{"id":20035,"date":"2019-04-24T18:18:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T22:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/?p=20035"},"modified":"2026-09-17T18:19:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T22:19:50","slug":"the-bic-boys-lasting-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/news\/the-bic-boys-lasting-power\/20035\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bic Boy\u2019s Lasting Power"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Heather Taylor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who among us hasn\u2019t used a BIC<\/a> brand ballpoint pen to write with at some point in our lives? From stationery to shavers, BIC\u2019s packaging has featured a unique character for nearly 60 years. Resembling a small child dressed for school with a most unusual ballpoint head, he is simply known as the BIC Boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"bic_la_vraie_pointe\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Characters That Came Before The BIC Boy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sacr\u00e9 bleu<\/em>! It might surprise you to learn that the BIC Boy was not<\/em> the first character to represent BIC in their advertising campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Business partners Marcel Bich and \u00c9douard Buffard founded the business in 1944. Hailing from Clinchy, France, the company was initially established as a maker of writing instrument parts. A mere six years into business, Bich launched the BIC Cristal ballpoint pen. Generations of consumers still use this game changing pen today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"la_pointe_bic\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1952, French designer Raymond Savignac drew illustrations for BIC\u2019s \u201cElle Court, Elle Court<\/em>\u201d advertising campaign. This translates to \u201cShe Runs, She Runs\u201d in English, and featured a runner chasing a BIC pen. The campaign was a smash hit, and BiC received a French Oscar de la publicit\u00e9<\/a> award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next nine years, BIC enjoyed explosive success. The company participated in the Tour de France, and manufactured and distributed BIC ballpoint pens through Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 BIC. A retractable pen called the BIC M10 debuted in 1956. The advertisement featured another Savignac illustration. This time, it\u2019s of a little girl holding up a notebook in one hand and a BIC M10 in the other. The pages of the notebook are French for \u201cj\u2019ecris propre<\/em>\u201d translating to \u201cI write clean\u201d \u2014 because of BIC!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raymond Savignac Pens The BIC Boy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

BIC began establishing a worldwide presence in the late 1950s. The company entered the North American market in 1958, followed by Scandinavia in 1959, and Africa and the Middle East in 1960.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raymond Savignac<\/a> returned to illustrate the next character in BIC\u2019s canon. The design was much simpler for the \u201cNouvelle Bille\u201d (\u201cNew Ballpoint\u201d) 1961 campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"bic_nouvelle_bille\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Savignac drew a schoolboy who is every inch a schoolboy\u2026 Until you see his head. It\u2019s a shiny ballpoint. Tucked behind his back is a BIC ballpoint pen. Next to the character is the BIC logo, in a bright orange shade. The color orange, incidentally, would become the official color of the BIC brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"bic_colorful\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The BIC Boy Through The Decades<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no stopping the BIC Boy! 1970 saw the release of BIC\u2019s 4-color pen set. The company also expanded its consumer products line throughout the 1970s to include shavers and lighters, all of which featured BIC Boy on the packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n