Draft:Digit-Al (Mascot)



Digit-Al is a British mascot designed by the advertising agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in 2005 and voiced by comedian Matt Lucas[1] for the company DigitalUK (Now known as EveryoneTV) for use in their Digital Switchover awareness campaign and the Switchover Help Scheme with the BBC. [2]

History

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2006-2007

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Digit-Al first appeared in 2006 with an ad explaining himself and the switchover.[3]It caused outrage from many British people due to them not knowing how to switch.[4] In 2007, he stared in a few more ads featuring him and many others.

2007-2010

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In 2007-2010, The ads were more straight foreword and easy to understand to the people who complained, also in 2008, DigitalUK made soft toy versions of the character available at public roadshows.[5] Most of the ads 2010 onwards were in HD 16:9.

Most of the adverts during this time featured the fun and curious Digit-Al playing the straight man to a more serious unnamed DigitalUK worker.[6]

2011-2012

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Since these were the last two years of the campaign there weren't any new ads and instead a lot of roadshows and school meetings across the UK with Digit-Al about the switchover.[7]

The end of the campaign

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The last time Digit-Al was on Analog or Digital television was when BBC One Northern Ireland shut off its analog signal on the 23rd October 2012 after the special multicast with UTV "The Magic Box".[8]

References

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  1. ^ "DigitalUK_Switchoverfinal_report_Nov2012". SlideShare. 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  2. ^ "Little Britain star goes digital". 2006-05-04. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  3. ^ thingsfromtheattic (2023-03-17). Digital UK - Interruption (2006, UK, Sony variant). Retrieved 2024-09-16 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ Merrett, Andy (2008-06-26). "Consumers and retailers STILL confused about digital switchover". Tech Digest. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  5. ^ "Digit-Al Character Soft Toy Robot - TV Memorabillia, Digital Switchover UK | #1775350199". Worthpoint. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  6. ^ DigitalUKLtd (2009-03-30). Do you know your switchover date? Digital UK ad. Retrieved 2024-09-16 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ O'Hare, Columba (2012-06-27). "Digit Al visits Cloughoge". Newry.ie. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  8. ^ Roll VT (2023-05-15). The Magic Box (BBC NI) 23rd October 2012. Retrieved 2024-09-16 – via YouTube.