Gobbledok
The Gobbledok was a fictitious television character in Australia from the 1987 to 1994. It was a pale brownish alien known for its multi-colored "Mohawk" hairdo and an obsession for eating Smith's Potato Crisps. The Gobbledok's fictitious home was Dok the Potato Planet.
The Gobbledok became famous for the catchphrase "chippie, chippie, chippie!"
The campaign was first conceived in 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 initially performed by small stature person Steven George who stood at 1.21m tall. The Gobbledok's voice was provided by veteran Australian voice actor Dave Gibson who had also done voices for several Australian television commercials as well as lending his voice to the well known Australian TV series Australia's Funniest Home Videos.
Initially, Finkleston conceived of the Gobbledok as a one-off spot to introduce Smith's new "Seal of Freshness" packaging for their Chips - featuring a new less moisture-permeable wrapper. 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 was Des Freeman.
The unexpected success of the Gobbledok's first "one-off" commercial spot lead to problems in further productions. As the first spot featuring the Gobbledok was never intended to be a continuing series, the animatronics Warren Beaton used to bring his design to life were necessarily limited in their facial expressions due to budget and time. With the increasing budget in later commercials, the Gobbledok costume became somewhat improved, but the range of expressions still had to relate to the first version. Smiths, aware of the success, later had the agency create a list of "rules" for the creature's behavior.
The Gobbledok's trademark Red, Yellow, and Blue mohawk and hairdo was originally inspired by a popular receptionist at George Patterson's at the time of its inception in early 1987, the colours also suggested Smith's trademark packaging.
The great popularity of the Gobbledok, and the associated rise in Smith's Crisps sales, prompted the long association of the Gobbledok with the Smith's brand in Australia.
Gobbledok's many TV spot adventures included:
- Having crashed his tiny spaceship into a supermarket carpark, he breaks in, then levitates up to a shelf to steal 'chippies'.
- Riding with a truck driver named Big Eddie. After actress Robyn Moore - portraying a truck-stop waitress - says "you watch out for Gobbledoks then!", then Big Eddie replies "Gobbledoks? HAH! NOBODY believes in Gobbledoks!" knocking the fellow over with the shop door on the way out he follows Big Eddie towards his truck as he put the 3 packets down and then talks on his walkie talkie as the Gobbledok grabs his packets. As he drives off the little fellow starts talking to his crisps. Big Eddie then stops looking scared then the camera pans to the Gobbledok on his roof with his packets.
- Being mistaken for a guest wearing a "great suit" at a costume party, then hovering across the pool with stolen chips.
- Running at the "speed of sound" (inspired by the Mike Jittlov film The Wizard of Speed and Time).
- Using "the Force" to steal Chippies from a lounging couple.
- A Professor and assistant try to catch him by luring him into a trap but he again uses the force to steel the crisps and then the Professor lets go of the rope and they both look scared.
- Uses the force to steel Smith's brand new flavours on a trolley while he is on a tree as a dog looks at him.
- Looking through his telescope where he sees his old home and starts crying before he looks around and sees a married couple eating crisps and runs at top speed for them scaring a bulldog on his way who jumps into his owner's arms.
- Hitching a ride, then Moving in with an elderly potato farmer. Who - responding to his wife's quip "Don't you think he's a bit... unusual?" - replies "It's all right, he's from the city, love". The series ran for 3 "episodes".
- Being hunted by the police and the armed forces to the tune of "The Gobbledok is Coming to town". (to which, an undisclosed sum had to be paid to the estates of J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, copyright owners of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town").
- Appearing in clips of old classic and B-grade movies such as Jason and the Argonauts and Plan 9 from Outer Space, climaxing with the film characters all "street dancing" along with the Gobbledok.
- Bungee jumping Warner-Bros.-cartoon-style off a bridge to steal chips from a young girl riding in the back of a Pickup truck. This was the first use of CGI replacement of the Gobbledok "suit". The animation was done by Sydney's Animal Logic company.
- Disguised as a rug while a man has some Smith's thinly cut chips watching Godzilla. The fellow then creeps towards him as he is about to grab another crisp the Gobbledok puts his hand on the table and snatches them as the man looks confused then the Gobbledok hides behind the man's chair and laughs hysterically as the man holds the bowl.
- Sneaking into Woolworths to steel the New Smiths flavors that have just arrived.
Attention has been often drawn to obvious "deliberate" bloopers, such as the Gobbledok's large golden ear ring swapping left to right from scene to scene, or that he had no visible teeth, or that it was rarely actually seen to put 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 due to a change of advertising agencies, the TVC was never filmed. It has long since been replaced by a succession of new advertising campaigns. A facsimile of the original Gobbledok made a cameo in the Smith's Crisps "Eat happy" TVC in 2005.
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. The Gobbledok also made an appearance at the launch of Hamish and Andy's 'peoples chip' which was gravy flavoured.
In May 2010 Smiths re-introduced the Gobbledok into new TV commercials. A costumed performer was still used. Its then redesigned face was computer generated.
At around 40 seconds into the 2015 Clemenger BBDO commercial "Happy Together" the Gobbledok can be spotted in its original "practical effects suit" equipped with its signature mohawk underneath a red construction hat. In the scene, the Gobbledok is wobbling idly behind a row of tradies on a crowded building site.
The Gobbledok's most recent appearance is in Smiths "Comebacks" commercial. In this cameo the Gobbledok appears, squealing, from behind a tree in an Aussie backyard. The Gobbledok is again shown in its original 'practical effects suit' but without its signature coloured mohawk; this time the Gobbledok is sporting a flowing golden mane. The associated 'comeback' chip flavours Bega Cheese and Heinz Tomato Sauce, both feature this new golden-maned version of the Gobbledok. The monster can be seen hiding behind a chip shown on the packaging.
Lee Hartney from The Smith Street Band is a well-known fan of the Gobbledok, often seen wearing a homemade Gobbledok shirt onstage.
