System1 and Aardman Launch New Book on Critical Role of Craft and Character in Advertising

Sep. 24, 2025

System1, The Creative Effectiveness Platform, and Aardman, the award-winning animation studio behind classics like Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run, have launched a new book for the advertising industry: Putting On a Show: Exploring The Aardman Effect. The publication explores how stories with character, characters with heart, and advertising with a smile create lasting business effects, as evidenced by top-performing commercial campaigns developed by Aardman.   

Using System1’s Test Your Ad platform, Putting On a Show looks at 96 campaigns from across the globe that Aardman has produced over the past 40 years, which consistently make audiences feel intense, positive emotions and score in the top 1% for creative effectiveness. These include Barbour’s 5.9-Star Christmas ad, Serta’s sheep-filled 4.3-Star campaign, and 4.3-Star stop-motion work for Thatchers. 

The book also leverages foundational research by Orlando Wood, Chief Innovation Officer at System1, author of the IPA-published books Lemon and Look out, and co-creator of the course Advertising Principles Explained (a.p.e.). It outlines the two schools of advertising and the important role of showmanship advertising.  

Andrew Tindall, SVP of Global Partnerships, System1 said:

“Aardman’s dedication to craft, characters, and storytelling is a masterclass in creative effectiveness. Every brand has the power to put on a show like Aardman and the advertisers with which they partner. This book is our gift to the industry, sharing creative best practices to encourage entertainment that drives lasting growth.” 

 

Putting On a Show showcases: 

• How advertising works. A closer look at the two schools of advertising, the two types of effects, the two types of attention, and the role of emotion in advertising.  
• The need for showmanship advertising. The decline of showmanship features like humour and characters in advertising and the impact this cultural shift has on brands. 
• Aardman’s history and commercial work. From the early days to now, lending intellectual property to brands and creating bespoke characters for others. 
• The Aardman Effect. The unique ability of Aardman ads to effectively entertain: increasing positive emotion felt and reducing Neutrality among audiences.  
• Lessons to develop advertising that puts on a show. Six levers to pull to master storytelling, character, humour, and emotional resonance. 

Emma Hardie, Executive Commercial & Brand Director at Aardman added: 

“We take great pride and joy in bringing unique characters and stories to life through our craft. Over 50 years, connecting with our audiences has remained paramount - to entertain and move them, and ultimately bring a smile. We are grateful to have worked with wonderful creatives across many brands to ‘put on a show’ for them, bringing the Aardman joy to audiences around the world. It’s fantastic to have these insights from System1 to tangibly demonstrate that irrepressible impact!”