Kipper

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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] Cozens and Watson had joined TBWA\London 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][6] 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.[7]

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.[8]

The dragon model from Kipper; only its front half is visible in the advertisement

The LEGO models used in Kipper were created by David Lyall, a LEGO model designer at LEGO UK Ltd.[9][2] Lyall made two versions of each model: one glued version, and one to be assembled and disassembled during stop motion filming.[10] The largest model built for the advertisement, the dragon, contained around 20,000 LEGO bricks.[7]

David Lyall holding the mouse model

Kipper was produced at Clearwater Films, a studio founded by former Century 21 directors Ken Turner and David Mitton.[11][12] Turner and Mitton worked on the advertisement as its director and producer, respectively.[13] 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."[14][3]

Filming took place over the course of seventeen days. The stop motion LEGO models were built in stages during filming, with a few frames of footage being shot between each stage. Director 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.[7] Stop motion animation was done by Denis Russo, while camera work and lighting were done by Tom Harrison.[2][13] The entire shoot was done in a single take.[7] Watson later likened the filming process to watching paint dry.[4]

For the advertisement's voice-over, TBWA\London 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.[15] Cooper was ultimately replaced with a sound-alike, however; his agent told 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."[16] Kitter, an impressionist, narrated the advertisement with an impersonation of Cooper, including using Cooper's catchphrase "just like that".[11][17] Audiences at the time were unable to tell Kitter's impression was not actually Cooper's voice.[15][11] Some later sources still listed Cooper as the ad's narrator.[1][18][19]

Reception

According to Campaign's website, "Kipper" first premiered on 29 October 1980.[1] It aired during the 1980 Christmas season.[9]

In its Spring 1981 issue, Bricks 'n Pieces featured a photograph of Lyall holding the mouse model from Kipper.[9]

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.[20][21]

Starting on 31 October 2008, Kipper was run in British cinemas for a month, launched with the film Quantum of Solace, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the modern LEGO brick.[22][11] In December 2009 it was run again, both in cinemas and on television for the first time since 1983.[23]

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".[6]

Awards

References

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "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 2.2 2.3 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 Myerson & Vickers 2002, p. 252.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Watson 2023.
  5. ↑ Hegarty 1979.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 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.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 The One Club for Art and Copy 1982, p. 86.
  8. ↑ Watson & Cozens 1980.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Nicholls, Clive, ed. (Spring 1981). "A Merry Old Soul". Bricks 'n Pieces. No. 7. Wrexham, Clwyd: LEGO UK Ltd. p. 1.
  10. ↑ Watson, Cozens & Bearman 1980.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 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.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Myerson & Vickers 2002, p. 486.
  14. ↑ Bishop 1996, p. 170.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Robinson, Mark (2000). 100 Greatest TV Ads. London: HarperCollins. p. 34. ISBN 0-00-711123-1.
  16. ↑ Awdry, Will (23 September 2020). "Watson and Cozens". willawdry.blog. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Russel, Peter; Slingerland, Senta, eds. (2013). Game Changers: The Evolution of Advertising. Cologne: Taschen. p. 53. ISBN 978-3-8365-4524-2.
  18. ↑ Saunders, Dave (1999). 20th Century Advertising. London: Carlton Books Limited. p. 113. ISBN 1-85868-520-6.
  19. ↑ Herman, Sarah (2012). A Million Little Bricks. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62636-118-8.
  20. ↑ "The 100 Greatest TV Ads". Channel 4 Television. 2000. Archived from the original on 18 June 2001.
  21. ↑ 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.
  22. ↑ Kemp, Ed (30 October 2008). "Lego brings back 80s 'Kipper' ad". Campaign. London: Haymarket Media Group. Archived from the original on 23 September 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "Kipper Back in the Menu for LEGO UK". LEGO.com Parents News. 27 November 2009. Archived from the original on 3 December 2009.
  24. ↑ Denny 1980.
  25. ↑ The One Club for Art and Copy 1982, p. 46.
  26. ↑ Marshall, Anne (1994). The Guinness Book of Winners. Enfield, London: Guinness Publishing. p. 5. ISBN 0-85112-791-6.
  27. ↑ Warlick, Mary, ed. (1990). "Finalists: Print, Radio, Television". Advertising's Ten Best Of The Decade 1980–1990. New York: The One Club for Art and Copy. p. 66. ISBN 0-929837-02-9.

Sources

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
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