Purple crocodile
Encyclopedia
The term purple crocodile (Dutch
: Paarse krokodil) originates from a 2005 television advertisement
by the Dutch insurance
company OHRA promoting their lack of red tape
. The purple crocodile has since become a more general mascot for bureaucracy
in the Netherlands
. The mother explains to the receptionist that her daughter has forgot her inflatable
purple crocodile
in the swimming pool.
The receptionist hands the mother a form which must be filled in on both sides and handed in the following day between 9 and 10 a.m, all while the purple crocodile forgotten by her daughter is seen standing in a corner of the reception cubicle. The mother then mentions that the purple crocodile is indeed in the cubicle. The receptionist agrees but takes no action.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Paarse krokodil) originates from a 2005 television advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
by the Dutch insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
company OHRA promoting their lack of red tape
Red tape
Red tape is excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making...
. The purple crocodile has since become a more general mascot for bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Description of the advertisement
The advertisement consists of a single sketch where a mother and her daughter appear at the reception of a public swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
. The mother explains to the receptionist that her daughter has forgot her inflatable
Inflatable
An inflatable is an object that can be inflated with a gas, usually with air, but hydrogen, helium and nitrogen are also used. One of several advantages of an inflatable is that it can be stored in a small space when not inflated, since inflatables depend on the presence of a gas to maintain their...
purple crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
in the swimming pool.
The receptionist hands the mother a form which must be filled in on both sides and handed in the following day between 9 and 10 a.m, all while the purple crocodile forgotten by her daughter is seen standing in a corner of the reception cubicle. The mother then mentions that the purple crocodile is indeed in the cubicle. The receptionist agrees but takes no action.