It’s A New Comic, Charlie Brown! ‘Real Time Eddie’ Debuts In His Own Cartoon Series

"Speed," a new cartoon series featuring independent agency system mascot Real Time Eddie, debuts this month. Through online and print ads in insurance trade media as well as in email messages, postings on Eddie's own Facebook page and blog, and trade association publications, the cartoon series invites independent agencies to look for the newest opportunities for real-time connectivity.

Published on October 19, 2011

The new comic strips feature the Real Time Eddie character-created in 2007 by the industry's Real Time/Download Campaign-showcasing heroic powers of speed in any situation he is in, whether reading a book or visiting a doctor.

"Independent agencies feel the need for speed more than ever," said Joyce Sigler, CISR, CPIW, CPIA, vice president of administration at Jones & Wenner, an insurance agency in Fairlawn, Ohio, and campaign co-chair. "Real Time can help with that.

"With the "Speed" comic strips, we want to awaken agency decision-makers to the latest advances in real-time capabilities since they might have last looked. Many agencies, carriers, tech user groups and service providers continually push forward to improve connectivity for independent agencies," Sigler added.

Karen Youngman, CPCU, personal lines manager at Don Allen Agency, Rochester, N.Y. and campaign co-chair, pointed out: "We want agency principals, staff and producers to have a quick laugh or at least a chuckle about Eddie's heroic, speedy exploits. But more important, we want them to learn more about and implement real-time capabilities -- so they spend less time on processing and systems-related work and more time with prospects and customers."

The Real Time/Download Campaign introduced the new cartoon series with:

• The first cartoon, dubbed "War and Peace," showing Real Time Eddie speed-reading the famous tome in a matter of seconds.
•  A series of online and print ads with space donated by major insurance trade publishers.
•  A first-person blog by the clock-faced character: EddieSays.org.
•  An updated web page: GetRealTime.org/Eddie.
•  A social media presence at Facebook.com/RealTimeEddie.
•  Comic strips running in publications and web sites of carriers, insurance trade associations and user groups.

Comic strips can be shared from Eddie's Facebook page and are available for posting and publication by emailing RealTime@Aartrijk.com.

About the Real Time/Download Campaign

Launched in 2007, the Real Time/Download Campaign (www.getrealtime.org) is dedicated to improving the competitiveness of the independent agency distribution channel. The campaign isn't advocating a specific technology, but a workflow approach that frees up more time for agencies to sell, process and service business. Most agents can leverage tools already contained in their agency management systems or comparative raters.

Campaign participants include agents, brokers, carriers, technology providers, user groups, and agent and industry associations. The campaign is led by industry groups and sponsored financially by: ACORD and the ACORD-User Groups Information Exchange (AUGIE), Allied Property & Casualty Insurance/Nationwide, Applied Systems, Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet), Artizan Internet Services, CNA, EMC Insurance Companies, Erie Insurance, Grange Insurance, Harleysville, The Hartford, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) and its Agents Council for Technology (ACT), IVANS, Liberty Mutual Agency Corporation, MetLife Auto & Home, Network of Vertafore Users (NetVU), PIA of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut & New Hampshire, Progressive, Travelers, Vertafore, and Westfield Insurance.