Furnishing or mascot? Red or pink? Layabout or legend?
Brilliant staff member Rosso is a mystery to many – particularly to anyone who’s ever visited or worked in our office.
A perpetual figure in the corner of the room, he’s the first in every morning and the last to leave at night. Though some claim he doesn’t even leave at all.
He does no work and no one’s ever heard him speak. But Human Resources can’t touch him as he happens to be an elephant.
So this Christmas we thought we should finally tell his story and turn this misunderstood figure into one that can stand proudly…
A distant cousin to Babar and Dumbo, Rosso was the first of his family ever to exist, identifying as non-fictional from an early age.
This made the elephant’s life a difficult one for the magenta mammoth and so against all stereotypes, he ran away from the circus, seeking his fortune in Hollywood as an actor.
Initially, he was very successful, becoming one of the highest-paid calf actors of the 1990s – his 5,000,000 peanuts a-year contract second only to Macauley Culkin’s (who was controversially paid in real money).
But his stardom didn’t last forever. Despite being an elephant, he would frequently forget his lines and also where his mark was. Every time he spoke, it seemed he got it wrong and eventually he just gave up on speaking at all. Script or not.
Away from the set things weren’t much better either and he had a reputation for being spotted in LA’s very worst dive bars, with many of the regulars claiming they’d seen the big pink elephant.
Eventually, the acting dried up. So in an attempt to clean up, he packed up his trunk and moved back to the UK, working several small jobs in office IT departments.
However, his phobia of mice meant operating computers was a struggle and it wasn’t until Brilliant that he finally found his home.
Originally employed in a security role, he’s gone from hired muscle to part of the furniture – our longest employee by some distance!
So while he might still unnerve and baffle many, to us he’s a hero who deserves recognition. And what better way to do it than to make him the face of our annual Christmas Gin?
Our own little toast to the elephant in the room…
A debut for Rosso behind the Brilliant bar…
Rosso doesn’t usually venture to the far side of the office, but he’ll make an exception when it comes to promoting his very first gin label!
Following in the footsteps of Clooney and Reynolds, he’s the biggest star yet to put their name behind some booze!
Rosso Fun Facts
Get to know the inspo behind this year’s Brilliant Gin… Rosso The Elephant!
And if you thought he was just an inanimate, spray-painted ornament who sits in the corner of our office – you thought dead wrong!
Because this elephant has lived a life fuller than most…
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ROSSO
1) He has three brothers; Azzuro, Verde and Giallo – also mute plastic elephants.
2) In 2016, he created the dating app Tusker. (Ask him for a trunk pic!)
3) His middle name is Gary.
4) He did a three-year stint in San Quentin… but no one knows why.
5) He got his trunk pierced as a teenager and instantly regretted it.
6) He’s often mistaken for fellow redhead Mick Hucknall, and once came second in a look-alike competition!
7) He’s due to star in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s remake of The Elephant Man.
8) He owns a swimwear brand… it’s called Trunks.
9) Every summer, he travels to Africa to hunt poacher teeth. He bagged 3 wisdoms last year!
10) He owes HMRC 3,000,000 peanuts in tax.
