History Advertising / WilkinsCoffee

In [[TheFifties 1957]], Creator/JimHenson created a series of commercials for Wilkins Coffee, a local brand in the UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC area (Henson was from DC's inner-ring Maryland suburbs and was studying at the nearby University of Maryland-College Park at the time). The ads featured two early [[Franchise/TheMuppets Muppet characters]]--a lizard-like creature named Wilkins (who vaguely resembles Kermit the Frog without his iconic collar [[note]]though contrary to popular belief, is not a prototype of Kermit, who existed at the same time as these ads[[/note]] ) and a blob-looking creature named Wontkins. These commercials were made for local television stations, which only had ten seconds for station identification. As such, 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 around 180 commercials for Wilkins Coffee and other Wilkins products, including Community Coffee and Wilkins Tea.

'''Wontkins:''' Wilkins Coffee?\\

'''Wilkins:''' Okay! ''(WHAM)'' But he would have liked the Wilkins.

-->'''Wilkins:''' Elect me, and we'll all drink Wilkins coffee! ''(The crowd cheers and applauds)''
-->'''Wontkins:''' I don't like Wilkins!
-->'''Wilkins:''' Elect me, and you'll ''learn'' to like Wilkins! ''(The crowd cheers and applauds again, while Wontkins slumps in his seat.)''

'''Wilkins:''' ''(flipping the switch to activate the electrocution)'' How shocking.

-->'''Wilkins:''' This is Wilkins Coffee, the finest-\\

* WhatWereTheySellingAgain: Funny how some commercials that feature characters threatening harm, bodily or otherwise, on someone who doesn't buy the advertised product can somehow overshadow the product itself and spawn merchandise of the characters doing the advertising.

!Advertisements for Wilkins Coffee contain examples of:

* {{Jerkass}}: Wilkins just loves his namesake's coffee -- and woe to Wontkins who doesn't.

** In one commercial, Wontkins comes up to Wilkins (who is brandishing a cannon) and says he won't drink any more Wilkins while holding a picket saying "TV Anti-Violence League". A curtain comes down saying "ONE MOMENT PLEASE..." and a cannon blast is heard. When the curtain comes back up, Wontkins is offscreen and Wilkins says this:

* MeaningfulName: The creature who loves Wilkins coffee is named [[NamesTheSame Wilkins]], while the red creature who hates Wilkins coffee and whom the other creature keeps torturing is named Wontkins.

--> '''Wilkins:''' Some learn and some don't.

-->'''Wontkins:''' I'm gonna drink this coffee that's not Wilkins!\\

* WithFriendsLikeThese: Wilkins and Wontkins are occasionally portrayed as being friends, but Wilkins is always happy to kill off Wontkins the second that he reveals his disdain for coffee. Subverted in many other commercials, where they're portrayed as being complete strangers.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Ironically, it was actually quite easy for Jim Henson to come up with the many ridiculous ways to punish Wontkins, because like Wontkins, Henson himself never liked Wilkins coffee, either -- or coffee at all, for that matter. Thus, these commercials became a playful way for Henson to think of what it would take for him to drink coffee, and the answer was: a lot.

--> '''Wilkins:''' Now he's not gonna drink any more coffee.

'''Wilkins:''' Now what do ''you'' think of Wilkins?

'''Wilkins:''' ''(fires cannon at Wontkins then aims the cannon towards the audience)'' Now what do you think of Wilkins?\\\

(Wilkins [[ExactWords shoots Wontkins]] with the gun hidden in the camera)\\
'''Wilkins:''' (swiveling the camera towards the viewer) Anybody else?\\\

-->'''Wilkins''': Hey, the cannibals are boiling us in Wilkins coffee!\\
'''Wontkins''': Yeah, so what?\\
'''Wilkins''': I was beginning to think you'd never join me in a cup of Wilkins!

'''Wilkins''': I was beginng to think you'd never join me in a cup of Wilkins!

* TheTelevisionTalksBack:
--> ''(Wontkins is watching Wilkins on the TV)''\\
'''Wontkins:''' These Wilkins coffee commercials--\\
''(Wilkins leans forward)''\\
'''Wilkins:''' You don't like them?\\
'''Wontkins:''' No!\\
'''Wilkins:''' Then let me fix your set.\\
''(Wilkins presses a button on the TV, the set explodes)''\\
'''Wontkins:''' (Aside) You can't win.

* IronyAsHeIsCast: Zig-zagged, for Henson played both the coffee-loving Wilkins and the coffee-hating Wontkins.

* IronyAsHeIsCast: Henson performed the coffee-loving Wilkins despite not liking the beverage himself. (Also defied as Henson also performed the coffee-hating Wontkins.)

** In one commercial, Wontkins comes up to Wilkins (who is brandishing a cannon) and says he won't drink any more Wilkins while holding a picket saying "TV Anti-Violence League". A curtain comes down saying "ONE MOMENT PLEASE" and a cannon blast is heard. When the curtain comes back up, Wontkins is offscreen and Wilkins says this:

* DependingOnTheWriter: Does Wontkins hate Wilkins Coffee or coffee big general? Doesn't matter, he'll get hurt either way.

* NotHisSled: Even while they were on the air, the Wilkins commercials were best known for their gratuitous use of FamilyUnfriendlyViolence at Wontkins' expense. This makes the not insignificant number of commercials where Wontkins ''isn't'' punished in some form (or in some cases, [[AbsenteeActor doesn't appear at all]]) a bit of a shock.

* TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou: This crops up a lot:

-->'''Wilkins:''' ''(pointing cannon at Wontkins)'' OK buddy, what do you think of Wilkins Coffee?\\

'''Wilkins:''' You gonna run against the Wilkins Coffee party?\\

[[caption-width-right:350:"Things [[MakeItLookLikeAnAccident just seem to happen]] to people who don't drink Wilkins."]]

->'''Wilkins:''' Okay, buddy, whaddaya think of Wilkins coffee?\\
'''Wontkins:''' I never tasted it.\\

* TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong: It's really closer to, the complainer must ''die''! Wontkins has been squashed, shot, blown up, and ''erased from existence'', just because he complains about Wilkins Coffee.

'''Wontkins:''' I never tasted it.\\

* TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou:

'''Wilkins:''' ''(fires cannon at Wontkins then aims the cannon towards the audience)'' Now what do you think of Wilkins?
** Another one fitting this features Wilkins with a "camera":
-->'''Wilkins:''' With this camera, I shoot pictures of people who don't drink Wilkins Coffee.\\

'''Wilkins:''' (swiveling the camera towards the viewer) Anybody else?
** [[RuleOfThree A third]] sees the two dressed as cowboys:
-->'''Wilkins:''' Howdy, stranger, I hear you don't drink Wilkins Coffee.\\

'''Wilkins:''' ''[puts three in his chest, then points the revolver toward the camera]'' Now, is there any other strangers in town?

''(Wilkins, armed with a cannon, fires at Wontkins at point-blank range, [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou then points the cannon at the camera]])''\\

-->'''Wilkins:''' ''(as Wontkins moves toward the saw blade)'' He always was a cut-up.

-> '''Wilkins''': Hey, the cannibals are boiling us in Wilkins coffee!
-> '''Wontkins''': Yeah, so what?
-> '''Wilkins''': I was beginng to think you'd never join me in a cup of Wilkins!

-->'''Wilkins:''' Lunch and Wilkins Coffee, seventy-five cents.
-->'''Wontkins:''' I didn't drink the Wilkins!
-->'''Wilkins:''' That's one dollar even! ''(charges Wontkins twenty-five cents more on his meal)'' It pays to drink Wilkins!

-->'''Wilkins:''' Tenth floor: Pots, pans, home furnishings, and Wilkins Coffee!
-->'''Wontkins:''' Wilkins Coffee?
-->'''Wilkins:''' Sure, you can't keep house without Wilkins.

-->'''Wilkins:''' ''(pointing cannon at Wontkins)'' OK buddy, what do you think of Wilkins Coffee?
-->'''Wontkins:''' I never tasted it.
-->'''Wilkins:''' ''(fires cannon at Wontkins then aims the cannon towards the audience)'' Now what do you think of Wilkins?

-->'''Wilkins:''' With this camera, I shoot pictures of people who don't drink Wilkins Coffee.
-->'''Wontkins:''' I'm ready. [[TemptingFate Shoot!]]
--> (Wilkins [[ExactWords shoots Wontkins]] with the gun hidden in the camera)
-->'''Wilkins:''' (swiveling the camera towards the viewer) Anybody else?

-->'''Wontkins:''' Help, I've been imprisoned!
-->'''Wilkins:''' Why, fair damsel?
-->'''Wontkins:''' I don't drink Wilkins Instant Coffee!
-->'''Wilkins:''' Well, that's the way the old ball bounces.

-->'''Wilkins:''' You want a can of Wilkins Coffee?
-->'''Wontkins:''' No, give me a bottle of ginger ale.
-->'''Wilkins:''' Okay! ''(WHAM)'' But he would have liked the Wilkins.

-->'''Wilkins:''' This is Wilkins Coffee, the finest-
-->'''Wontkins:''' Ah, go soak your head!
-->'''Wilkins:''' In Wilkins Coffee? A pleasure. ''(literally soaks his head in a giant coffee cup)''

'''Baby birds:''' CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP!\\

-->'''Wontkins:''' I'm gonna drink this coffee that's not Wilkins!
-->''(Wilkins runs over Wontkins with a steamroller, flattening him)''
-->'''Wilkins:''' Doesn't that coffee taste kinda [[{{Pun}} flat]]?