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[[Image:wontkins shot in the head_wiki.jpg|thumb|300px]]
  
[[Image:wontkins shot in the head_wiki.jpg|thumb|300px]]
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[[Video:Wilkins Coffee|thumb|300px|right]]
 +
[[File:Wilkins Coffee Commercials|thumb|right|300px|A sampling of Wilkins Coffee ads.]]
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[[Video:Wilkins Coffee 2|thumb|300px|right]]
  
 
[[Image:Wilkins coffee wiki.jpg|thumb|300px]]
  
[[Image:Wilkins coffee wiki.jpg|thumb|300px]]
  ⚫
In 1957, [[Jim Henson]] was approached by a [[Washington, D.C.]] coffee company to produce commercials for '''Wilkins Coffee'''''.'' The local stations only had ten seconds for station identification, so the Muppet commercials had to be lightning-fast—essentially, eight seconds for the commercial pitch and a two-second shot of the product.
   
  ⚫
From 1957 to 1961, Henson made 179 commercials for Wilkins Coffee and other Wilkins products, including Community Coffee and Wilkins Tea. The ads were initially filmed at Rodel Studios in Washington D.C.<ref>''[[Jim Henson: The Biography]]'' by Brian Jay Jones (page 107)</ref> The ads were so successful and well-liked that they sparked a series of remakes for companies in other local markets throughout the 1960s.
⚫
In 1957, [[Jim Henson]] was approached by a [[Washington, D.C.]] coffee company to produce commercials for '''Wilkins Coffee'''. The local stations only had ten seconds for station identification, so the Muppet commercials had to be lightning-fast -- essentially, eight seconds for the commercial pitch and a two-second shot of the product.
 
   
  ⚫
The ads starred the cheerful [[Wilkins]], who liked Wilkins Coffee, and the grumpy [[Wontkins]], who hated it. Wilkins would often do serious harm to Wontkins in the ads—blowing him up, stabbing him with a knife, and smashing him with a club, among many other violent acts.
⚫
From 1957 to 1961, Henson made 179 commercials for Wilkins Coffee and other Wilkins products, including Community Coffee and Wilkins Tea. The ads were so successful and well-liked that they sparked a series of remakes for companies in other local markets throughout the 1960s.
 
   
  ⚫
Wilkins and Wontkins were generally the only characters in the commercials, though on rare occasions, such critters as a Muppet whale or baby birds would appear. Company owner [[Mr. Wilkins]] was also invoked more than once.
⚫
The ads starred the cheerful [[Wilkins]], who liked Wilkins Coffee, and the grumpy [[Wontkins]], who hated it. Wilkins would often do serious harm to Wontkins in the ads -- blowing him up, stabbing him with a knife, and smashing him with a club, among many other violent acts.
 
   
  ⚫
The characters proved so popular that in October 1958, the company offered [[Wilkins Coffee puppets|vinyl puppets]] of Wilkins and Wontkins through the mail for $1.00 and a coffee can label. The offer on the can said, "Hey Kids! I'm Wilkins—he's Wontkins—you see us on TV!" Obviously, Wilkins Coffee and Henson knew that the Muppet characters had kid appeal, although this doesn't seem to have had any effect on the use of violence and terror in the ads
⚫
Wilkins and Wontkins were generally the only characters in the commercials, though on rare occasions, such critters as a Muppet whale or baby birds would appear. Company owner [[Mr. Wilkins]] was also invoked more than once.
 
   
  +
The only time Wontkins was caught drinking a coffee that was not Wilkins was in the 1958 "'''Steamroller" '''ad.
⚫
The characters proved so popular that in October 1958, the company offered [[Wilkins Coffee vinyl puppets|vinyl puppets]] of Wilkins and Wontkins through the mail for $1.00 and a coffee can label. The offer on the can said, "Hey Kids! I'm Wilkins -- he's Wontkins -- you see us on TV!" Obviously, Wilkins Coffee and Henson knew that the Muppet characters had kid appeal, although this doesn't seem to have had any effect on the use of violence and terror in the ads.
 
   
 
==Commercials==
  
==Commercials==
 
These are Henson's official titles for the commercials. <ref name="Falk" />
 
These are Henson's official titles for the commercials. <ref name="Falk" />
  +
<br clear="all" />
−
<gallery>
  
  +
<gallery widths="145" spacing="small" orientation="landscape" position="center" captionalign="center">
 
Image:Wilkins$65.jpg|{{GNH|$65}}
  
Image:Wilkins$65.jpg|{{GNH|$65}}
 
Image:Wilkins80dayswithwilkins.jpg|{{GNH|80 Days with Wilkins}}
  
Image:Wilkins80dayswithwilkins.jpg|{{GNH|80 Days with Wilkins}}
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Image:Wilkinsblowup.jpg|{{GNH|Blow Up}}
  
Image:Wilkinsblowup.jpg|{{GNH|Blow Up}}
 
Image:Wilkinsbostonteaparty1.jpg|{{GNH|Boston Tea Party}}
  
Image:Wilkinsbostonteaparty1.jpg|{{GNH|Boston Tea Party}}
  +
Image:Wilkins-Boxing.jpg|{{GNH|Boxing Glove}}
 
Image:Wilkinsbrandx.jpg|{{GNH|Brand X}}
  
Image:Wilkinsbrandx.jpg|{{GNH|Brand X}}
  +
Image:Wilkins-Camera.jpg|{{GNH|Camera}}
 
Image:Wilkinscannibalscene.jpg|{{GNH|Cannibal Scene}}
  
Image:Wilkinscannibalscene.jpg|{{GNH|Cannibal Scene}}
 
Image:Wilkinscannon.jpg|{{GNH|Cannon}}
  
Image:Wilkinscannon.jpg|{{GNH|Cannon}}
  +
Image:Wilkins_Coffee2.jpg|{{GNH|Car Salesman}}
 
Image:Wilkinscheepcheep.jpg|{{GNH|Cheep Cheep}}
  
Image:Wilkinscheepcheep.jpg|{{GNH|Cheep Cheep}}
 
Image:Wilkinsclimbingtree.jpg|{{GNH|Climbing Tree}}
  
Image:Wilkinsclimbingtree.jpg|{{GNH|Climbing Tree}}
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==Red Diamond Coffee==
  
==Red Diamond Coffee==
  +
<gallery widths="145" spacing="small" orientation="landscape" position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
−
<gallery>
  
  +
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_3.JPG|{{GNH|Brand X}}
  +
COM 3232 reddiamond cannon.jpg|{{GNH|Cannon}}
 
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_1.JPG|{{GNH|Climbing Tree}}
  
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_1.JPG|{{GNH|Climbing Tree}}
  +
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_4.JPG|{{GNH|Death Defying Leap}}
 
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_2.JPG|{{GNH|Good, Better, Best}}
  
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_2.JPG|{{GNH|Good, Better, Best}}
−
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_3.JPG|{{GNH|Brand X}}
 +
File:Red_Diamond_Coffee_-_Pie.png|{{GNH|Pie}}
−
File:RED_DIAMOND_COFFEE_4.JPG|{{GNH|Death Defying Leap}}
 +
File:Whale_of_a_coffee.jpg|{{GNH|A Whale of a Coffee}}
  +
File:Fired.jpg|{{GNH|Wontkins gets fired}}
 
</gallery>
  
</gallery>
   
−
Other titles:
 +
;Other titles
  +
:
−  
−
{|width=100%
 +
{| width="100%"
  ⚫
| valign="top" width="33%" |
−
|-
  
⚫
|width=33% valign="top"|
  
 
* Attention
  
* Attention
 
* Bad Commercial
  
* Bad Commercial
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* Beatnik
  
* Beatnik
 
* Because It's True
  
* Because It's True
  +
* Best Coffee Is...
 
* Biplane
  
* Biplane
 
* Blow Torch
  
* Blow Torch
  +
* Cash Register
−
* Boxing Glove
  
−
* Camera
  
−
* Car Salesman
  
 
* Cleaver
  
* Cleaver
 
* Coffee Machine
  
* Coffee Machine
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* Flavor Lock Package
  
* Flavor Lock Package
 
* Flying Saucer
  
* Flying Saucer
−  
⚫
|width=33% valign="top"|
  
 
* Frontier Bar
  
* Frontier Bar
 
* Giant
  
* Giant
  +
  ⚫
| valign="top" width="33%" |
 
* Go Soak Your Head
  
* Go Soak Your Head
 
* Golf Club
  
* Golf Club
 
* Good Boy
  
* Good Boy
 
* Good for Smart Alecks
  
* Good for Smart Alecks
  +
* Goofo the Great
 
* Gossips
  
* Gossips
 
* Got a Dime
  
* Got a Dime
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* Martins and Coys
  
* Martins and Coys
 
* Monster
  
* Monster
−  
⚫
|width=33% valign="top"|
  
 
* Moving West
  
* Moving West
 
* My Dead Body
  
* My Dead Body
  +
  ⚫
| valign="top" width="33%" |
 
* New Car or Wilkins?
  
* New Car or Wilkins?
 
* Observation Lounge
  
* Observation Lounge
 
* On the Wagon
  
* On the Wagon
−
* One Dollar without Wilkins
 +
* One Dollar Without Wilkins
  +
* Peter Peter Coffee Drinker
 
* Pie
  
* Pie
 
* Positive
  
* Positive
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* Ship Christening
  
* Ship Christening
 
* Smoke It
  
* Smoke It
  +
* Snikliw the Swamee
 
* Snow Storm
  
* Snow Storm
 
* Submarine
  
* Submarine
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* Taxi
  
* Taxi
 
* Thinking Man's Coffee
  
* Thinking Man's Coffee
  +
* Tired of Commercials
 
* Trainload
  
* Trainload
 
* Truckload of Wilkins
  
* Truckload of Wilkins
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* Wake Up
  
* Wake Up
 
* Window
  
* Window
  +
* You Can't Win
 
* You Miss a Lot
  
* You Miss a Lot
−  
 
|}
  
|}
   
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==Franchise==
  
==Franchise==
  +
[[Image:La_choy_presentation_1966.jpg|thumb|300px|A snapshot of a Community Coffee commercial.]]
−
Following the success of the Wilkins Coffee commercials in the Washington, D.C. market, Jim Henson sold the concept to coffee companies in other local markets around the US. The same ads were reshot, with the only difference being the name of the coffee company.
+
Following the success of the Wilkins Coffee commercials in the Washington, D.C. market, Jim Henson sold the concept to coffee companies in other local markets around the US. The same ads were reshot, with the only difference being the name of the coffee company.
   
 
The other companies included:
  
The other companies included:
   
−
* '''Community Coffee''': Thirty-seven 10-second ads for Community Coffee, a [[Louisiana]]-based company, from 1959 to 1969.
+
* '''Community Coffee''': Thirty-seven 10-second ads for Community Coffee, a [[Louisiana]]-based company, from 1959 to 1969. Beginning in 1966, the commercials were produced in color.<ref>Falk, Karen. "[http://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2012/03/13/313-141969/ Jim Henson's Red Book]", 3/13-14/1969 – Shoot Community Coffee.</ref>
−
* '''Donovan Coffee''': Thirteen 10-second ads for the Donovan Coffee Company, an [[Alabama]]-based company that produces Red Diamond Coffee. Six spots were produced in 1961, and a further seven spots in 1966.
+
* '''Donovan Coffee''': Thirteen 10-second ads for the Donovan Coffee Company, an [[Alabama]]-based company that produces Red Diamond Coffee. Six spots were produced in 1961, and an additional seven color spots were produced in December 1966.<ref>Falk, Karen. "[http://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2011/12/14/1213-151966/ Jim Henson's Red Book]", 12/13-15/1966 – Shoot Community and Red Diamond Comm.</ref>
 
* '''La Touraine Coffee''': Fifteen 10-second ads for La Touraine Coffee, a [[Massachusetts|Boston]]-based company, from 1958 to 1962.
  
* '''La Touraine Coffee''': Fifteen 10-second ads for La Touraine Coffee, a [[Massachusetts|Boston]]-based company, from 1958 to 1962.
−
* '''Martinson Coffee''': Fifteen 10-second ads for Martinson Coffee, a [[New York City]]-based company, from 1958 to 1962.
+
* '''Martinson Coffee''': Fifteen 10-second ads for Martinson Coffee, a [[New York City]]-based company, from 1958 to 1962.
 
* '''Nash's Coffee''': Twenty 10-second ads for Nash's Coffee, a [[Minnesota]] based company, from 1958 to 1961. <ref name="Falk">[[Karen Falk]], the Jim Henson Company Archives.</ref>
  
* '''Nash's Coffee''': Twenty 10-second ads for Nash's Coffee, a [[Minnesota]] based company, from 1958 to 1961. <ref name="Falk">[[Karen Falk]], the Jim Henson Company Archives.</ref>
   
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==Awards==
  
==Awards==
−
The "TV Anti-Violence League" spot from [[1960]] was recognized by the [[Clio]] awards, as runner-up in the category of best television/cinema spot.
 +
The "TV Anti-Violence League" spot from [[1960]] was recognized by the Clio awards, as runner-up in the category of best television/cinema spot.
  +
−
 
 
==Credits==
  
==Credits==
 
:'''Client:''' Wilkins Coffee, Belmont Ver Standig, Washington DC
  
:'''Client:''' Wilkins Coffee, Belmont Ver Standig, Washington DC

Revision as of 21:09, 6 February 2016

Wontkins shot in the head wiki
Wilkins_Coffee_Commercials

Wilkins Coffee Commercials

A sampling of Wilkins Coffee ads.

Wilkins coffee wiki

In 1957, Jim Henson was approached by a Washington, D.C. coffee company to produce commercials for Wilkins Coffee. The local stations only had ten seconds for station identification, so the Muppet commercials had to be lightning-fast—essentially, eight seconds for the commercial pitch and a two-second shot of the product.

From 1957 to 1961, Henson made 179 commercials for Wilkins Coffee and other Wilkins products, including Community Coffee and Wilkins Tea. The ads were initially filmed at Rodel Studios in Washington D.C.[1] The ads were so successful and well-liked that they sparked a series of remakes for companies in other local markets throughout the 1960s.

The ads starred the cheerful Wilkins, who liked Wilkins Coffee, and the grumpy Wontkins, who hated it. Wilkins would often do serious harm to Wontkins in the ads—blowing him up, stabbing him with a knife, and smashing him with a club, among many other violent acts.

Wilkins and Wontkins were generally the only characters in the commercials, though on rare occasions, such critters as a Muppet whale or baby birds would appear. Company owner Mr. Wilkins was also invoked more than once.

The characters proved so popular that in October 1958, the company offered vinyl puppets of Wilkins and Wontkins through the mail for $1.00 and a coffee can label. The offer on the can said, "Hey Kids! I'm Wilkins—he's Wontkins—you see us on TV!" Obviously, Wilkins Coffee and Henson knew that the Muppet characters had kid appeal, although this doesn't seem to have had any effect on the use of violence and terror in the ads

The only time Wontkins was caught drinking a coffee that was not Wilkins was in the 1958 "Steamroller" ad.

Commercials

These are Henson's official titles for the commercials. [2]

Red Diamond Coffee

Other titles
  • Attention
  • Bad Commercial
  • The Ball Bounces
  • Baloney
  • Bank Robber
  • Bar Room
  • Beatnik
  • Because It's True
  • Best Coffee Is...
  • Biplane
  • Blow Torch
  • Cash Register
  • Cleaver
  • Coffee Machine
  • Construction Worker
  • Drinking Fountain
  • Exploding Brand X
  • Exploding Cigar
  • Falling Safe
  • Fire Engine
  • Fired
  • Flavor Lock Package
  • Flying Saucer
  • Frontier Bar
  • Giant
  • Go Soak Your Head
  • Golf Club
  • Good Boy
  • Good for Smart Alecks
  • Goofo the Great
  • Gossips
  • Got a Dime
  • Grenade
  • Guy Across the Street
  • Headaches of Life
  • I Get a Bang Out of Wilkins
  • I Have a Hunch
  • Ice Skating
  • Jailhouse
  • Jingle in Bed
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • Love My Wilkins
  • Magic Wand
  • Magician
  • Mallet
  • Marshall Dilly
  • Martins and Coys
  • Monster
  • Moving West
  • My Dead Body
  • New Car or Wilkins?
  • Observation Lounge
  • On the Wagon
  • One Dollar Without Wilkins
  • Peter Peter Coffee Drinker
  • Pie
  • Positive
  • Public Service Announcement
  • Rockabye Baby
  • Ship Christening
  • Smoke It
  • Snikliw the Swamee
  • Snow Storm
  • Submarine
  • Taking the Fifth
  • Taxi
  • Thinking Man's Coffee
  • Tired of Commercials
  • Trainload
  • Truckload of Wilkins
  • Tunnel of Love
  • Wake Up
  • Window
  • You Can't Win
  • You Miss a Lot

Public appeal

The Wilkins Coffee ads stood out from the usual commercial fare. In a press release issued February 19, 1959, Senator John Marshall Butler (R-MD) strongly criticized the quality of broadcast television, but praised the Wilkins ads: "The Maryland Senator, an opponent of pay television, called on the networks and individual stations to re-examine their programming and advertising policies at once to provide the public with better television fare. He said that the Senate Commerce Committee, of which he is a member, will explore the entire situation... As to advertising, it insults the intelligence of the viewer. It is geared at know-nothings. As far as I am concerned, if I hear 'a thinking-man's filter and a smoking-man's taste,' I promptly switch to another channel. About the only clever advertising on the air today is 'Wilkins and Wontkins'. It pleases rather than irritates television audiences, and I am happy to learn that this series is bringing increased sales to the sponsor."

The Senator's approval was echoed in a 1965 article in the Washington, D.C. Evening Star, which reported the findings of a poll in the D.C. area about television commercials: "John H. Wilkins, Jr., of the Wilkins Coffee Company, can be proud of the overwhelming endorsement of Washington area viewers of his Muppet TV spots. The Wilkins commercials, which he conceived, are easily the favorite of voters in this area." [3]

Franchise

La choy presentation 1966

A snapshot of a Community Coffee commercial.

Following the success of the Wilkins Coffee commercials in the Washington, D.C. market, Jim Henson sold the concept to coffee companies in other local markets around the US. The same ads were reshot, with the only difference being the name of the coffee company.

The other companies included:

  • Community Coffee: Thirty-seven 10-second ads for Community Coffee, a Louisiana-based company, from 1959 to 1969. Beginning in 1966, the commercials were produced in color.[4]
  • Donovan Coffee: Thirteen 10-second ads for the Donovan Coffee Company, an Alabama-based company that produces Red Diamond Coffee. Six spots were produced in 1961, and an additional seven color spots were produced in December 1966.[5]
  • La Touraine Coffee: Fifteen 10-second ads for La Touraine Coffee, a Boston-based company, from 1958 to 1962.
  • Martinson Coffee: Fifteen 10-second ads for Martinson Coffee, a New York City-based company, from 1958 to 1962.
  • Nash's Coffee: Twenty 10-second ads for Nash's Coffee, a Minnesota based company, from 1958 to 1961. [2]

Releases

The "TV Anti-Violence League" spot was released on a commercial DVD by Madacy Home Video.

Awards

The "TV Anti-Violence League" spot from 1960 was recognized by the Clio awards, as runner-up in the category of best television/cinema spot.

Credits

Client: Wilkins Coffee, Belmont Ver Standig, Washington DC
Agency Producer: James W. Young
Cinematographer: Del Ankers
Copywriters: James Henson, James Young
Performer/Voice: Wilkins & Wontkins (puppets), Jim Henson (voice)
Production Company: Rodel, Washington DC
Animation & Art: Jane & James Henson

Sources

  1. ↑ Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones (page 107)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Karen Falk, the Jim Henson Company Archives.
  3. ↑ "Weekly Poll: Voters Feel Strongly on TV Commercials", Harold Stern and Jack Boyle, The Evening Star, March 22, 1965.
  4. ↑ Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 3/13-14/1969 – Shoot Community Coffee.
  5. ↑ Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 12/13-15/1966 – Shoot Community and Red Diamond Comm.
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