You probably can’t. That’s because it’s from one of countless animated commercials produced in the 1950s and early ‘60s.
This one is part of a campaign for American Express Traveller’s Cheques (pardon the British spelling) and about all I can tell you is the ad agency was Benton and Bowles. Who made it, I don’t know. My guess is, although it looks very UPA-ish, that it was the product of Animotion Associates of New York, as the company had produced animated commercials for American Express in mid-1961. It was run by Graham Place and Otto Feuer, two veterans from Paramount/Famous studio. Around this time, Animated Productions (Al Stahl), Ansel Films, CBS Animations, Cristal Animation, Elektra, Kim-Gifford, Lars Colonius, Pelican (Jack Zander), Wylde and the wonderfully-named Ferro, Mogubgub and Schwartz were also making animated commercials in New York. Many had theatrical vets on their staffs.
Here are a few more frames from this American Express spot. The dotted-line backgrounds are an interesting concept and it looks like sponges added texture to the floor. (The girl is in mid-air because she is jumping on the trunk).
Here’s John Traveler “protecting his valuables” (after a false start thinking what his valuables are). He scrunches them together. There’s a background dissolve as John hands them to awaiting hands at a bank teller’s window to be put in a safety deposit box.
John tips his hat to us as a narrator carries on, a nice bit of personality animation. Note that John’s head has a thick black outline while his body is outlined in red or some other colour.
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A spaghetti arm reminds John a safety deposit isn’t the only protection he should have. He should protect his “travel cash.”
At the end, a photo is taken of the vacationing John and his catch. The flash effect was also used in Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear cartoons.
The designs are creative and attractive. To think this was just one of many animated spots populating television at the time.
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