THE CREATIVITY ISSUE: Spiro & Associates

Agency: Spiro & Associates

Client: Leading Edge Benefit

Market: Fort Myers

You won't find many photos of people in the advertising materials for a Fort Myers human resources and benefits company.

In fact, the star of the new campaign and rebranding for Leading Edge Benefit Cos. is not human at all: It's a stick figure affectionately known as Stick Man, a mad scientist in a laboratory who helps clients sort out the super-complicated world of corporate benefits.

“It's almost like a mad scientist is running the business universe,” one video explains as Stick Man tinkers with chemicals and small explosions.

“People respond better to animated characters,” explains Christopher Spiro, the CEO of Fort Myers-based Spiro & Associates. “They're more endearing.”

For example, insurance firm Geico has a green gecko with a British accent. The gecko does a better and more memorable job of explaining the company's products than a human being, and people love him.

Still, in the conservative world of human resources and benefits consulting, this is uncommon. All the advertising materials had to pass muster with lawyers and regulators.

“If you take a look at their competition, this is breaking the mold in their business,” Spiro explains. “As highly regulated as their business is, it stops them from having fun.”

But the animated character lets them loosen up their image while more effectively delivering the message. “An animated character can do and say things that a human being can't,” says Spiro.

Follow Jean Gruss on Twitter @JeanGruss

See the video Spiro & Associates created for Leading Edge Benefit Cos., starring "Stick Man," below: