Lucozade NRG - Desmond the Dog (1995, UK)
The new “The Mask” rip-off looks so terrible.
1995 ad for Lucozade NRG drink
Synopsis[]
In a parody of 1950s kids shows, we see a woman introducing a puppet called Desmond The Dog. The hostess then tells Desmond that she has something new that she wants him to try, it's a can of NRG, "a lovely new drink from Lucozade" carried out by a penguin butler puppet. Upon drinking the beverage, Desmond transforms from a puppet into a crazy CGI character akin to the-then recent-movie "The Mask". The hostess becomes scared and tries to escape through the window behind her, but Desmond rolls out a welcome mat on his tongue and thinks her butt is two pieces of (choice) ham. It cuts to the NRG logo as we hear the hostess screaming before Desmond bursts through the screen and giggles, with what appears to be a piece of the hostess's dress in his mouth.
Why It's Cursed[]
The CGI, as mentioned, looks similar to the effects used in the film "The Mask" which is intended to mimic old Tex Avery-style cartoons (exaggerated expressions, eyes bulging out, over the top slapstick, etc). Because it was made in the 1990s, you can really tell it's CGI and doesn't look very realistic by today's standards, however.