Who Voices Aldi’s Kevin The Carrot?
The arrival of the festive season is marked these days by the airing of anticipated Christmas adverts from the UK’s retailers, often sparking conversations over which advert is our favourite, from the top contenders and annual heavyweights such as John Lewis, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and more, over which no one can ever agree!
One of the recent newcomers in the last few years has been the Aldi Christmas advert, featuring Kevin the Carrot. Kevin has become a firm family favourite, with plush figures of Kevin and his co-stars quickly selling out at the supermarket.
The adverts from the retailer are known for being charming, and this year is no different. With the difficulties of 2020, Aldi tries to help us find the Christmas spirit with Kevin dropping in to spread festive cheer again, this time evoking several iconic films, from Top Gun to Pirates of the Caribbean.
We all recognise the anthropomorphic vegetable now, but do you know who provides the voice, out that of his co-stars?
The character of Kevin the Carrot was created by McCann UK and McCann Manchester’s executive creative director Dave Price revealed the voice behind the carrot to Campaign Live back in 2018.
“Clive Davis, who with Andy Fenton has worked on every Kevin campaign, is actually the voice of Kevin in the ads. And, from year one, the campaign snowballed,” he said.
While Clive, part of McCann Manchester’s creative team might not be a name you recognise, he is often joined by a cast of other characters voiced by much more well-known names. In 2019, pop star Robbie Williams helped Kevin fend off Russel Sprout and his gang, the ‘Leafy Blinders’, but let’s have a look at the other stars in the Aldi Christmas 2020 advert cast.
The humble narrator for the advert is none other than Santa himself, and to provide the voice McCann brought in 71-year-old legend, the one and only Jim Broadbent.
Jim is famously known as Professor Horace Slughorn in the Harry Potter franchise, and Inspector Frank Butterman in Hot Fuzz, as well as roles in Game of Thrones, the Bridget Jones series of films, and has even lent his voice to the Teletubbies.
There were two versions of the advert made, one for the UK, and another one for the Irish market, in which film and TV star Colm Meaney took over the reins of Santa’s sleigh.
Colm would be recognised by many as Chief Miles O’Brien in Star Trek, has had roles in films such as Con Air and Layer Cake, and more recently starred in Gangs of London and The Singapore Grip.
Colm told the Metro: “I thought it was about time that I played the big man himself and so was delighted to be asked by Aldi to be part of its Christmas campaign. Kevin the Carrot and his family were incredibly welcoming on set and the whole experience was a total joy – even getting in and out of the big red suit.”
He added: “Oh, and contrary to many men during lockdown, I can confirm that the beard is not mine.”
Have you seen Kevin’s new advert yet? If you’re looking for a voice-over agency in Manchester, talk to us today.