Living Better Electrically

WILLIE vs. REDDY

In 1924, Ashton Collins of Alabama Power Company created a figure he named "Reddy Kilowatt" as the new icon for Alabama Power. An electrical storm inspired Collins's design for Reddy. Collins saw two lightning bolts merge and strike the ground as one, and they reminded him of a human figure. At that moment, Reddy Kilowatt took shape as a stick figure made of lightning bolts with a light bulb for a nose and wall outlets for ears. Reddy made his debut on March 11, 1926 and quickly became the symbol for all private power companies in the United States. He appeared in his own comic book and starred in several educational films.

In the 1950s, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) commissioned Andrew McLay, an entomologist turned artist, to create a character to represent the rural electric co-ops. McLay designed a figure with a plug for a head and a socket for a body and named him "Willie Wiredhand." Very quickly, Willie became the national icon for rural electric co-ops. Willie and Reddy faced off when private power companies brought suit against NRECA, arguing that Willie looked too similar to Reddy and therefore represented an infringement of copyright. In 1957, the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the co-ops. For many years, Willie continued as the widely recognized symbol of rural electrification. Recently, as co-ops work to emphasize a modern image, most have stopped using Willie as their symbol. For many, Willie still remains the beloved symbol of rural electrification, though.