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System1 teams up with Beano artist Lew Stringer to create a unique Cannes Lions giveaway

By John Freeman on June 13, 2019

Effectiveness prediction agency System1 has teamed up with comics creator Lew Stringer to showcase its recent work on classic advertising characters as a unique cartoon strip.

Lew, who has drawn strips for the Beano, VIZ and Marvel UK, and has worked on iconic characters like Lord Snooty and Rasher, as well as developing his own “Lewniverse” featuring crazy characters such as Brickman and Combat Colin, worked with System1 to create an all new humour strip for the company’s Cannes giveaway.

The comic is a tribute to classic British comic strips and to the advertising characters, known by System1 as Fluent Devices, which have entertained generations of viewers.

System1’s recent research into Fluent Devices found that ads that use them are 37 per cent more likely to increase market share than campaigns not using a fluent device; 27 per cent more likely to increase customer gains; and 30 per cent more likely to increase profit gains.

The aptly named “Flo And Her Fluent Device” comic stars a young girl who has a magic gadget which can summon advertising icons like the BK King and the Andrex Puppy to get her out of trouble.

The strip will feature on the back cover of System1’s ‘Summer Special’ booklet which will contain further information on the Fluent Devices research, which will be given away by System1 at Cannes Lions next week.

Lew Stringer also drew the front cover, packed with references to previous Cannes award winning ads.

System1 Group PLC, formerly BrainJuicer, has pioneered the use of behavioural science to produce and predict marketing guaranteed to drive profitable growth. System1 Group was founded in 2000 by CEO John Kearon, and is publicly traded on London’s AiM (Alternative Investment Market). System1 has pioneered the use of behavioural science to better predict marketing that guarantees profitable growth.

It’s been named ‘Most Innovative Company’ by GreenBook (six years in a row), Best Research Agency by Marketing Magazine and twice received ESOMAR’s Best Methodology award. System1 Group is headquartered in London with offices across Europe, in North America, Brazil, Singapore, and Australia.

Tom Ewing, Head of Marketing, System1, said: “Our research is all about the enduring appeal of great ads and great characters, and there’s nobody better at making great characters than cartoonists.

“I’ve been reading Lew’s work since I was a kid and was thrilled to collaborate with him on this project: he’s done a brilliant, joyful job. And as a parent myself I’ve gone to lots of industry events and come back with really boring materials – I wanted to help create something you’d want to take home and show your kids!”

After recent discussion here on downthetubes about “Commercial Comics” of the 1960s such as Signal and Ivory Arrow Castle, it’s great to see a brand using comics to promote its work in such a fun way in 2019.

More to the point though, it’s even better knowing just how pervasive and effective comics and comic icons used in advertising can be… something we should remind everyone about!

• To get a copy of the Summer Special and Flo’s adventures, visit System1 on the LBB And Friends Beach at Cannes | Register your interest in attending the LBB And Friends Beach here

• Lew Stringer is online at http://www.lewstringer.com

• For more information on System1 and Fluent Devices visit www.system1group.com | Introducing Fluent Devices | Fluent Devices Case Study

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.