This Telecom's Talking Fish Speaks the Truth

Absurdity that's off the scales?

If fish could talk, they’d surely tout free internet installation. That’s what we get in the :60 below from Germany, with a catch of the day yakking about Euro telecom giant O2 as it flaps its fins and drips onto the carpet.

Thanks for the info, Mr. Fish! Now, it’s time to fry you up real good.

Veteran director Andreas Nilsson—he of the recent “Poo! Poo! Poo!” triumph for Andrex—achieves an alluring David Lynch vibe that had us … hooked. (Sorry.)

“The art department’s main focus was the film’s lead character: a giant, talking carp, brought to life through over 800 hours of work,” says Patrick Matthiensen, managing creative partner at Serviceplan Bubble, which developed the work. “In the times of CGI and AI, this carp truly stands out as a tribute to traditional craftsmanship.”

The thing boasts a bionic skeleton powered by motors designed to mimic the natural movements of a fish, he says. (Indeed, note the slimy wiggling and weird winking eyes.)

“Layer by layer, using a mix of materials, we created a carp that not only looked real—but moved as if it were alive,” Matthiensen tells Muse.

“Fins, eyes, mouth—every detail could be controlled individually to puppeteer the carp on set in real-time. This allowed all scenes to be filmed entirely in camera, without post-production tricks.”

The biggest challenge?

“Achieving the right anatomy, texture, expression and movement. Even the smallest flaw could ruin the illusion. But when it worked – the result was a fish so real, you’d swear it was alive.”

To put the team in the proper mood, “on the first day in Barcelona, just before the shoot began, director Andreas Nilsson got everyone in the spirit by hosting a group cooking class. Making, of course, Spain’s iconic dish: fish paella.”

Campaign elements launch today across TV, digital and social.