When a plush yellow puppet made its debut as the main character in a series of Levi’s® ads in the late 1990s, few could have anticipated the reaction. Featured in a series of wonderfully original Levi’s® STA-PREST commercials in Europe, the quirky character — dubbed “Flat Eric” — quickly rose to fame as a media sensation.
“Not since Nick Kamen stripped off in [the Levi’s®] Laundrette has an advert created such an instant star,” noted the UK’s Daily Telegraph on March 12, 1999.
Today, 25 years after Flat Eric’s first appearance, we’re taking a look back at how a puppet secured a spot at the center of culture and how the ad campaign became — and continues to be — a Levi’s® classic.
The Rise of Flat Eric
Brought to life by The Jim Henson Company in a style reminiscent of the Muppets, Flat Eric made his television debut alongside his nerdy human sidekick, Angel. Throughout the commercial series, the unlikely duo dodges trouble as they drive around suburban Los Angeles in a dilapidated car with a suitcase of Levi’s® STA-PREST clothes in the trunk.
Created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty and directed by Parisian Quentin Dupleux, the ad spots aimed to reflect a change in attitudes away from irony, especially among young people. In one ad, Flat Eric and Angel, dressed in a 1970s-inspired crisp Levi’s® outfit, are pulled over by a policeman. Flat Eric quickly turns off the loud techno music and switches to a country music tape. In another, Flat Eric dances frantically while Angel concentrates on driving. The spots were intentionally nonsensical to leave viewers wondering, including about Flat Eric himself — was he a monkey, or some other animal?
The Soundtrack of an Icon
Fans quickly embraced the strange but clever ads. The award-winning ads won titles such as Best Commercials Series at the British Television Advertising Awards. “[The ads] are quite funny and quite positive — it’s a sort of return to a lost age of innocence,” explained Art Director Tony Davidson.
One reason for the adverts’ popularity was that the neatly creased STA-PREST Levi’s® clothing took a back seat to the quirky puppet and the surprisingly good techno beats. The ad soundtrack, Mr. Oizo’s Flat Beat EP, was the brainchild of Quentin Dupleux, who, in addition to directing, also produced music and films. Press called the music “superbly crafted” and “bumpy minimalist techno.” The advert’s techno music became one of the most unlikely hits of 1999. Flat Beat, the released single, sold millions of copies and spent two weeks in the No. 1 spot in March 1999. As one reporter from The Guardian stated, “… you won’t feel embarrassed about having bought this in 10 years’ time.” The statement still rings true today.
Twenty-five years later, the Flat Eric spots are as light-hearted, funny and musically clever as when they first aired on television in 1999.
