Alcan Foil 'fat Chef'

A witty ad for foil and clingfilm products, directed by none other than Lindsay Anderson.

Directed by Lindsay Anderson between his better-known feature films If…. (1969) and O Lucky Man (1973), this witty and award-winning ad uses a somewhat rotund chef as a visually memorable vehicle to promote the fact that Alcan makes packaging products for larger than normal quantities of food. This message is reinforced before the punchline: Alcan also makes foil trays that could have staved off a messy kitchen disaster.

The name ‘Alcan’ is an abbreviation of Aluminium Company of Canada, the second largest such firm in the world. Formed in 1902, it saw its biggest periods of growth during the two World Wars, and between them took advantage of the burgeoning motorcar and aviation industries, all of which significantly increased demand for strong but lightweight metals. After WWII, they diversified into consumer packaging, including products made from materials other than aluminium such as the wraps and bags seen in the ad, and also tobacco pouches.