Monday, April 16, 2012

Supa Strikas kicks-off first ever DigiComic


Snap & Win with Caltex for limited edition Supa Strikas Adidas gear

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16, 2012– The illustrated Supa Strikas series scores a winning goal in accessibility with the launch of its new digital comic available at www.supastrikas.com.my. Globally sponsored by Caltex™, the soccer-themed property offers fans an entirely unique action-packed experience complete with sound, interactivity and animation for an experience that has yet to be attempted by any other major comic creator.
“At Caltex™, we’re about enjoying the journey. Unlike historically static versions, the revitalized digital comic enhances the experience for readers with narration and action that unfolds in frames. Caltex™’s branded investment in this innovative format rides on the rapid growth of Supa Strika’s local online fan base and hopes to encourage a wider Malaysian outreach previously limited by the paper-based circulation,” said Jeremy Oh, Country Chairman, Chevron Malaysia Limited.
Since the digital comic’s debut in January 2012, the Supa StrikasFC Facebook Fans have surpassed 200,000 –-with 53,000 being Malaysian. Fresh and increasingly interactive comic content is available every two months accessible via any updated browser on any device. The second issue is out now.
Here’s a free kick for Caltex™ customers: stand a chance to win monthly prizes of limited edition          Supa Strikas Adidas gear valued up to RM1,000 with the online Snap&Win contest. To participate, Malaysians aged 10 and above need only snap a creative picture of themselves with any Caltex™ logo and upload their entry via www.strikadigital.com. No proof of purchase is necessary, but customers must adhere to terms and conditions including strict safety guidelines against mobile phone use within the dispensing area and discharge point at Caltex service stations to avoid disqualification. Contest ends December 31, 2012.
To catch the Supa Strikas battle it out on the silver screen, tune in to TV9 every Saturday at 5.30pm and the Disney Channel (ASTRO channel 615) at 9.30pm daily.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Supa Strikas Fly High !

One, two, three, Supa Strikas! Everyone was certainly excited for Caltex's sponsorship with the 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, especially the kids from Smokey Mountain and Hospicio de San Jose. The kids got an up close view of the hot air balloons and aerial acrobatics, together with a few Supa Strikas merchandise, which was Chevron’s way of supporting our gifted yet less fortunate friends in the Philippines. We also got the chance to be interviewed by one of the Philippines’ premiere morning radio programs, the Morning Rush! The entire event was really an extraordinary experience.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Digital Comic reaching new development heights !

Strika Entertainment, a Cape Town-based comic and animation production studio, has collaborated with web development and design company Lima Bean to launch the firstSupa Strikas interactive digital comic.
Supa Strikas is a world-renowned print comic and animated television series, and has a strong presence in Malaysia and the Philippines as well as a huge local fan base. Around 1.4 million copies of the comic are printed each month in 16 countries, and the animated series is broadcast in each of those same countries. In South Africa alone, each episode averages a million views. 

The popular story follows the trials and tribulations of 'the world's best football team', represented by a South African team with the name Supa Strikas. 15 other representative teams fill in the blanks to create a high energy, thrilling story line. 

Although Supa Strikas already benefits from a high traffic website and a successful social media campaign (with over 105,000 fans on their SupaStrikas FC Facebook page), it was only a matter of time before the online comic was launched, to meet their fans' growing interest and desire for interactive digital media. 

The interactive comic is an entirely unique and innovative idea that is yet to be attempted by any other major comic creators. Lima Bean was tasked with developing and designing a digital comic using cutting edge HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript technology. The comic had to be accessible to anyone with an internet enabled device (PC's, laptops, tablets and mobile phones), and it was necessary for it to be platform independent. As there is a limit with Adobe Flash on Apple products, Lima Bean and Strika Entertainment made the decision to develop the comic using HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery, thereby ensuring that it would be accessible from all devices. 

The immediate response to the digital comic has been very positive, as is evident in these screenshots from the Supa Strikas fan page: 




This is the first edition of the digital comic and users can expect to see more interactive features rolled out in future episodes. In addition, this new activity is guaranteed to further broaden the Supa Strikas target audience and enable the brand to engage with their fans on an entirely new level. 

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

1st Ever Digital Interactive Comic

Strika Entertainment, supported by Caltex and Adidas, the main sponsors of Supa Strikas, is making headway in the digital landscape of comic books. Historically, digital comics have been static, the original artwork for a printed comic simply placed on the web. Now, Strika Entertainment provides digital interactive comics that take full advantage of the potential for online comics to include sound, interactivity and animation for an experience that lives up to the platform.

Not only will Supa Strikas fans be able to read their favourite comics online, but they will hear the narration and watch the action unfold in the frames, becoming active participants in the reading experience. While this new story-telling medium does not seek to replace traditional comic books, it allows for the opportunity to place the product into the hands of anyone with a phone line. With the continuing growth of the Supa Strikas online fan base on sites like Facebook and Youtube, the digital interactive comics from Strika Entertainment hope to meet the audience demand for the next step in comic book entertainment.

Richard Morgan-Grenville, CEO of Strika Entertainment, stated that “With this new product we hope to widen our net of people who can enjoy a quality Supa Strikas entertainment experience. In a perfect world we would like every person on the planet to be able to enjoy the Supa Strikas in their home. This is another step towards that goal.”

With help from the Supa Strikas headline sponsor, Caltex, the third season of the Supa Strikas animation is being released in the latter half of 2012. The digital interactive comics give Supa Strikas fans fresh content while they wait for the new episodes to air.

By utilising the feature of HTML 5 to base the product off the web, owning an iPad or downloading the app to view the digital interactive comic will not be necessary. One can use any updated browser on any device to view the digital interactive comics, which will be available from 1st February 2012 in Malaysia and the Philippines across multiple devices at the same time, from smartphone to tablet to PC.

Keep watching the Supa Strikas Facebook page and the websites for more info:

Supa Strikas Animation Hits Season 3 at Full Speed

Supa Strikas Animation Hits Season 3 at Full Speed

Chevron and Strika Entertainment have signed a third season for the hit youth program, Supa Strikas. Following the tremendous success of the first and second seasons, still being aired on over 20 channels internationally, such as Nickelodeon, Disney, StarHub, ESPN STAR Sports, Orange, Caracol, SABC and Al Jazeera Kids, this latest offering, now in production, is projected to receive continued great ratings across the board.

Supa Strikas is rated among the Top 3 most popular youth programs on both SABC and Disney South East Asia. Strika Entertainment signed the agreement with Chevron to produce 13 more episodes of the much-loved animated series in languages as diverse as English, French, Spanish, Bahasa Malay, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Tagalog. The show is currently aired in 35 countries around the world, from France to Azerbaijan.

The show has been running for several years now, and continues to expand as it becomes increasingly popular. “It’s a globe spanning show, not just in its audience, but in its production as well,” says Richard Morgan-Grenville, CEO of Strika Entertainment. “The Supa Strikas animation is scripted and storyboarded in South Africa, and then animated by our key partner, Animasia, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.”

Supa Strikas is a feel-good family show that tells the story of the world’s most loved soccer team, based on the hit comic series with over 100 issues, with an estimated fan base of 10 million readers. “It follows the adventures of a team of talented young players as they strive to become the best soccer team in the world,” explains the show’s Director, Bruce Legg. Along the way the team travels to mysterious lands, meets extraordinary characters and, most importantly, must play the best football of their lives to make their Super League dreams a reality.

Legg is also ecstatic about the show’s global appeal and longevity. “It realizes the dreams of millions of young soccer fans, taking them into the world of professional soccer as they never imagined it.”

New episodes can be expected to air in June of next year and presales have already been made with Disney, Nickelodeon and many other channels. “It’s even more exciting than our last season. The writers, story boarders and animators have really taken it to the next level. I think we’re producing one of the best animated shows in the world at the moment,” adds Legg.