Will Vinton, Claymation Pioneer and Father of The California Raisins, Has Died at Age 70

His work included Domino's The Noid and the animated M&Ms

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It’s rare enough for an ad campaign to break into pop culture in any lasting way, but even among that elite roster, The California Raisins are in a class of their own. In the 1980s, the animated band of wrinkled and purple R&B singers were absolutely everywhere, starting in TV ads and soon branching out into musical records, holiday specials and endless merchandise.

One of the key visionaries behind their success was Will Vinton, the founder of Will Vinton Studios and the man credited with coining the term “Claymation.”

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