Wombles in Carphone Warehouse adverts
The Wombles and Bernard Cribbins are appearing in the latest advertising campaign for mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse.
Press, radio and billboard adverts were launched on 13 April, on a theme of ‘waste’. The printed adverts are illustrated by Nick Price in the same style as the current Wombles books published by Bloomsbury: one image shows Tomsk pushing a wheelbarrow overflowing with banknotes, while another shows Tobermory vacuuming up banknotes.
In the radio adverts, The Wombling Song plays in the background with a voiceover by Bernard Cribbins. One advert says:
“Nothing bothers a Womble more than waste. Did you know you could be wasting £194 a year on the wrong phone tariff? With over 7 million options, how could you possibly know if you’re on the right one? The networks will only show you theirs. But Carphone Warehouse compares a range of networks, tariffs and phones to find the perfect combination for you. For independent advice, talk to Carphone Warehouse.”
Carphone Warehouse radio advert - wrong phone tariff (MP3)
Another advert says: “We’re on Wimbledon Common, and the Wombles have never seen so much waste. In fact, Britain’s wasting a staggering £173 million pounds a year, just by going over phone data limits. But with more unlimited data packages than anyone else, Carphone Warehouse can help. Their T-Mobile, Three and Talkmobile tariffs start at an incredible £12 a month. For independent advice, talk to Carphone Warehouse.”
Carphone Warehouse radio advert - phone data limits (MP3)
Carphone Warehouse says that £5 billion is being wasted by mobile phone users each year as a result of people not being on the deal that’s best for them. On average, being on the wrong tariff costs each person £194 a year, according to independent research.
Andrew Harrison, CEO of Carphone Warehouse Europe, said: “When the UK is facing one of the hardest financial times in living memory, it seems crazy that £5 billion is being wasted on phone bills. At Carphone Warehouse, we want people to enjoy their smartphones without it costing them an arm and a leg. We’ll compare every network and phone combination and give independent advice on which deal is best.”
The public reaction has been mixed…
New Carphone Warehouse adverts in the Metro newspaper, featuring the Wombles! pic.twitter.com/oshdMh6u
— Tidy Bag - Wombles (@TidyBag) April 13, 2012
#wombles being used in #carphonewarehouse press advert. Not 100 % sure of connection happy womblin' http://t.co/yYOEfZA2
— Ian Downes (@StartLicensing) April 13, 2012
Just saw The Wombles being used on an advert for phones. Is nothing sacred?
— Lee (@cyanideandjd) April 15, 2012
What idiot sat in the boardroom and decided the best way to advertise The Carphone Warehouse on the radio was to use The Wombles?!
— Tristan Palmer (@tristan__palmer) April 15, 2012
Just heard the Wombles theme tune on the radio and was pleased to discover I knew all the words #oldgit
— Karen Ridley (@karenridley) April 17, 2012
Quite like the new #CarphoneWarehouse 48 sheet but are the Wombles still current? Don't see much kids TV
— Martin Thomas (@Martinmbl) April 17, 2012
Carphone Warehouse seems to have won the right to use 'The Wombles' in their ad campaigns. I thought Wombles cleaned up crap, not shilled it
— Graham P. (@DropTheServal) April 18, 2012
Love the fact were driving through wimbolden and the wombles theme tune came on the radio
— tom_CareFree (@t0mm_0) April 18, 2012
Carphone Warehouse have started using Wombles in their adverts :D :D #wombleforlife #rememberyoureawomble
— Ben Conway (@BenjWFCConway) April 18, 2012
Remember you're a womble pic.twitter.com/YFOSBYti
— 💚KirstyJane🐢🦥 (@KirstyCakes3006) April 19, 2012
#Wombles now being used to promote Carphone Warehouse? Distressing having all my childhood characters appropriated by capitalism.
— John Marsden (@marsden_john) April 19, 2012
Singing along to the car phone warehouse ad - I <3 the wombles :D #childhood
— Hiba (༎ຶ ෴ ༎ຶ) (@xhiiibax) April 19, 2012
Is nothing sacred? What's wrong with tin cans on a string? #wombles http://t.co/aVzLj3rs
— David Smith (@davadski) April 20, 2012
Vodafone with Star Wars. Carphone Warehouse with the Wombles. Can big corporates back away from my childhood, please?
— adventuresofboz (@adventuresofboz) April 20, 2012
What has carphone warehouse got to do with the wombles
— MarniLove (@marns21) April 20, 2012
So, Vodafone uses Yoda and Carphone Warehouse the Wombles. How appropriate. pic.twitter.com/1Zc8TlYw
— Kat Hahn (@daddycaniburnit) April 20, 2012
Ahhh just heard a Wombles advert on the radio I miss the Wombles #childhoodmemories
— Will (@Willpalmer1234) April 21, 2012
It really bothers me that the #wombles are advertising Carphone Warehouse. Surely #litter campaign or energy waste would be a better fit?
— Robin Pritchard - he/him (@robinpr71) April 21, 2012
Great to see the Wombles back working for the CarPhone Warehouse #classic #rememberyoureawomble
— Adam Joseph Carolan (@ajcarolan) April 21, 2012
@TidyBag I love the fact they are on at all..carphone erm not the best company for our furry friends but they are on ad so all good!
— MPBAZZ #SWSG19 (@mpbazz) April 21, 2012
Underground, overground wombling free. #wombles #imfamousagain http://t.co/q9C69ri8
— Sophie Isaac (@Sophieee2110) April 21, 2012
Glad to see carphone warehouse are throwing a bit of work the Wombles way, folk probably don't throw good rubbish out anymore
— Jackie Hagan 🦸♂️✍🌈🎭 (@JackieHagan) April 22, 2012
Come on cockneys throw out better stuff in your rubbish, the Wombles are skint!
— Jackie Hagan 🦸♂️✍🌈🎭 (@JackieHagan) April 22, 2012
I heard the wombles song and I just about crashed my car! TUNE
— lizbilo (@Liz_Bilo_Burgon) April 22, 2012
Just heard the new wombles themed Carphone Warehouse radio ad about waste. Absolutely love it!
— Cal (@itscallumclark) April 23, 2012
Ahh the wombles theme song is in an advert on the radio, used to love that show! :D
— Tammy (@Tammy_Jayne) April 24, 2012
Is it just me or do you find it impossible to believe a Womble would do this? pic.twitter.com/DNpzy1Cm
— This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll (@thisaintrock) April 24, 2012
'nothing bothers a womble more than waste' is definitely the best line in a radio advert I've ever heard.
— Chase & Status (@chaseandstatus) April 24, 2012
Carphone Warehouse & THE WOMBLES!!! Inspired marketing, guess what toy will be in demand....Uncle Bulgaria? Madame Cholet? Bungo? :-))
— TinaReadingEditor (@TinaReading) April 25, 2012
Had the Wombles theme tune stuck in my head all day because of a stupid radio advert. #drivingmyselfmad
— Gemma (@gemraby) April 25, 2012
The wombles song gets it my head when I hear the advert
— Charl (@CharlBurl) April 26, 2012
Nooooo that flipping Wombles advert is back on the radio..it's taken a week to get the tune out of my head and now it's back!!!!
— Natalie Rose Asprey (@natalieasprey) April 27, 2012
Can't believe we just made detour to. Carphobe Warehouse just to look for #Wombles. There weren't any.
— Real Peasant (@RealPeasant) April 29, 2012
...and keep playing that Carphone Warehouse Wombles ad on the #HeartLateShow. We've all gone Wombling mad!! All hail @Mike_Batt.
— Simon Beale (@SimonBeale) April 29, 2012
According to Carphone Warehouse, £4.8 billion wasted by folk on incorrect phone tariffs, lines the pockets of Wombles #occupywimbledoncommon
— Wayne Williams (@WKWilliams) May 2, 2012
Check out our Wombles. pic.twitter.com/CbRT5bDz
— Cribbs CPW (@CribbsCPW) May 5, 2012
Tried listening to commercial radio in hope of hearing Carphone Warehouse #Wombles ad. Got #Coldplay instead. Back to @BBCRadio4, I think.
— SecretWomble (@SecretWomble) May 7, 2012
the wombles of wimbledon common are we #catchyadverts
— Lee Kingham (@leekingham1) May 7, 2012
@OCRadio I currently have the Wombles theme going round my head thanks to the car phone warehouse adverts
— David Segal (@browser1983) May 10, 2012
Carphone Warhouse using The Wombles in their adverts is marketing genius
— Lauren VonEnde (@laurenvonende) May 10, 2012
I miss the wombles, the carphone warehouse advert gets me emosh
— Sophie Bray (@SophCantReachIt) May 10, 2012
Boris orders Wombles to embrace Capitalism. http://t.co/1wtftpf0
— Malcolm Trussler (@rollingworld1) May 11, 2012
WHY are the wombles beening used in ads atm... Is there a come back I am not aware of...?
— Suzy Biggs (@SuzyBiggs) May 12, 2012
Hate the Womble advert on kiss! Sooooo jarring
— Jenni Edwards (@Jenniii321) May 13, 2012
The Wombles are dead to me now that they've sold out to Carphone Warehouse.
— Siân Mayhall-Purvis (@SianMP) May 13, 2012
I like it when The Wombles advert comes on the radio. I think back to seeing them at Glastonbury on the Sunday #RememberYoureAWomble
— Dom (@DomBevan) May 13, 2012
I've finally seen a Carphone Warehouse billboard - and it's got new artwork! With Bungo! pic.twitter.com/6mlftu8j
— Tidy Bag - Wombles (@TidyBag) May 14, 2012
Bit rainy, but it's Orinoco with a fishing rod... pic.twitter.com/mTwSyf6t
— Tidy Bag - Wombles (@TidyBag) May 15, 2012
Disappointed somehow to see the Wombles advertising the Carphone Warehouse.
— J S Barnes (@jbarneswriter) May 17, 2012
We feel sad that Wombles are advertising mobile phones. A part of my childhood just died. pic.twitter.com/0hJPt2z8
— T (@smithslog) May 19, 2012
Paddington with #Marmite, Yoda for #Vodaphone - now I've just seen a Womble on a #CarphoneWarehouse ad. Is nothing sacred?
— Ian McArdell (@IanMcArdell) May 19, 2012
Just heard the wombles on the radio I am so happy today #wonblesmakeitagoodday
— Tim 🪩 (@Tim_McNeil) May 21, 2012
Oh and the wombles being used for advertising is a crime
— James Mercer (@EvilJimm) May 21, 2012
Here's a proper version of the Orinoco billboard. Yes, I got off the train and waited for the next one... #Wombles pic.twitter.com/pVhpQSTU
— Tidy Bag - Wombles (@TidyBag) May 21, 2012
Have a fun little hoovering Womble on Yahoo today for Carphone Warehouse: http://t.co/GLTp06WV
— Ali (@Alilouisa) May 22, 2012
A Carphone Warehouse billboard features the Wombles and the small print "(c) 2012 Wombles LTD". Troublingly un-Womble if you ask me.
— Chris Raettig @[email protected] (@raettig) May 22, 2012
How disappointing that the wombles are doing ads for Carphone Warehouse.
— Liz Jarvis (@LizJarvisUK) May 22, 2012
i always sing along to that advert that has the wombles song in the background
— lara hope gibson (@_larahope) May 23, 2012
The womble advert makes me so happy.
— Amy Green (@Amy_Green_18) May 26, 2012
Oh my god that advert with the wombles song is so annoying
— Risha Radia (@risharadia) May 26, 2012
Saw advert in town stating I may be paying too much for phone service. It illustrated this w/a pic of two Wombles (I don't remember which)
— Canonisation (@Canonisation) May 28, 2012
What do Wombles know about phone bills? They don't even have phones! (As far as I know)
— Canonisation (@Canonisation) May 28, 2012