Super hero to sell EU to public

A new proposition is being launched to explain and humanise the European Union. The concept, which has been initiated, researched and created by Twelve Stars, is based around a super hero mascot called Captain Euro, who stars in his own website.

The consultancy, which developed the European Parliament’s brand, has had a team of people working solely on the problem of European identity since 1992.

Twelve Stars , which is funding the research itself, has conducted focus groups in and out of Europe. The group discovered, that, though Europeans feel the EU is a good idea, they cannot identify with it or feel proud of it.

“So many confused messages and myths reach Europeans that they do not know what to believe and what not,” says Twelve Stars president Nicolas De Santis. “Europe is a good product which is badly packaged.”

Twelve Stars is using Captain Euro to launch a non-political communications programme on the positive aspects of the EU. “Another new logo would not have done it. This concept of European unity is just too big, and it required unconventional thinking in identity and communication terms,” De Santis adds.

On the website, Captain Euro takes part in adventure comic strip stories with other characters which illustrate the benefits of working together for the union.

The consultancy’s objective is to make Captain Euro into an important European icon.

The scheme comes a week after Demos and Interbrand Newell and Sorrell announced a research programme into the EU’s identity.

See News Analysis, page 8