Noid
Encyclopedia
The Noid is an advertising character for Domino's Pizza
created in the 1980s. He was a villain
ous red-suited character with red rabbit ears who attempted to ruin Domino's pizza
but was constantly thwarted. The Noid was created in 1986 by Group 243, the advertising agency for Domino's Pizza and was animated by Will Vinton Studios. The creative team of Ernie Perich (creative director), Gary Bastien (art director), Dave Larson (producer), Matthew Thornton (producer), and Phil Kneesi (writer) created the character and the television campaigns. Commercials that featured the character used the slogan "Avoid the Noid!"
As part of the advertising campaign, a computer game was released in 1989 called Avoid the Noid
. The object of the game is to deliver a pizza within a half-hour time limit, in an apartment building swarming with Noids (some of which are armed with heat-seeking or pizza-seeking missiles, or water balloons). The common version is version 1.0 and has CGA
graphics and PC speaker
sound effects, although version 1.1 also exists which added support for EGA
graphics and Adlib
music. In 1990, Capcom
released a different video game, Yo! Noid
, for the NES
.
Also, the Noid has made a few appearances in modern-day entertainment, including an altercation in the episode of Family Guy
called Deep Throats
, in an episode of 30 Rock
, in a segment of Michael Jackson: Moonwalker and in two episodes of The Simpsons
, once as a Thanksgiving Day parade balloon, and the other in person in the episode "She of Little Faith
".
Domino's brought the Noid back for a limited run of t-shirts in December 2009. Proceeds from the sale of these "Avoid The Noid!" t-shirts went to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. A limited run of 1,000 shirts was made.
, Georgia
, Domino's restaurant hostage
for over five hours. After forcing them to make him a pizza and making demands for $100,000, getaway transportation, and a copy of The Widow's Son
, Noid surrendered to the police. After the incident had ended, police Chief Reed Miller offered a memorable assessment to reporters: "He's paranoid." Noid was charged with kidnapping
, aggravated assault, extortion
, and possession of a firearm during a crime. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
created in the 1980s. He was a villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
ous red-suited character with red rabbit ears who attempted to ruin Domino's pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
but was constantly thwarted. The Noid was created in 1986 by Group 243, the advertising agency for Domino's Pizza and was animated by Will Vinton Studios. The creative team of Ernie Perich (creative director), Gary Bastien (art director), Dave Larson (producer), Matthew Thornton (producer), and Phil Kneesi (writer) created the character and the television campaigns. Commercials that featured the character used the slogan "Avoid the Noid!"
As part of the advertising campaign, a computer game was released in 1989 called Avoid the Noid
Avoid the Noid
Avoid the Noid is a platform computer game for the Commodore 64 and MS-DOS, written in 1989 to promote Domino's Pizza. It was modeled after the company's ad campaign during the late 1980s. The ads featured a "noid" that destroyed pizzas and must be avoided.-Gameplay:The Commodore 64 version was...
. The object of the game is to deliver a pizza within a half-hour time limit, in an apartment building swarming with Noids (some of which are armed with heat-seeking or pizza-seeking missiles, or water balloons). The common version is version 1.0 and has CGA
Color Graphics Adapter
The Color Graphics Adapter , originally also called the Color/Graphics Adapter or IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter, introduced in 1981, was IBM's first color graphics card, and the first color computer display standard for the IBM PC....
graphics and PC speaker
PC speaker
A PC speaker is a loudspeaker, built into some IBM PC compatible computers. The first IBM Personal Computer, model 5150, employed a standard 2.25 inch magnetic driven speaker. More recent computers use a piezoelectric speaker instead. The speaker allows software and firmware to provide...
sound effects, although version 1.1 also exists which added support for EGA
Enhanced Graphics Adapter
The Enhanced Graphics Adapter is the IBM PC computer display standard specification which is between CGA and VGA in terms of color and space resolution. Introduced in October 1984 by IBM shortly after its new PC/AT, EGA produces a display of 16 simultaneous colors from a palette of 64 at a...
graphics and Adlib
AdLib
Ad Lib, Inc. was a manufacturer of sound cards and other computer equipment founded by Martin Prevel, a former professor of music and vice-dean of the music department at the Université Laval...
music. In 1990, Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
released a different video game, Yo! Noid
Yo! Noid
Yo! Noid is a platform video game released in the United States for the NES by Capcom during November, 1990. It stars the Noid, the claymation mascot of Domino's Pizza in the late 1980s, going through fourteen different side-scrolling levels throughout various locations of New York City to battle...
, for the NES
Nes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
.
Also, the Noid has made a few appearances in modern-day entertainment, including an altercation in the episode of Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
called Deep Throats
Deep Throats
"Deep Throats" is the twenty-third episode of season four of the television series Family Guy. It was written by Alex Borstein and directed by Greg Colton. Appalled at parking charges introduced by Mayor West, Brian decides to expose the corruption of the Mayor, despite the prospect of potentially...
, in an episode of 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, in a segment of Michael Jackson: Moonwalker and in two episodes of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, once as a Thanksgiving Day parade balloon, and the other in person in the episode "She of Little Faith
She of Little Faith
"She of Little Faith" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on December 16, 2001...
".
Domino's brought the Noid back for a limited run of t-shirts in December 2009. Proceeds from the sale of these "Avoid The Noid!" t-shirts went to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. A limited run of 1,000 shirts was made.
Return of the Noid
On May 4, 2011 the Noid was brought back as a promotional figure by Domino's to be used in a campaign on their Facebook page and made a brief appearance as a stuffed toy at the end of a May 2011 commercial promoting a one-topping pizza deal. The 25th Birthday of the Noid mascot is celebrated with a video game "The Noid's Super Pizza Shootout" homage to "Avoid the Noid".Kenneth Lamar Noid
On January 30, 1989, Kenneth Lamar Noid, a mentally ill customer who thought the ads were a personal attack on him, held two employees of an AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Domino's restaurant hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
for over five hours. After forcing them to make him a pizza and making demands for $100,000, getaway transportation, and a copy of The Widow's Son
The Historical Illuminatus Chronicles
The Historical Illuminatus Chronicles is a series of three novels by Robert Anton Wilson written after his highly successful The Illuminatus! Trilogy and his 1981 "Masks of the Illuminati"...
, Noid surrendered to the police. After the incident had ended, police Chief Reed Miller offered a memorable assessment to reporters: "He's paranoid." Noid was charged with kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, aggravated assault, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, and possession of a firearm during a crime. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity.