PC Modem and Bob
CompUSA
computer stores sponsored a nation-wide contest to illustrate "PC
Modem and Bob," two characters who appeared in their radio
advertisements. Based on the radio ads, I came up with these two
characters. I even used the text of one of the ads to show the characters
in action. Though I was a contest winner, to my knowledge, CompUSA
never used these illustrations in an advertisement. As a contest
winner, I won $1000.
I tried to design two characters that looked like they belonged together, like Ernie and Bert from Sesame Street. I also thought that “Bob” sounded a little like Bob Newhart, though a little chubbier, so I used pictures of Newhart as a sort of starting point. The taller, skinny guy and the shorter, chubby guy are time-tested comic icons.
