Captain Cartoon's Greatest Cartoon Ad Campaign Sold New & Used Cars: Meet
SUPER SWEDE

ROCKFORD, IL — For 19 weeks in 1978, a local new/used car dealership was said to be brimming with "record numbers of walk-in customers," all because of a weekly super hero newspaper cartoon advertisement featuring a caped car salesman!

It all began after local ad legend Terry R. Gossell approached the Captain with this unique, one-of-a-kind project, for a specific car dealer. Within days, VA-ROOM! "Super Swede" was born!

The title character represented "Swede" Clark, the dealership owner, who transformed into "Super Swede" by inserting a car key into his magic belt buckle.

Drawing on his comic book story-telling knowledge, Captain Cartoon plotted and wrote each strip — up to the last panel — where Ms Gossell added the all-important sales message.

The entertaining cartoon story, combined with those sales messages, worked, and Super Swede's newspaper comic was the talk of the town! Kids and families gravitated to the super hero, who was portrayed in real life by a 7-foot-tall costumed actor.

Billboards, T-shirts and TV/radio commercials were produced, launched and aired — all culled from the actual strip. A "circus atmosphere" prevailed during the entire ad campaign.

But there's even more to the story: "Super Swede" went on to be named "Best Newspaper Ad Campaign in 1978" by the Northern Illinois Ad Council.

Why did Super Swede work so well? "It stood out on a classified ad page, where it appeared in the local daily each week," says the Captain. "I intentionally focused on a good, entertaining story 'with payoff,' while Terry wrote the final ad message," he says.

"Super heroes are universally seen as "good guys," says the Captain. "Even today! They'll always be great tools for ad campaigns, because folks wlll always love 'em."

Staples Office Supplies

About the Captain

Captain Cartoon is an illustrator, cartoonist, caricature artist and entertainer serving Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Boca Raton and cities throughout South Florida

A veteran newspaper page and ad designer, Captain Cartoon designs all kinds of ads and promo campaigns.

Sample of the Captain's "low cost" web animation

Pages designed for a Beef O Brady's restaurant customer news brochure

Check out the Captain's NEWSPAPER-STYLE flyer

Newspaper ads for Pete Rose's Restaurant

The Captain's direct email:
captcartoon1@aol.com

"Over 30,000 Caricatures Drawn"

Comic Strip & Cartoon Ads Get Lots of Attention!

Captain Cartoon is an expert developer of ad and comic strip advertising, and this hot-off-the-press advertisement combines elements of both standard ads and comic strips. The Captain has generated lots of business through his colorful, entertaining and eye-catching advertising cartoon strips.

Holy impact Batman — South Florida computer repair expert Jim Power looks the part in his eye-catching super hero advertisement (Click to see a larger view.) If you need your computer fixed, click on the Netstf URL.

HOT off the press: Full page newspaper comic strip ad for a propane conversion company

 

Performers, cameras, a director, art director and casting would cost a bundle were this little cartoon produced as a video commercial. Yet the message is the same. It also serves as a handy storyboard should a commercial actually be made. A number of the Captain's strips have been turned into TV/Radio commercials. This particular strip was sketched "between caricatures" at the Sailfish Marina on Singer Island, and appeared in the restaurant's in-house customer "newspaper flyer," also written and designed by the Captain, with major input from savvy manager Dan Harvie.

Sample Comic Strip Ads & Postcard

Comic strip advertising can be launched for any kind of business, and that's because these eye-catching, colorful images always get attention! The Captain not only illustrates the ads, he writes them!
(Click the three images to see larger view)

Far Left: Cartoon newspaper ad for computer shopping (1987)

Center: Newspaper Comic ad

Above: Cartoon Postcard ad

Benefits from Cartoon Ads

Characters created for comic strip advertising can be used in a variety of colorful ways! T-shirts, signs, circulars, billboards, TV ads and more can be generated through the imagery from these strips. Who knows, you could be the owner of the next 'Joe Camel' — well, better yet, 'Tony the Tiger!'

This cartoon by the Captain was printed on plastic glasses for a pizza restaurant chain.

Want to know more? Contact the Captain!

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