Strika Communications: Using Comics to Teach and Entertain
The 2010 World Cup is upon us. In less than a week Africa will host its first ever world cup, an event that signifies the main global arena where nations of the world can engage in spirited competition; where 11 soccer players carry the hopes, dreams and honor of their nations on their shoulders; and where exhibition of skill, determination and fair play matters more than status. Strika Communications is a South African based media firm that embodies all that is good about the world cup both literally and figuratively. It produces and commercializes engaging character based entertainment products and communication solutions. Its flagship brand Strika Comics brings to live the story of The Supa Strikas, the Soweto home town soccer team lead by the young, charismatic and aspiring protagonist, Shakes, and features his supporting cast North Shaw, Big Bo, and Chico. The comic series is available in print and has been developed into an animated series by South Africa’s largest television network, SABC. The story illustrates themes of leadership, teamwork, self confidence, honesty and the universal drama of good against evil making the comic resonate deeply with the people of the country.
Strika Communication’s entertainment business model centers on two revenue streams: comic sales through print or digital distribution, and secondly, revenues from product placements in the comic stories. Global & local brands such as VISA credit card, Caltex Petroleum, Western Union money transfer MTN telecom and SABC television have turned to this innovative publishing firm and leveraged their use of comic book heroes to help promote and sell their products and services.
In an era where comics are viewed as a dying communications medium Strika communications realized the untapped value of a picture-based, succinct communication model as a tool to connect with the working class and middle class segments of emerging market populations. Mix in soccer, a sport that this population is passionate about, some high drama and themes centered on fantasy, strong ethical character and achieving personal aspirations and this comic series becomes a cocktail blended for success.
Oliver Power the founder of the Cape Town based firm adds “comics are visual and people can read them in their own time and at their own pace” Over a million copies of the Supa Strikas comics are sold every month in seven African countries and over the last five years the brand has expanded into Colombia, Scandinavia, Malaysia, India and Pakistan. In India and Pakistan the brand is called Supa Tigers, a comic series centered on cricket.
The Business-2-Business side of the company provides educational and employee training comics and multi-media materials to institutional clients such as BMW and Bank of Botswana. While it currently represents about 10% of the business it is growing at over 15% per year.
The firm admits that its most important resource is its people, the creative engine that drives the firm, and says that “creative talent is a human resource that emerging markets have in abundance… many young creative men and women are looking for outlets to channel this energy.” The team consists of an in house animation production crew, designers, illustrators and writers. In addition to employing people to their firm Stika Communications uses locally based writers to supply local knowledge and input on current trends and social issues that can be incorporated in to the comic series.
Recently Strika communications and Caltex collaborated to launch Supa Strika comic series in Egypt, which will also be the first Arabic version of the comic. 45,000 copies of the comic were distributed to cars passing between Cairo and Alexandria and another 45,000 copies were delivered to the Caltex stations across the two cities, where they were handed out to motorists buying a minimum of 30 liters of gasoline.
Recently Strika communications and Caltex collaborated to launch Supa Strika comic series in Egypt, which will also be the first Arabic version of the comic. 45,000 copies of the comic were distributed to cars passing between Cairo and Alexandria and another 45,000 copies were delivered to the Caltex stations across the two cities, where they were handed out to motorists buying a minimum of 30 liters of gasoline.
Supa Strika is now officially the world’s largest circulating comic book with more than 1 million copies distributed in more than 18 countries worldwide, it is also officially the most popular soccer comic on the African continent. Strika Communications plans for the future include launching in Brazil and producing its first comic series in Portuguese. Strika Communications is excited for the 2010 World Cup and its global brands and sponsors will benefit tremendously from it over the next month. We at SACCA are excited to see this story unfold.
