Kipper
| Agency | TBWA |
|---|---|
| Client | LEGO UK Ltd |
| Media | Television |
| Running time | 45 seconds |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Slogan |
|
| Written by | Mike Cozens |
| Directed by | Ken Turner |
| Starring |
|
| Production company | Clearwater Films |
| Produced by | David Mitten |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Kipper is a British stop-motion television commercial first aired in 1980.
Summary
The advertisement shows a small LEGO mouse
when a LEGO cat appears
mouse, cat, dog, dragon, fire engine, submarine, submarine-eating kipper (initially misheard as "slipper"), an "anti-kipper ballistic missile", a "missile cruncher", elephant, mouse
Production
Kipper was created at the London branch of the advertising agency TBWA by copywritter Mike Cozens and art director Graham Watson.[1] Cozens and Watson had joined TBWA in February 1980 and had developed two print advertisements for the LEGO Group before being briefed on a television project.[2] The commercial had to be created on a limited budget; the two did not want to resort to making a "dull" presenter commercial, and spent numerous late nights developing the concept and working with the accounting team to get script approval.[1] The advertisement was produced by Clearwater Films. Clearwater suggested building a set with wallpaper and carpets, but Watson wanted to direct it "simply", using "just the skirting board and a reflective floor."[3]
Filming took place over the course of seventeen days, and was done in a single take.[1] The LEGO models in the film were created by David Lyall, a model designer at LEGO UK.[4] Lyall built each model in stages, and a few frames of footage were shot between each stage. The largest LEGO model in the film, the dragon, was built out of 20,000 LEGO bricks.[1] Additional stop motion animation was done by Denis Russo.[5] Director Ken Turner and his team planned out the timing for both the building sequences and for zooming and panning the camera, having to make sure the camera movement lined up with each stage of the models.[1]
TBWA initially considered comedian Mike Reid for the advertisement’s voice-over. They instead decided on Tommy Cooper, as his voice had done well in research at the time even among international audiences. Cooper was ill at the time of recording, however, and impressionist Roger Kitter was hired to impersonate him; audiences ended up thinking Kitter's impression was Cooper's voice.[6][7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The One Show: Advertising's Best Print, Radio, TV. Vol. 3. New York: The One Club for Art and Copy. 1982. p. 86. ISBN 0-960-2628-3-0. ISSN 0273-2033.
- ↑ Watson, Graham (November 27, 2023). "BLOG/CAST: Graham Watson #1". Stuff From the Loft (Interview). Interviewed by Dave Dye. Archived from the original on 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ↑ Bishop, Louise, ed. (1996). The Art Direction Book. Crans, Switzerland: Rotovision SA. pp. 170–171. ISBN 2-88046-284-3.
- ↑ Nicholls, Clive, ed. (Spring 1981). "A Merry Old Soul". Bricks 'n Pieces. No. 7. Wrexham, Clwyd: LEGO UK Ltd. p. 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.
- ↑ Robinson, Mark (2000). 100 Greatest TV Ads. London: HarperCollins. p. 34. ISBN 0-00-711123-1.
- ↑ 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 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
- ↑ Kanner, Bernice (1999). The 100 Best TV Commercials ...and Why They Worked. New York: Times Books. pp. 90–91. ISBN 0-8129-2995-0.
