Video: Wilkins Coffee Commercials Featuring Muppets (1950s)
"You know, people who don't drink Wilkins Coffee just blow up sometimes!"
How do you grab people's attention with only ten seconds to advertise your product? Puppets and violence! Muppet Wiki has the story behind these commercials made by Jim Henson from 1957 to 1961 featuring two puppets named Wilkins and Wontkins. Wilkins (who kind of resembles a proto-version of Kermit the Frog) pushes the importance of drinking Wilkins Coffee by inflicting various kinds of physical pain— shooting, clubbing, near-beheading, etc.—on the anti-Wilkins Coffee Wontkins. Considering how quickly these commercials fly by, they're strangely dark and funny at the same time. Hopefully they wont result in nightmares of being attacked by Muppets. Watch the video after the jump.
Wilkins Coffee Commercial Featuring Muppets (1950s)
[via We Love You So]
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15 Comments:
I used to have nightmares about being attacked by Muppets. Seriously. When I was 3, it was Grover. Something about his long, dangly arms that freaked me out. In the dreams, I get dragged under the couch. Then I'd wake up. *shudder*
On the upside, it's nice to know that if I'd been drinking coffee at age 3 I could have avoided Muppet violence. Probably because I wouldn't have been able to sleep!
Amandarama at 12:51PM on 06/17/09
I wish they would have a storyline based on the creation of these ads on Mad Men!
robinsparkles at 1:19PM on 06/17/09
Personally, I think these ads are as funny as hell, but then I am not part of the modern knitting circle that wrings their hands over every little thing that comes along.
Grumpy Old Man at 1:23PM on 06/17/09
@Grumpy Old Man: I think these ads are awesome! But something like this probably wouldn't get made today, eh?
roboppy at 1:27PM on 06/17/09
Nope! No way you will ever see even a cartoon this funny anymore. We are entirely too wussified to tolerate such humor now-a-days. We cannot seem to distinguish this kind of thing from reality. TeeVee is the new reality. If it is on TeeVee, then it must be real or it must be real "somewhere".
I was growing up before everyone had a television set and long before central air conditioning. I never had any trouble understanding that what I saw on television was mostly fake. I never had any trouble figuring out that the same was true of the cinema.
If you think this kind of thing has some part in reality, then it is not the least bit funny, but it has nothing to do with the real world. It's just funny pictures on the TeeVee. Why people cannot come to grips with that is a mystery to me.
Grumpy Old Man at 1:55PM on 06/17/09
I think these are even funnier and somehow prescient.
Grumpy Old Man at 2:01PM on 06/17/09
Great ads! Even the early, pre-Muppet prototypes are terrific. Jim Henson and Co. had a great sense of humor, didn't they? Makes me nostalgic for Sesame Street...kids shows today have no bite.
Did u know that the Old School Sesame St DVD has a "for adults only" warning before it starts?!
My fave: the grouchy muppet getting shot in the head.
soyviz at 2:15PM on 06/17/09
The sad thing is, I would not be surprised to see our government of the people, by the government for the government running ad very similar to this touting granola and veggies--only the government will not be joking about it.
Grumpy Old Man at 2:30PM on 06/17/09
@robinsparkles Actually, they made reference to it in the episode where they're pitching to the Martinson's Coffee representatives - Don notes, disparagingly, that some brands are appealing to younger consumers "With...puppets."
PizzaDinosaur at 2:49PM on 06/17/09
I don't know if this is relevant or is of interest of anyone but there was a great book recently written called "Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street" by Michael Davis. It's all about where Sesame Street came from, how it was conceived, Jim Henson's part in it, his earlier work etc. Anyway there's a chapter in the book that talks about the coffee commercials. I love Sesame Street, my dad gave me the book for Christmas, it's a really interesting read.
waterbaby at 2:56PM on 06/17/09
waterbaby-you totally beat me to the punch!
i was going to mention 'street gang' i borrowed it from the library & loved it so much that i gave it to my brother as a gift too!
highly, highly recommended!
gastronomeg at 3:10PM on 06/17/09
Wow @waterbaby and @gastromeg--I am totally going to check out that book--sounds right up my alley.
And @Grumpy--thanks for the link. That electric chair ad was a bit disturbing, though.
I rarely say this about ads, but suddenly I want to try this brand of coffee!
HeartofGlass at 7:46PM on 06/17/09
Somebody steals from BoingBoing...
swagv at 11:04PM on 06/17/09
@swagv is totally right. there's only so many blogs on the internet and two of them using the same youtube clip is theft plain and simple. also the youtube poster is stealing from television, which itself is totally ripping off the puppet shows of the middle ages. you all belong in jail.
seriouspetes at 12:41AM on 06/18/09
@Pete: I can always count on you to make me LOL.
roboppy at 1:44AM on 06/18/09