Fans Come Out For Maggie and Stella Anime Campaign
To cap off Stanford Transportation’s new Bike Safety and Marguerite Shuttle campaign, a line of excited Farm folks wrapped around White Plaza on May 29, trying not to “fan out” too hard. Was it a BTS concert? No, it was another kind of must-attend event – a signing party where artists Sera Wang ‘25 MA and Morgan Su ‘29 MA autographed limited-edition comics featuring Stella, the new anime bike safety mascot, and Maggie, Marguerite Shuttle ambassador.
The multimedia campaign began last fall when Stanford Transportation held a contest to replace its longtime bike mascot, Sprocket Man. Student artists were asked to create original anime characters. Of 25 creative submissions, winners Sera and Morgan were chosen to partner with Stanford Transportation to develop artwork during a five-month internship. This spring, the creators’ characters and stories were released as a four-panel Japanese manga-style comic series on Transportation’s Instagram account (@stanfordonthemove)
The reaction was overwhelmingly positive as students, staff, and faculty quickly began following the series on Stanford Transportation’s IG, and attended a Meet Stella and Maggie Live event on May 1. The nine-month campaign culminated in the late-May celebratory comic book signing. Vinay Shah, ‘29, was among the attendees. “I’m very proud of my bike safety,” said the first-year student. “I always use my front and back bike lights, wear a helmet, and stop at stop signs.”
Stanford Transportation hopes that more students will become converts thanks to its unique bike safety (and Marguerite shuttle) campaign.
The community's enthusiasm has been rewarding for the artist, and they're happy to lend their talents to help keep their peers safe. “As college students, our brains are among the most important things, so having Stella encourage people to protect themselves on the road means a lot,” said Sera.
Follow Stella and Maggie’s continued adventures – and watch for cool new merchandise – in the Fall.
