Crazy Frog

Crazy Frog is the marketing title of a ring tone based on The Annoying Thing, a computer animation created by Erik Wernquist. The animation was originally created to accompany a sound effect produced by Daniel Malmedahl whilst attempting to imitate the sound of his two-stroke moped engine.

Description

The Annoying Thing is a fictional, reptilian biped, who wears a white motorcycle helmet with the chinstrap unfastened, along with a leather jacket and goggles. His toes are webbed, and the iris of one eye is significantly larger than the other.

The character imitates the hand movements required to rotate the twistgrip controls of a motorcycle while making the sound of an engine ignition. As the imaginary engine starts, the character begins to levitate as exhaust fumes are discharged from his body. The character then disappears into the distance at high speed.

Origin

In 1997, 17 year old Swede Daniel Malmedahl had a serious interest in imitating the sounds produced by different internal combustion engines. When friends heard Daniel's impressions, they immediately identified the comedic qualities of his talent and posted a recording of Daniel in action to a website. Soon, a researcher for a Swedish television programme found the recording and persuaded Daniel to perform the sound live on the show.

From there, Daniel's recording began appearing on peer to peer file sharing networks and websites under the filename "2TAKTARE.MP3" ("2taktare" being Swedish for "2-stroke").

The sound effect was quickly incorporated into Flash animations that spread virally over the internet. The most notable example was an "Insanity test", which required test subjects to keep a straight face while staring at a picture of a Formula 1 car and listening to the sound effect, "If you start laughing consider yourself legally insane", test subjects were informed.

The Insanity Test can still be viewed at the Internet Archive, here.

In 2003, when fellow Swede Erik Wernquist encountered the sound effect, he was inspired to create the 3D animation The Annoying Thing to accompany it using the popular lightwave 3d modeling application. The animation was a popular attraction at Erik's website, but the sound was only credited to Anonymous.

Eventually, word reached Daniel that his sound effect was in use in a well-known animation, he contacted Erik, apparently giving an impromptu performance to confirm his claims. Erik was convinced, and gave due credit to Daniel for his creation.

Ringtone

In 2004, the Germany based Jamba! group (ultimately owned by Verisign) licensed the animation and sound for distribution as a mobile phone ringtone. Jamba!, trading under names such as Jamster!, Ringtone King, and others, accompanied the release of the ringtone with a barrage of television, internet, radio and print advertising, making it the most recognisable commercially available ringtone in the United Kingdom.

Jamba! decided to promote the animation as The Crazy Frog rather than the existing title, the name was probably influenced by the Toad of Toad Hall character from the Wind in the Willows childrens book. Mr. Toad is described as wearing goggles and flying cap and being fascinated with motor cars.

Jamba! have earnt an estimated £14 million from the ringtone (source), making it the most commercially successful ringtone of all time. Attempting to repeat the Frog's success, Jamba! commissioned a new animated creature ringtone, Sweety the Chick.

Controversy

In February 2005, a number of complaints were submitted to the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority regarding Jamba!'s advertising campaign, complaining that Crazy Frog appeared to have genitalia. Some parents complained that this made inappropriate viewing for children, claiming that the commercial had prompted embarrassing questions. Complaints were also submitted about the frequency the advert appeared on television.

The ASA did not uphold the complaints, pointing out that the advert was already classified as inappropriate for airing during childrens television programmes as it contained a premium rate telephone number, adding that it was for the broadcaster to decide how often an advert should be shown. However, Jamba! voluntarily censored the characters genital area in later broadcasts of its advertisements.

The full adjudication is available online.

Ringtone Lyrics

Beh-ding ding ding ding dididing ding bing bing pscht,

Dorhrm bom bom bedom bem bom bedom bom bum ba ba bom bom,

Bouuuuum bom bom bedahm, Bom be barbedarm bedabedabedabeda

Bbrrrrrimm bbrrrrramm bbbrrrrrrrrraammmmm ddddddraammm,

Bah bah baah baah ba wheeeeeee-eeeee-eeeee!

Single Releases

Ring Ding Ding

• Single website
• Press release
• Announcing auditions

Axel F

• Single website
• Press release, including sound clips

Music Video

The Ministry of Sound commissioned Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist, the original creator of the Crazy Frog, to produce a full length animated music video to accompany the release of Axel Frog, featuring the Crazy Frog character. The animation is set in the future and centres on the pursuit of the Crazy Frog by a bounty hunter. The bounty hunter receives notification of a $50,000 reward for the capture of the Crazy Frog, who is only identified as "The most annoying thing in the world", a reference to Wernquist's original name for the creature.

The bounty hunter dons fierce looking body armour and mounts an armoured hover cycle, then proceeds to track the Crazy Frog as he commutes around the City on his imaginary motorcycle. As the bounty hunter closes in on his prey, the Crazy Frog becomes aware of his pursuer and an unlikely chase begins over skyscrapers and through the city's sewer system, before the bounty hunter launches a guided missile at the character.

Unfortunately, the character is able to mount the missile as it approaches him, evidently confusing it's guidance system, as it then begins to loop and glide uncontrollably. Unfortunately for the bounty hunter, the missile hones in on his van, destroying it and creating a large mushroom cloud. Somehow, the crazy frog survives, coated in dust from the debris, and appears just in time to deliver the closing lyrics.

Timeline

1997

• 17 year old Daniel Malmedahl records his engine impressions and releases them to the internet. (source)

2001

• In early 2001, flash animations start to appear featuring the sounds.
• Later that year, the Insanity Test is released and exposure increases as the animation starts to spread virally. (source)

2003

• Erik Wernquist creates The Annoying Thing, and presents it on his website.
• December
  • Daniel contacts Erik, Erik updates his animation and website to credit Daniel for his creation.

2004

• Jamba! and Zed license the animation for distribution to Mobile Phones, giving it the title Crazy Frog. (source)
• May
  • VeriSign acquire Jamba! for $273 million in cash and VeriSign stock. (source)

2005

• January
  • The BBC reports Crazy Frog generates over £10Million revenue for Jamba!.
• February
  • Pondlife announce a Single Release, due later that year titled Ring Ding Ding.
  • Jamba! updates their promotional material to censor the characters genital region after receiving complaints.
• March
  • The Times reports Crazy Frog generated revenue now stands at over £14Million.
  • German dance duo Bass Bumpers announce a dance track release combining Harold Faltermeyers Axel F with the Crazy Frog.
  • Pondlife hold open auditions to find a live action Crazy Frog.
  • The W32/Crog.worm computer virus (likely a contraction of Crazy Frog) starts to spread via p2p and MSN Messenger, exploiting the Crazy Frog's notoriety with a promise of an animation depicting his demise. (source 1, 2).
• April
  • The Ministry of Sound commissions Erik Wernquist to create an animated music video for the upcoming Axel Frog single.

Quotations

• "We appreciate that the frequent broadcast of the same, or similar, commercials can be annoying to some viewers. However, it is for the advertiser and broadcaster to decide how often a particular advertisement is shown."
  • Advertising Standards Authority, February 2005.
• "When we recorded it, we found it very, very funny. We laughed until we got tears."
  • Daniel Malmedahl, January 2005.
• ""Crazy Frog" is what the market persist on calling my character The Annoying Thing. I personally hate that name and deeply regret I didn´t put a stop to that early on."
  • Erik Wernquist, April 2005.

See also

• Ringtone
• Mobile phone
• Lightwave
• The Crazy Frog has been parodied on the British children's television programme, Ministry of Mayhem.

External links and references

• The Times: Crazy Frog turns into a real prince.
• BBC article: The Crazy Frog sound? That's my fault.
• Verisign Press Release: Verisign acquires Jamba!
• Erik Wernquist interview
• Short history, including links to flash animations using the sound effect
• The Annoying Thing Homepage
• Kaktus Film Homepage
• ASA: A Frog's Tale that spawned viewer outrage.