Purple crocodile

The phrase purple crocodile (Dutch: Paarse krokodil) originates from a 2004 television advertisement by the Dutch insurance company OHRA promoting their lack of red tape.

[1] The advertisement consists of a single sketch in which a mother and her daughter appear at the reception desk of a public swimming pool.

The mother explains to the receptionist that the previous day her daughter left her inflatable purple crocodile at the swimming pool.

The receptionist hands the mother a form which must be filled out on both sides and handed in the following day between 9 and 10 AM, while the purple crocodile, which her daughter had lost is seen standing in a corner of the reception desk.

[2] Watch the sketch on youtube A 2006 law Wijzigingswet belastingwetten ter vermindering van administratieve lasten aimed at reducing red tape has the official shortened name Wijzigingsplan «Paarse krokodil» (Amendment "Purple crocodile").