Reddy Kilowatt

Reddy Kilowatt, Inc.
Company type	Private
Industry	Electric power marketing and licensing
Founded	January 1, 1953; 73 years ago
Founder	Ashton B. Collins Sr.
Fate	Acquired by Northern States Power Company in 1998
Headquarters	New York City (original), later Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
Key people	Ashton B. Collins Sr. (founder), Ashton B. Collins Jr. (president)
Products	Licensing of Reddy Kilowatt mascot and promotional materials
Number of employees	30
Parent	Northern States Power Company (from 1998)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Reddy Kilowatt, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 7 August 2025

Reddy Kilowatt is an animated figure developed to serve as a corporate mascot representing electric power generation both within the United States and internationally for close to a hundred years. The trademark is presently held by Xcel Energy.

Description

Reddy Kilowatt appears as a stick figure formed from stylized lightning bolts, featuring a light bulb in place of a nose and electrical outlets as ears.

Conception

The character Reddy Kilowatt made its first appearance on March 14, 1926, in an advertisement for the Alabama Power Company (APC). It was created by APC’s commercial manager, Ashton B. Collins Sr.. During this period, electric utilities were focused on increasing electricity consumption, particularly in rural regions where nearly 90% of American farms remained without power by 1930. Collins believed that giving electricity a human-like persona would help attract new customers, including hesitant farmers and small business proprietors.

Collins drew inspiration from an Alabama lightning storm to conceptualize a figure symbolizing electrical energy. Working alongside APC engineer Dan Clinton, he crafted Reddy Kilowatt as an “electrical servant” characterized by limbs shaped like lightning bolts, wearing safety gloves and shoes, and sporting a friendly face with a light bulb nose and outlet ears.

The APC secured copyright for Reddy Kilowatt on March 6, 1926. Following his initial appearances in print advertisements, the character was introduced in three-dimensional form at the Alabama Electrical Exposition later that year.

Adolescence

The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 hindered growth in demand for electric services and slowed efforts to electrify rural areas. Despite these challenges, Collins maintained confidence that Reddy Kilowatt could effectively promote electric power. As a dedicated supporter of capitalism, he regarded Reddy as a representative for investor-owned utility companies (IOUs) during an era of expanding government involvement.

In 1933, IOUs established the Edison Electric Institute to further their interests; Collins became involved and advocated for electrical energy across the nation. APC transferred rights to Reddy Kilowatt to Collins, who then hired Dorothea Warren to enhance the character’s design. On March 28, 1933, Collins obtained U.S. trademark number 302,093. Warren later gained recognition as both a commercial artist and author of children’s literature.

Through the Reddy Kilowatt Service (RKS), Collins marketed the “Reddy Kilowatt Program” to IOUs, securing his first licensing deal with Philadelphia Electric Company in January 1934. He subsequently added major utility companies such as Ohio Edison, PPL Corporation, Duke Power, South Carolina Power, and Tennessee Electric Power Company.

From 1934 through 1976, RKS periodically updated contracts with licensees who agreed to portray Reddy Kilowatt as “friendly, likable, well-mannered [and] even-tempered” and to maintain “generally accepted standards of good taste.”

In exchange, licensees received access to various products and services, most notably the Reddy Kilowatt Art Service Reproduction Proofs Book, an extensive collection of images and advertisements tailored for utility marketing purposes. By its final edition in 1998, this book contained thousands of illustrations spanning hundreds of pages. Additionally, RKS published the Reddy Bulletin, which provided news updates and promotional suggestions for license holders.

Recognizing the international appeal of Reddy Kilowatt, Collins obtained trademark protections abroad including Canada (1934), Argentina (1937), Great Britain (1938), and Mexico (1938). The character was eventually licensed widely throughout the Caribbean, South America, Australia, Africa, and Asia.

Maturity

Following the conclusion of World War II, utility companies geared up for a consumer-oriented market and an increased appetite for home appliances. Between 1946 and 1947, the demand for electrical power surged by 14%, fueled by declining energy prices—from 55 cents per kilowatt-hour in the 1920s down to 19 cents by 1947, with continued reductions in the ensuing twenty years. Ashton Collins viewed Reddy Kilowatt as an essential figure to boost electricity consumption during this post-war expansion but aimed to modernize the character’s appeal.

In 1943, Collins reached out to Walt Disney to create a film adaptation of Reddy, but the project was delayed due to Disney’s commitments during the war. Two years later, animator Walter Lantz, famous for creations such as Woody Woodpecker, produced the animated short Reddy Made Magic (1946). The film was a joint effort between Lantz and Collins, directed by ex-Disney animator Dick Lundy, with a script by Ben Hardaway and Milt Schaffer. The narrative portrayed the story of electricity’s origin as narrated by Reddy Kilowatt. Educational Comics issued a related comic book priced at five cents. Walter Tetley, recognized for his high-pitched youthful voices including Sherman from Mr. Peabody, provided Reddy’s voice.

Lantz made notable improvements to Reddy’s appearance—shortening his torso, replacing his broad-cuffed gloves with four-fingered white gloves common in cartoons, and adding white sclera and a wider smile to enhance expressiveness. The film included the song “Reddy Kilowatt,” composed by jazz musician Del Porter and Oscar-nominated Darrell Calker, which evolved into a commercial jingle underscoring Reddy’s connection to everyday electricity use.

In 1953, Collins established Reddy Kilowatt, Inc. (RKI) in New York City to continue licensing products and promotional materials. RKI issued a guidebook instructing utilities on how to utilize Reddy’s image effectively and replaced its newsletter with the glossy publication Reddy News. By 1957, 222 utilities worldwide had licensed Reddy; this number expanded to nearly 300 by the late 1960s.

RKI developed a wide range of promotional merchandise—such as jewelry, pens, and clothing—featuring Reddy’s cheerful visage to personify electric power generation. Marketing artwork showed Reddy explaining energy expenses, safety precautions, and billing information. The company also advocated a pro-capitalist message through “Reddy Kilowatt Youth Clubs” aimed at educating young consumers and distributed politically charged ads opposing public ownership of utilities.

To defend its intellectual property rights, RKI initiated legal action against the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in 1956 over trademark infringement concerning their mascot Willie Wiredhand; however, the court ruled against RKI in 1957.

In 1958, John Sutherland Productions refreshed Reddy Made Magic with The Mighty Atom, incorporating atomic age themes alongside an updated theme song emphasizing television exposure. Additionally, Reddy featured in the 1965 New York World's Fair exhibit titled “Holiday with Light.”

Ashton B. Collins Jr. took over as president of RKI in 1962; Ashton Sr. remained chairman until his passing in 1972. Louise M. Bender served as corporate secretary overseeing daily operations, while Ray Crosby was art director from 1934 until 1964. At its height, RKI employed roughly thirty personnel.

Decline

By the time Reddy Kilowatt marked his 50th anniversary, the electric utility sector's priorities had shifted from growth to conservation, influenced by the environmental awareness of the late 1960s and the fuel crises of 1973. RKI began guiding its licensees on incorporating environmental themes into their messaging, portraying Reddy Kilowatt in environmentally conscious roles such as planting trees and advocating for energy-saving lighting solutions. During the late 1990s, Reddy’s appearance was modernized, swapping his traditional pointed boots for athletic sneakers.

In 1976, RKI changed its corporate identity to Reddy Communications, Inc. (RCI) and moved its headquarters to Greenwich, Connecticut. By 1978, corporate secretary Louise Bender highlighted that "Reddy is the friend of the consumer," reflecting a new emphasis on energy conservation. However, this repositioning clashed with Reddy’s earlier image as a promoter of increased energy use. This revamped persona was met with skepticism and often adopted ironically by environmental advocates and editorial cartoonists to critique the utility industry. In a 1979 legal case involving the Environmental Action Foundation’s parody of Reddy’s image, the court upheld the principle of fair use.

The character’s decline accelerated amid rising energy costs and industry mergers, which conflicted with RCI’s licensing policy restricting usage to investor-owned utilities. For example, after Nova Scotia Light and Power was acquired by Nova Scotia in 1972—a longstanding licensee—Reddy was quickly removed from all company branding. The company’s logo was simplified, often retaining only subtle hints of the character.

A broader corporate shift away from fictional mascots toward abstract symbols and celebrity endorsements further reduced Reddy’s prominence.

By 1979, around 140 U.S. utilities still held licenses for Reddy Kilowatt; however, by the late 1990s, only a handful remained globally, including Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Kenya Power and Lighting Company, and Southeast Queensland Electricity Board. Deborah Dunagan, then COO of RCI in Albuquerque, asserted that Reddy continued to be an effective “natural communicator for the information age.”

Legacy

In late 1998, Northern States Power Company (NSP), headquartered in Minneapolis, acquired RCI and its associated trademarks from Collins Capital Corporation under Ash Collins Jr.'s leadership. NSP CEO Jim Howard pledged to keep Reddy as a prominent representative for its electric operations while introducing a new mascot, Reddy Flame, to symbolize natural gas services. Less than two years later, NSP merged with New Century Energies to create Xcel Energy Inc.

As of 2024, only a few utilities maintain licenses for Reddy Kilowatt through Xcel Energy. Among them, Barbados Light and Power Company Limited (BLP) in Saint Michael, Barbados continues to incorporate Reddy into its logo and featured him in the 2011 centennial animated production Electricity and You.

Several physical remnants of Reddy Kilowatt remain visible today:

- In Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, a credit union originally established for a former licensee still operates under the Reddy Kilowatt name.

- Alabama Power Company restored an original neon sign depicting an early version of Reddy on its Attalla, Alabama facility.

- SiouxLandmark preservation group in Sioux City, Iowa rehabilitated a large neon Reddy sign displayed at Iowa State University’s Design West Studio building.

- The York County History Center in York, Pennsylvania restored an 18-foot-tall Reddy Kilowatt sign from a local hydroelectric plant; it is now exhibited at their Agricultural and Industrial Museum.

- In 2015, Alberta’s Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 refurbished a 1.6-square-meter linoleum floor image of Reddy Kilowatt from a former Calgary Power employee residence; it is currently displayed in Exshaw municipal offices with assistance from Armstrong World Industries.

Collectibles featuring Reddy Kilowatt—including signage and various memorabilia—remain sought after in antique shops and online auctions. Due to widespread production by RKI and its licensees over many decades, most items are affordable; however, rare examples can command significant prices.

In popular culture

Reddy Kilowatt made a brief appearance in the 1978 parody film Hardware Wars, where he cautioned about a "dangerously overloaded octopus connection." In his 1994 article for WIRED titled "Disneyland with the Death Penalty," William Gibson likened Singapore's People's Action Party emblem to Reddy Kilowatt. The character also had a cameo role in the 1994 movie Double Dragon, featuring Alyssa Milano.

In 2012, Barry Weiss discovered a Reddy Kilowatt lamp on the show Storage Wars. Although its retail value was estimated at $3,000, it ultimately sold for $1,600. Phil Lesh, bassist for The Grateful Dead, adopted the moniker Phil "Reddy Kilowatt" Lesh and incorporated the character’s image in concert posters and online fan groups.

In 2018, Phillips Brewing, a craft brewery based in Victoria, showcased Reddy Kilowatt on the label of their "Megahertz Belgium ESB" beer. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Connie Schultz mentioned Reddy Kilowatt while recalling her father’s tenure at Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. More recently, in 2022, Reddy was featured and parodied on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver during a segment addressing investor-owned utilities and performance-based regulation.

External links

Reddy Kilowatt archival materials, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, Archives Center
The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia (archived 2010)

Patents

Websites

User-contributed photographs and stories about Reddy (archived 2021)