Video Advertisements Featuring Penguins

Undeniably the penguin is a curious bird that advertisers have taken a liking to, thanks to its clumsiness, comical gait and inquisitive nature. Penguins have been drawn and animated extensively, but the most interesting advertisements are of course those featuring live penguins. Here I have compiled 14 TV advertisements from various companies.

Guinness, as is well known, is an Irish dark beer brand that in 2006 was advertised through two emperor penguins who are best friends for life. This advertisement was created by Irish International BBDO (Dublin), led by creatives Malcolm Stevenson, Rory Hamilton, Jonathon Cullen and producer Noel Blyne.

McVitie's is a Scottish confectionery brand known since the 19th century, now part of United Biscuits following corporate mergers. The penguin image is a permanent feature on the chocolate biscuit bars. Here are two TV advertisements, now from the previous century's 1970s and 1990s.

The chocolate biscuit bars are popular with the advertising slogan: "P-p-p-pick up a Penguin!" which was widely played with and parodied both in Britain itself and abroad.

BBC on 1 April 2008 revealed surprising news to the world about penguins' ability to fly. A video clip in which director and writer Terry Jones discovers a colony of penguins that differs from other penguin colonies in being able to take to the air. And where do the penguins go? To the warm tropical lands, of course! Well, isn't that a lovely explanation for why South African beaches are dotted with penguins. Thanks to talented computer animation work, the story looks convincingly real - though it was only a BBC April Fool's joke. Enjoy the video below and don't believe your own eyes!

Argos is a large grocery retail network in Great Britain and Ireland with approximately 750 stores. The company is unique in offering shopping without leaving home - customers can choose and order all necessary groceries from a catalogue for home delivery. These advantages are illustrated by penguins in a cycle of humorous video advertisements, carrying fish one by one, two at a time, and a whole net-full to their natural adversary, the sea lion.

In September 2010, short (only 10–30 seconds) but sufficiently effective advertisement clips were aired. Their creators: company CHI & Partners.

The company's advertising slogan - "Find it! Get it! Argos it!" The advertisements highlight the service's advantages - the extensive network, delivery to the customer at the most convenient time, and a flat delivery rate regardless of the number of product units ordered.

Coca-Cola is a widely known American non-alcoholic carbonated soft drink whose advertisements mainly feature white polar bears, but here penguins also make an appearance. A friendly union of both poles in enjoying the refreshing drink. The background music is The Beach Boys' "Little Saint Nick" and the clip closes with the slogan "Give. Live. Love." The "Arctic Beach Party" concept was developed in 2005 by New York advertising agency Berlin Cameron Red Cell, led by creatives Chris Shipman, Izzy DeBellis, Ewen Cameron and producer Chris Kyriakos.

Carlsberg, a Danish producer of beer and non-alcoholic drinks, used the penguin and the remarkable agility of its wings in a 2009 video advertisement for a sports energy drink.

Pepsi-Cola, a manufacturer of non-alcoholic sparkling drinks, used in its advertisement the penguin's irresistible urge to fly (at least in human imagination). The main character of the story this time is an Adélie penguin. The clip, which was shown to the public in May 2009, was developed by New York advertising agency BBDO.

Bluebird - the New Zealand company's crisps were also advertised with the help of penguins in 2007. The original advertisement was developed by agency Publicis Mojo, led by creatives Chris Bleakley and John Pimmer. The penguins' antics are accompanied by the rhythmic Run DMC song "Walk This Way".

Budweiser, the American beer manufacturer, in 1996 portrayed penguins in TV clips as extraordinarily aggressive. They pursued those who had purchased the then-new beer brand "Ice" in order to steal it. The penguin terrorised people at night by phone, secretly broke into cars and tried to knock down house doors. Warnings were issued not to get mixed up with penguins. Quite an aggressive advertisement, one wonders whether the penguin as a character really fits here.

BMW - who would have thought that even the German automobile manufacturer could not do without recruiting a penguin in its advertisement. In 1995 the company demonstrated its cars' anti-skid function - the penguin's flippers slip, but BMW doesn't.

DFS - a British sofa retailer's advertisement featuring penguins as Inuit language interpreters.

Washington Lottery - the gaming industry company of the US state of Washington asserts that every bird needs to fly - including, of course, the penguin. A video advertisement created in 2008 by Seattle advertising agency Publicis in the West.

Melbourne Aquarium lures potential visitors with both giant sharks and penguins. The clip was created by Australian advertising agency Magnum Opus.

E. Wedel - the Polish confectionery manufacturer placed levitating penguins in a state of weightlessness in an advertisement for "Bird's Milk" chocolates, to emphasise the heavenly pleasure of eating these sweets. The clip was produced with the involvement of advertising agency Delapostparis (Frank Vroegop, Federico Costa), using 3D animation effects.