JA
Yeah, I'd never heard the middle part of the lyrics before today, as they switch to instrumental when the voiceover is talking about whatever they're plugging.
Though you never even saw the middle part of that advert for most of its run, as they put an advert for a toy in it instead.
NJ
Neil Jones
Founding member
Challenge has launched its Christmas presentation, I notice from watching Bullseye tonight. Regular character idents with snow, food, Christmas lights and a bit of snow on the logo. Haven't seen the ECP as they don't run over Bullseye because somebody keeps talking 
WH
No, I'm pretty confident what they have done is run it through some sort of process which uses the outline of the original animation, which they've refilled with new colour. You can tell by the way some of the colour bleeds into the original lines (most noticable during the opening scene). It has been stretched to fit widescreen too (and they've cut and pasted elements to duplicate them during certain scenes.
I've overlaid a stripe of the original ad on top of the remastered ad to show that it is an exact match.
It seems a bit of a mash up, with maybe some elements of new animation, but overall it's a remaster of the original.
Whataday
Founding member
Just watch the two side-by-side, it's quite obviously a recreation.
No, I'm pretty confident what they have done is run it through some sort of process which uses the outline of the original animation, which they've refilled with new colour. You can tell by the way some of the colour bleeds into the original lines (most noticable during the opening scene). It has been stretched to fit widescreen too (and they've cut and pasted elements to duplicate them during certain scenes.
I've overlaid a stripe of the original ad on top of the remastered ad to show that it is an exact match.
It seems a bit of a mash up, with maybe some elements of new animation, but overall it's a remaster of the original.
Last edited by Whataday on 29 November 2015 2:11am
SP
The remaster also has a new ending with more modern cars in the car park.
I think the remaster was done for their anniversary as a bit of nostalgia. They dropped the middle bit originally because the products it was talking about weren't what kids wanted.
I think the remaster was done for their anniversary as a bit of nostalgia. They dropped the middle bit originally because the products it was talking about weren't what kids wanted.
Last edited by Steve in Pudsey on 29 November 2015 8:49am
WH
Yes they did the recreation it for their 25th anniversary. However, I'm sure when the campaign launched, there were always versions with the middle bit dropped in exchange for product ads.
There was even a section of animation especially for that version:
The weirdest thing about the whole thing is how it's so associated with the start of the festive season, yet it's not even a Christmas ad! When it launched it was used all year around.
Whataday
Founding member
The remaster also has a new ending with more modern cars in the car park.
I think the remaster was done for their anniversary as a bit of nostalgia. They dropped the middle bit originally because the products it was talking about weren't what kids wanted.
I think the remaster was done for their anniversary as a bit of nostalgia. They dropped the middle bit originally because the products it was talking about weren't what kids wanted.
Yes they did the recreation it for their 25th anniversary. However, I'm sure when the campaign launched, there were always versions with the middle bit dropped in exchange for product ads.
There was even a section of animation especially for that version:
The weirdest thing about the whole thing is how it's so associated with the start of the festive season, yet it's not even a Christmas ad! When it launched it was used all year around.
Last edited by Whataday on 29 November 2015 10:32am - 2 times in total
WH
Whataday
Founding member
Of course, this was the first Toys R Us Christmas Ad; a rip off of The Snowman from 1985.
As it was a rip off rather than an official tie-in, it doesn't use the Snowman character, and they had to commission a new version of Walking In The Air. The original singer's voice had broken, and so they used a little known singer called Aled Jones.
The version was a commercial success, leading many to believe that Aled was the voice in the original film.
As it was a rip off rather than an official tie-in, it doesn't use the Snowman character, and they had to commission a new version of Walking In The Air. The original singer's voice had broken, and so they used a little known singer called Aled Jones.
The version was a commercial success, leading many to believe that Aled was the voice in the original film.
JA
I was totally unaware that the Aled Jones version was made for a Toys R Us advert. But, yes, the confusion is endemic- until a few years back VH1 at Christmas used to actually have Aled Jones's name over the Snowman version of the song!
If we're talking about Snowman rip-off adverts though, this one is by far the best:
Though I always find it hard to see Irn-Bru as Scottish as one of Barr's factories was only a couple of miles from where I live until it closed a few years back. And that advert has a Scottish landmark, the Falkirk Wheel, in it- which was also made not far from here.
If we're talking about Snowman rip-off adverts though, this one is by far the best:
Though I always find it hard to see Irn-Bru as Scottish as one of Barr's factories was only a couple of miles from where I live until it closed a few years back. And that advert has a Scottish landmark, the Falkirk Wheel, in it- which was also made not far from here.
:-(
A former member
Barr's make alot of drinks including Tizar?
JO
There is a difference between a rip off and a parody.
If we're talking about Snowman rip-off adverts though, this one is by far the best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yZOab5gl-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yZOab5gl-4
There is a difference between a rip off and a parody.