Having spent 40 years animating characters, and having animated thousands of different ones, it’s hard to choose a favourite. But the one that I have certainly enjoyed working with as much as any is The Famous Grouse. He started life as an illustration on the whisky bottle label (drawn I think by the distiller Matthew Gloag’s daughter a century ago) but I first directed him for the TV ad campaign about 15 years ago. The challenge is to give him character, but in only 16 seconds, with no facial expression, and no voice. It’s fun.
Hibbert Ralph Animation
