Wilkins Coffee Commercials

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.

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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 “Cannon” spot was one of his most popular and produced for at least 14 clients, such as Kraml Dairy, Red Diamond, Community, Nash's, and more.

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.

Another series of commercials were produced for the company, notably not featuring Wilkins and Wontkins. Instead, the commercials star Scoop and Skip (as Scoop Wilkins and Skip Others, respectively) for the "Wilkins News Report." Scoop headlines from the studio newsdesk, while Skip corresponds from all over the globe, typically referring real-life current events of the time.

Commercials

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



Wilkins News Reports

Picture Subject Description Abominable Snowman Skip reports from the Himalayan Mountains, attempting to prove the existence of the Abominable Snowman, using the aroma of Wilkins Coffee as bait. Coffee Break Coffee breaks and their effect on workplace productivity are in the news. Skip cites one executive in favor of coffee breaks - Mr. Wilkins. Congo Skip mistakes "the Congo situation" for the "Conga." Cuba Skip reports from Havana, having accidentally been drafted into Fidel Castro's army. Food for Peace The Wilkins Company is adopting their own "Coffee for Peace" initiative, sending their products to "depressed areas" (i.e. their consumer markets). France Instead of covering John F. Kennedy's trip to France, Skip has instead been trading Wilkins Coffee for perfume with the locals. Medical Care Bill From the Speedy Relief Research Institute, Skip believes Wilkins Coffee can ease one's personal tension. Moscow v. Peeking Skip details the tensions between the Kremlin and "red China" has been inflated thanks to Nikita Khrushchev's negative encounter with a Chinese cleaning establishment. President's Cabinet Skip takes a look inside the President's cabinet - the President of the Wilkins Coffee company to be precise. Russian Rocket After the Russian's attempt at space travel, Skip reports that the local astronaut is none-too-thrilled to have landed back in Russia. Second Cup Skip claims people are going backwards to get a second cup of Wilkins Coffee, but he really just wound the camera backwards by accident. Spring Fever Skip can't report on the major headlines of the day because he has spring fever. Venus With news of Russians trying to get to Venus, Skip remarks he'd like to go there too - "Haven't you seen that de Milo girl?"

Red Diamond Coffee

Other titles

The Ball Bounces

Baloney

Bank Robber

Bar Room

Blow Torch

Cleaver

Construction Worker

Exploding Brand X

Fire Engine

Flavor Lock Package

Frontier Bar

Giant

Golf Club Good Boy

Goofo the Great

Gossips

Got a Dime

Grenade

Guy Across the Street

Ice Skating

Jingle in Bed

Magician

Mallet

Marshall Dilly

Martins and Coys

Monster

My Dead Body

Observation Lounge On the Wagon

One Dollar Without Wilkins

Positive

Ship Christening

Smoke It

Snikliw the Swamee

Snow Storm

Thinking Man's Coffee

Tired of Commercials

TV Set

Wake Up

Window

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

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]

: 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. 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]

: 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. La Touraine Coffee : Fifteen 10-second ads for La Touraine Coffee, a Boston-based company, from 1958 to 1962.

: 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 that produces Jomar Instant, from 1958 to 1962.

: Fifteen 10-second ads for Martinson Coffee, a New York City-based company that produces Jomar Instant, 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.

Unauthorized reboot

In October 1990, the company attempted to reboot the characters, without the Henson Company's approval. The company offered t-shirts[6] and from at least December 1990 to February 1991. The company also filed a trademark on a design showing the characters, in 1990; it was cancelled as "Dead" in 1998.[7]

At some point, the Wilkins Coffee Co. sold the film and toy rights to the characters to John T. Brady & Associates, a New York marketing firm. The company set up a booth in June 1992 at the Licensing Expo in New York City, attempting to sell licensing to the characters. The booth was decorated with images of Henson and the rest of the Muppets, and the phrase "Original Muppets Created by Jim Henson." Jim Henson Production staff viewed the booth on the first day of the show; Jane Henson viewed it on the third day, and attempted to tear down the display. Jim Henson Productions filed a lawsuit in federal court, and Brady threatened to countersue. Brady responded that he didn't "see why we should be prevented from expanding the Muppet culture."[8] (Wilkins had filed trademark applications on the characters in March 1992, in categories including "marketing and licensing of children's characters," toys, clothing, hair products, television programs, printed items (books, napkins, etc), and cough medicines. These patents had been abandoned by April 1993.)[9]

Wilkins ran the t-shirt promotion at least once more, in 1994.[10]

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