Smash Martians

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The Smash Martians were the stars of a 1974 TV advertising campaign for Smash instant mashed potato in the UK. They were a family of Martian robots who would watch humans laboriously preparing mashed potato the traditional way on TV. The robots would then mock what they saw by chortling as they heard how the "Earth people peeled their own potatoes, boiled them for 20 of their minutes, then smashed them all to bits" - instead of using Smash instant mash. The catchphrase 'For Mash Get Smash' is still an iconic and memorable advertising image within the UK. The 1970s adverts were voted TV ad of the century by Campaign Magazine.

Their behaviour and personalty were developed when the puppeteers were messing around on set and the producers decided to base it on this^[1]

They were designed by Sian Vickers and Chris Wilkins, also responsible for the four-wheeled red telephone used to advertise Direct Line, and Mr. Mouse, a blue American rodent advertising the insurance group esure.