Gobbledok
Encyclopedia
The Gobbledok is a fictional advertising character in Australia
from the late 1980s to mid 1990s. It has re-emerged in a new marketing campaign in May 2010. It is a pale brownish alien with an obsession for eating Smith's Potato Crisps. The Gobbledok subsisted on Smith's chips because they reminded it of its home, Dok the Potato Planet
. This small irregularly shaped world can be found to the southeast of the Large Magellanic Cloud
(Right ascension: 03h47m14.30s, Declination: -74°14'20.0"), and is theorised from spectral analysis to be almost entirely composed of complex starch
molecules, within an Acrylamide
crust, hypothesised to be due in part to the extreme effects of the planet's mostly Triglyceride
atmosphere, and extremes of seasonal temperature.
The Gobbledok became famous for his catchphrase "chippie, chippie, chippie!"
The campaign was first conceived in May 1987 by Sydney's George Patterson Advertising for what was then The Smith's Snackfood Company
. Brainchild of in-house writer John Finklesen, the character was designed and brought to life by special effects creator Warren Beaton - also responsible for creating Wattie's
NZ's "Getti" - and originally performed by small stature actor Steven George, who stands at 48 inches tall.
Initially, John Finkleston conceived of the Gobbledok as a one-off spot to introduce Smith's new "Seal of Freshness" packaging for their Crisps. The very first TVC featuring the gobbledok began shooting on location at Sydney's Chatswood Coles Supermarket on 31 May 1987, and was Directed By John Clark & produced by Ian Iveson of Iveson Clark Productions, Agency producer for George Patterson at the time was Des Freeman.
The success of the first commercial lead to unexpected problems in further productions. The animatronics used in the first Gobbledok were basic for the time, with a limited range of expressions. With the increasing budget in later commercials, the Gobbledok costume became greatly improved, but the range of expressions still had to tie in with the first version. Smiths, aware of the success, later had the agency write down a list of "rules" for the creature's behaviour.
The Gobbledok's trademark Red, Yellow, and Blue mohawk
and hairdo was originally inspired by the 7th floor receptionist at George Patterson's at the time of his inception, the colours were to suggest Smith's chips packaging.
The unexpected overnight popularity of the Gobbledok, and the associated exponential rise in Their Crisps sales, prompted his long association with the Smith's brand in Australia.
Gobbledok's many adventures included:
Some people have drawn attention to such anomalies as the Gobbledok's large golden ear ring swapping from his left ear to right from scene to scene over the years, or that he had no teeth, or indeed that he was rarely actually seen to put any Crisps in his mouth.
The Gobbledok campaign ran continuously for over 10 years until the mid 1990s.
In 1996 a new Gobbledok was commissioned but advertising agencies changed hands and the advert was never filmed. It has long since been replaced by a succession of new advertising campaigns, and Smith's Advertising is now handled by another agency. A facsimili of the original Gobbledok has made a cameo in the recently aired "Eat happy" ad.
Since 1987 many Smith's Snackfoods trucks in Australia
have carried the Gobbledok's trademark word "Chippies" on their sides.
As of 2008, an illustration of the Gobbledok has begun to re-appear on some Smith's chips packaging.
In May 2010 Smiths brought back the Gobbledok for its new advertising. Still using a costume, but with a re-designed computer generated face replacing the old animatronic one. Now missing are his loping right ear, and the punk hairdo.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
from the late 1980s to mid 1990s. It has re-emerged in a new marketing campaign in May 2010. It is a pale brownish alien with an obsession for eating Smith's Potato Crisps. The Gobbledok subsisted on Smith's chips because they reminded it of its home, Dok the Potato Planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
. This small irregularly shaped world can be found to the southeast of the Large Magellanic Cloud
Large Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud is a nearby irregular galaxy, and is a satellite of the Milky Way. At a distance of slightly less than 50 kiloparsecs , the LMC is the third closest galaxy to the Milky Way, with the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal and Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy lying closer to the center...
(Right ascension: 03h47m14.30s, Declination: -74°14'20.0"), and is theorised from spectral analysis to be almost entirely composed of complex starch
Starch
Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
molecules, within an Acrylamide
Acrylamide
Acrylamide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula C3H5NO. Its IUPAC name is prop-2-enamide. It is a white odourless crystalline solid, soluble in water, ethanol, ether, and chloroform. Acrylamide is incompatible with acids, bases, oxidizing agents, iron, and iron salts...
crust, hypothesised to be due in part to the extreme effects of the planet's mostly Triglyceride
Triglyceride
A triglyceride is an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids. There are many triglycerides, depending on the oil source, some are highly unsaturated, some less so....
atmosphere, and extremes of seasonal temperature.
The Gobbledok became famous for his catchphrase "chippie, chippie, chippie!"
The campaign was first conceived in May 1987 by Sydney's George Patterson Advertising for what was then The Smith's Snackfood Company
The Smith's Snackfood Company
The Smith's Snackfood Company is a company best known for producing and selling a range of snack food such as crisps. It is now owned by New York based company PepsiCo.-Smiths in the UK:...
. Brainchild of in-house writer John Finklesen, the character was designed and brought to life by special effects creator Warren Beaton - also responsible for creating Wattie's
Wattie's
Wattie's or Heinz Wattie's Limited is a New Zealand-based food producer of frozen and packaged fruit, vegetables, sauces, baby food, cooking sauces, dressings and pet foods....
NZ's "Getti" - and originally performed by small stature actor Steven George, who stands at 48 inches tall.
Initially, John Finkleston conceived of the Gobbledok as a one-off spot to introduce Smith's new "Seal of Freshness" packaging for their Crisps. The very first TVC featuring the gobbledok began shooting on location at Sydney's Chatswood Coles Supermarket on 31 May 1987, and was Directed By John Clark & produced by Ian Iveson of Iveson Clark Productions, Agency producer for George Patterson at the time was Des Freeman.
The success of the first commercial lead to unexpected problems in further productions. The animatronics used in the first Gobbledok were basic for the time, with a limited range of expressions. With the increasing budget in later commercials, the Gobbledok costume became greatly improved, but the range of expressions still had to tie in with the first version. Smiths, aware of the success, later had the agency write down a list of "rules" for the creature's behaviour.
The Gobbledok's trademark Red, Yellow, and Blue mohawk
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
and hairdo was originally inspired by the 7th floor receptionist at George Patterson's at the time of his inception, the colours were to suggest Smith's chips packaging.
The unexpected overnight popularity of the Gobbledok, and the associated exponential rise in Their Crisps sales, prompted his long association with the Smith's brand in Australia.
Gobbledok's many adventures included:
- Crashing his tiny spaceship into a supermarket carpark, breaking in, and levitating up to a shelf to steal 'chippies'.
- Riding with a truck driver. After actress Robyn Moore - portraying a truck-stop waitress - says "you watch out for Gobbledoks then!", the truckie replies "Gobbledoks? HAH! NOBODY believes in Gobbledoks!" knocking the fellow over with the shop door on the way out.
- Being mistaken for a guest wearing a "great suit" at a costume party, then hovering across the pool with stolen Crisps.
- Running at the "speed of sound" (inspired by the Mike JittlovMike JittlovMike Jittlov is an American animator and the creator of short films and one feature length movie using forms of special effects animation, including stop-motion animation, rotoscoping, and pixilation...
film The Wizard of Speed and TimeThe Wizard of Speed and TimeThe Wizard of Speed and Time is a 1989 low-budget feature film written, directed, and starring animator Mike Jittlov, as well as a 1979 16 mm short film, also by Jittlov.-1979 Short film:...
). - Using "The ForceForce (Star Wars)The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
" to steal Chippies from a lounging couple. - Hitching a ride, then Moving in with an elderly Potato Farmer. Meeting his wife, "Don't you think he's a bit... unusual?". "It's all right, he's from the city, love".
- Being hunted by the police and the armed forces to the tune of "The Gobbledok is Coming to town". (to which, a large sum was paid to the estates of J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, copyright owners of "Santa Claus is Coming to TownSanta Claus Is Coming to Town"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is a Christmas song. It was written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie, and was first sung on Eddie Cantor's radio show in November 1934....
"). - Appearing in clips of old classic and B-grade movies such as Jason and the Argonauts and Plan 9 from Outer SpacePlan 9 from Outer SpacePlan 9 from Outer Space is a 1959 science fiction film written and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr. The film features Gregory Walcott, Mona McKinnon, Tor Johnson and Maila "Vampira" Nurmi...
, then the film characters all dancing "the Gobbledok". - Bungee jumpingBungee jumpingBungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
Warner-Bros.-cartoon-style off a bridge to steal chips from a young girl riding in the back of a Pickup truckPickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
.
Some people have drawn attention to such anomalies as the Gobbledok's large golden ear ring swapping from his left ear to right from scene to scene over the years, or that he had no teeth, or indeed that he was rarely actually seen to put any Crisps in his mouth.
The Gobbledok campaign ran continuously for over 10 years until the mid 1990s.
In 1996 a new Gobbledok was commissioned but advertising agencies changed hands and the advert was never filmed. It has long since been replaced by a succession of new advertising campaigns, and Smith's Advertising is now handled by another agency. A facsimili of the original Gobbledok has made a cameo in the recently aired "Eat happy" ad.
Since 1987 many Smith's Snackfoods trucks in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
have carried the Gobbledok's trademark word "Chippies" on their sides.
As of 2008, an illustration of the Gobbledok has begun to re-appear on some Smith's chips packaging.
In May 2010 Smiths brought back the Gobbledok for its new advertising. Still using a costume, but with a re-designed computer generated face replacing the old animatronic one. Now missing are his loping right ear, and the punk hairdo.
