy. He can't read and he'll totally screw it up. Use Roger Kitter instead."<ref name="Awdry blog"/> Kitter, an [[Wikipedia:Impressionist (entertainment)|impressionist]], narrated the advertisement with an impersonation of Cooper, including using Cooper's catchphrase "just like that".<ref name="Russel 2013"/> Audiences at the time were unable to tell Kitter's impression was not actually Cooper's voice.<ref name="Robinson 2000"/><ref name="McCarthy Drum"/>
For the advertisement's [[Wikipedia:Voice-over|voice-over]], TBWA initially considered using actor and comedian [[Wikipedia:Mike Reid (actor)|Mike Reid]] before deciding on entertainer [[Wikipedia:Tommy Cooper|Tommy Cooper]], as his voice had done well in [[Wikipedia:Market research|market research]] at the time.<ref name="Robinson 2000"/> However, Cooper was ultimately replaced by [[Wikipedia:Sound-alike|sound-alike]] [[Wikipedia:Roger Kitter|Roger Kitter]].<ref name="Lego Parents"/><ref name="McCarthy Drum"/> Cooper was apparently ill when it was time to record his voice-over,<ref name="Robinson 2000"/> and Cooper's agent advised Cozens and Watson "For Christ's sake, don't use Tommy. He can't read and he'll totally screw it up. Use Roger Kitter instead."<ref name="Awdry blog"/> Kitter, an [[Wikipedia:Impressionist (entertainment)|impressionist]], narrated the advertisement with an impersonation of Cooper, including using Cooper's catchphrase "just like that".<ref name="Russel 2013"/> Audiences at the time were unable to tell Kitter's impression was not actually Cooper's voice.<ref name="Robinson 2000"/><ref name="McCarthy Drum"/>


== Reception ==
== Reception ==
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<!--ref name="Kanner 1999">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/100besttvcommerc00kann/page/90/mode/2up?view=theater |title=The 100 Best TV Commercials ...and Why They Worked |first=Bernice |last=Kanner |year=1999 |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Times Books|Times Books]] |location=[[Wikipedia:New York City|New York]] |isbn=0-8129-2995-0 |pages=90-91}}</ref-->
<!--ref name="Kanner 1999">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/100besttvcommerc00kann/page/90/mode/2up?view=theater |title=The 100 Best TV Commercials ...and Why They Worked |first=Bernice |last=Kanner |year=1999 |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Times Books|Times Books]] |location=[[Wikipedia:New York City|New York]] |isbn=0-8129-2995-0 |pages=90-91}}</ref-->


<!--ref name="Lego Parents">{{cite web |title=Kipper Back in the Menu for LEGO UK |date=27 November 2009 |author=<!- -none listed- -> |url=http://parents.lego.com/en-gb/news/Kipper.aspx |website=[[LEGO.com]] Parents News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203163057/http://parents.lego.com/en-gb/news/Kipper.aspx |archive-date=3 December 2009}}</ref-->
<ref name="Lego Parents">{{cite web |title=Kipper Back in the Menu for LEGO UK |date=27 November 2009 |author=<!- -none listed- -> |url=http://parents.lego.com/en-gb/news/Kipper.aspx |website=[[LEGO.com]] Parents News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091203163057/http://parents.lego.com/en-gb/news/Kipper.aspx |archive-date=3 December 2009}}</ref>


<!--ref name="Marshall 1994">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofwi0000mars/page/5/mode/2up?view=theater |title=The Guinness Book of Winners |first=Anne |last=Marshall |year=1994 |page=5 |isbn=0-85112-791-6 |publisher=Guinness Publishing |location=[[Wikipedia:Enfield, London|Enfield, London]]}}</ref-->
<!--ref name="Marshall 1994">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofwi0000mars/page/5/mode/2up?view=theater |title=The Guinness Book of Winners |first=Anne |last=Marshall |year=1994 |page=5 |isbn=0-85112-791-6 |publisher=Guinness Publishing |location=[[Wikipedia:Enfield, London|Enfield, London]]}}</ref-->

Revision as of 10:30, 22 September 2025

Kipper
Frame from the advertisement showing the titular kipper (left) and the submarine
AgencyTBWA\London
ClientLEGO UK Ltd
LanguageEnglish
MediaTelevision
Running time45 seconds
Product
Release date(s)
  • 29 October 1980 (1980-10-29)[1]
Slogan
  • It's a new toy every day
Written by
  • Mike Cozens (copywriter)
  • Graham Watson (art director)
Directed byKen Turner
Starring
Production
company		Clearwater Films
Produced byDavid Mitton
CountryUnited Kingdom

Kipper is a British stop-motion television commercial first aired in 1980.

Summary

The advertisement features two LEGO creatures battling by changing into new forms to defeat the other. A small LEGO mouse, who narrates the film, is standing by a mousehole when a LEGO cat appears. The mouse turns into a dog to scare the cat, but the cat becomes a fire-breathing dragon; the dog then becomes a fire engine and extinguishes the dragon's flame. The back-and-forth transformation goes on as the two become a submarine that emerges from a puddle, a submarine-eating kipper (initially misheard as "slipper"), an "anti-kipper ballistic missile", a "missile cruncher", and finally an elephant. As the missile cruncher is about to be stepped on by the elephant, it changes back into a mouse, scaring the elephant and causing it to fall over.

Production

"Kipper" was created by copywriter Mike Cozens and art director Graham Watson at the London branch of the advertising agency TBWA.[2][3]: 252  Cozens and Watson had joined TBWA together in February 1980 after leaving the Collett Dickenson Pearce agency; after pitching an ad for Knorr on their first day there, the two started writing the script for Kipper on their second day.[4][5] They developed a few print advertisements for LEGO UK Ltd before being briefed on the television project.[4] The commercial had to be created on a limited budget; Cozens and Watson did not want to resort to making a "dull" presenter-style commercial, and spent numerous late nights developing the concept and working with the accounting team to get script approval.[6]: 86 

An earlier version of the script from 25 April, shared by Watson in 2023, does not feature the kipper-slipper mondegreen or the missile cruncher; instead, the fire engine is initially blue before turning red, and the kipper becomes a tractor to tow the missile.[4]

The LEGO models used in Kipper were created by David Lyall, a LEGO model designer at LEGO UK Ltd.[7][2] Lyall made two versions of each model: one glued version, and one to be assembled and disassembled during stop motion filming.[4] The largest model built for the advertisement, the dragon, contained around 20,000 LEGO bricks.[6]: 86 

Kipper was produced at Clearwater Films, a studio founded by former Century 21 directors Ken Turner and David Mitton.[8][9] Turner and Mitton worked on the advertisement as its director and producer, respectively.[3]: 486  Clearwater initially suggested building a detailed set "complete with wallpaper and carpets" for filming, but Watson wanted to direct it "simply", using "just the skirting board and a reflective floor."[10][3]: 252  Filming took place over the course of seventeen days, and was done in a single take.[6]: 86  The stop motion LEGO models were built in stages during filming, with a few frames of footage being shot between each stage.[6]: 86  Watson later likened the filming process to watching paint dry.[4]

For the advertisement's voice-over, TBWA initially considered using actor and comedian Mike Reid before deciding on entertainer Tommy Cooper, as his voice had done well in market research at the time.[11] However, Cooper was ultimately replaced by sound-alike Roger Kitter.[12][8] Cooper was apparently ill when it was time to record his voice-over,[11] and Cooper's agent advised Cozens and Watson "For Christ's sake, don't use Tommy. He can't read and he'll totally screw it up. Use Roger Kitter instead."[13] Kitter, an impressionist, narrated the advertisement with an impersonation of Cooper, including using Cooper's catchphrase "just like that".[14] Audiences at the time were unable to tell Kitter's impression was not actually Cooper's voice.[11][8]

Reception

Kipper was featured in The 100 Greatest TV Ads in April 2000, being voted at number 74 by Channel 4 viewers and The Sunday Times readers.[15][16]

In a 2016 interview, Mike Cozens stated that Kipper was still as funny as when it was first written, and that he preferred it over his "arty stuff".[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Lego 'kipper' by TBWA". Campaign. London: Haymarket Media Group. 29 October 2009. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cook, Chris; Marshall, Anne (1981). The Guiness Book of Winners and Champions (2nd ed.). Enfield, London: Guiness Superlatives Limited. p. 5. ISBN 0-85112-218-3.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Myerson, Jeremy; Vickers, Graham (2002). Rewind: Forty Years of Design & Advertising. New York: Phaidon Press. pp. 252, 486. ISBN 0-7148-4271-0.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Watson, Graham (November 27, 2023). "BLOG/CAST: Graham Watson #1". Stuff From the Loft (Interview). Interviewed by Dave Dye. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2025. Includes three documents:
    • Hegarty, John (18 October 1979). "TBWA contract letter" (Letter to Graham Watson). Covent Garden, London: TBWA.
    • Watson, Graham; Cozens, Mike (25 April 1980). "'Kipper' TV/Radio Script" (Document). TBWA.
    • Watson, Graham; Cozens, Mike; Bearman, Jane (15 July 1980). "'Kipper' Contact Report" (Document). TBWA.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cozens, Mike (January 29, 2016). "INTERVIEW: Mike Cozens". Stuff From the Loft (Interview). Interviewed by Dave Dye. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 The One Show: Advertising's Best Print, Radio, TV. Vol. 3. New York: The One Club for Art and Copy. 1982. pp. 46, 86. ISBN 0-960-2628-3-0. ISSN 0273-2033.
  7. ↑ Nicholls, Clive, ed. (Spring 1981). "A Merry Old Soul". Bricks 'n Pieces. No. 7. Wrexham, Clwyd: LEGO UK Ltd. p. 1.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 McCarthy, John (June 14, 2022). "World's best ads ever #88: Lego lays the foundations for 40-year legacy with 'Kipper'". The Drum. Carnyx Group. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Moody, Annemarie (May 28, 2008). "Children's TV Creator Dies Unexpectedly". Animation World Network. Van Nuys, California: Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  10. ↑ Bishop, Louise, ed. (1996). "Graham Watson". The Art Direction Book. Crans, Switzerland: Rotovision SA. pp. 102–103, 106, 170–171. ISBN 2-88046-284-3.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Robinson, Mark (2000). 100 Greatest TV Ads. London: HarperCollins. p. 34. ISBN 0-00-711123-1.
  12. ↑ <!- -none listed- -> (27 November 2009). "Kipper Back in the Menu for LEGO UK". LEGO.com Parents News. Archived from the original on 3 December 2009.
  13. ↑ Awdry, Will (23 September 2020). "Watson and Cozens". willawdry.blog. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  14. ↑ Russel, Peter; Slingerland, Senta, eds. (2013). Game Changers: The Evolution of Advertising. Cologne: Taschen. p. 53. ISBN 978-3-8365-4524-2.
  15. ↑ "The 100 Greatest TV Ads". Channel 4 Television. 2000. Archived from the original on 18 June 2001.
  16. ↑ The 100 Greatest TV Ads (Repeat airing on 29 August 2004). London: Channel 4. 29 April 2000. Event occurs at 39:45-40:25. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
External video
video icon 1980 Lego 'Kipper' via History of Advertising Trust on YouTube (this one is clearer but slightly squished)
video icon Kipper (2008 version) by TBWA Worldwide on Vimeo
video icon Kipper (New Zealand version) on YouTube
Retrieved from "https://wiki.researchrealm.net/index.php?title=Kipper&oldid=8624"