Archie Comics
Project Type //
Brand Strategy & Design
Role //
Brand Strategist, Creative Strategist, Brand Designer
Team //
Astha Avinash, Ria Shah, Yaren Kaya, Jodie Wu, Candice Shen
Skillset //
Historical And Contemporary Cultural Audit, Brand Audit, Landscape Analysis, Insights, Big Idea, Positioning, Brand Identity, Visual Language, Brand Extension, Launch Event, Social Media Strategy
Context
In the 19th-century golden age of comics where epic battles were fought by caped crusaders and shield-wielding champions, one figure stood apart by embodying a different kind of courage. His name was Archie and he was a red-headed boy residing just next door fighting the greatest battle of all—the teenage years.
A foil to the heroism of the times, he ushered in a shift from mighty guardians to the power of the underdogs that defined the shifting entertainment landscape in the latter part of the century.
Archie's popularity has since waned, moving him from the archetypal boy next door to one of the many boys next door and leaving the brand to struggle against seismic changes in the contemporary entertainment landscape.
Challenge
How can ‘Archie’ differentiate the brand character — Archie the boy — and the brand’s character — Archie Comics to address its convoluted brand image and develop a sound expansion strategy that reflects youth culture and the modern entertainment landscape?
Cultural Evidence
Image Source: Plugged In: Into the Spider-verse
Diversity has become a non-negotiable tenet of youth culture.
Within America itself, 49% of teens identify as Hispanic, Black, Asian, or Biracial. This generation is touted as the most diverse generation and they demand fair representation that reflects reality.
Image Source: Amazon: Thirteen Reasons Why
Media properties increasingly offer a window into the complex lives of teenagers.
Teenagers appear in stories with more nuanced identities and feature a range of characters with more complicated storylines above and beyond optimistic coming-of-age arcs.
Image Source: MCM: Comic Con
Global exchanges are fluid, rampant, and connected by fan culture.
Entertainment has coalesced with fan culture and has extended beyond its country of origin. The result? Opportunities for stories with global and cross-cultural influences.
Emotional Drivers
Personalities are multi-faceted and Archie Comics needs to mirror its audience’s intricate everyday lives, which are infinitely complex and intersectional.
One boy next door representing various identities no longer reflects current youth culture.
Image Source: Pinterest: Euphoria
Big Evocation
Ushering a new and cohesive era for Archie Comics requires reimagining the constraints within which it has operated for over 80 years.
Break the Archie-Type.
Singular –––––––– Multi-faceted
Average –––––––– Non-conforming
Slapstick Optimism –––––––– Emotional Depth
Perpetuating Stereotype –––––––– Presenting a Range of Nuances
The brand can be positioned as the champion for today’s underdogs whose experiences do not fit into a “standard” mold.
The brand needs to embrace nuanced identities in order to break outside the panels that severely limit teenage experiences.
Positioning
At Archie Comics, we are unapologetic champions for underdogs who want to exist outside the panels.
These panels could be countries, cultures, or clichéd stories.
Execution
Phase 01: Establish
Breaking away from a century of conflating Archie Comics with Archie Andrews, we proposed a new master identity for the brand comprising a new name and visual language for the parent brand.
The new identity is inspired by halftone textures in traditional comics combined with a constellation of characters from the Archie universe which follows through to the color and typography system.
We conceptualized an internal playbook for the Archieverse to act as a scalable system and comprehensive guide to transform the way the comics are created, characters are thought of and continuity is established through universal and nuanced metrics.
The playbook maintains continuity in characteristics across global adaptations while leaving room to play with contextual references. It's a systematic opportunity to merge storylines—there can now be a world where Archie, and Archie meet Archie.
The resulting stories will be fictional, still revolving around teenagers, but now exploring emotions grounded in reality.
Execution
Phase 02: Amplify
Reintroducing these beloved characters to the world with consistency, we propose treating them as iconic assets adapted across social media, brand paraphernalia, and real-world interactions.
Social Media
Each main character will get a “profile” of its own to introduce new fans to the character’s legacy and connect the its various adaptation across the world.
Brand Merchandise
Loyal fans will be treated to special edition brand paraphernalia cataloging on-page and off-page stories of their creation.
Live Events
Equities such as Pop’s Jukebox will become a platform for the “Archiekins” community to unite around a love of music.
Launch Event
We proposed Archie Comics take the stage at the world's largest entertainment convention—Comic Con—where fans could get a demonstration of a new cast of characters.
Execution
Phase 03: Expand
Facilitating a two-way conversation, between fans and the Archieverse, we updated the existing website to create opportunities for exchange—fans can write, submit, and share their own storylines. The revamped website can transition from providing information to facilitating engagement and interaction.
To cultivate future generations of creatives and have their voices be part of the multiverse of personalities, we recommended creating a new platform, StoryArch, where writers, artists, and fans’ ideas mingle to experiment with characters and stories within the Archieverse.
