Why we like using Mascots to Build Creative Brands
SP
He's Nifty's resident drawing & marketing guy
Why we like using Mascots to Build Creative Brands
Brand mascots are undoubtedly a cornerstone of creative brands and a major reason we ventured into marketing.
Growing up in the 90s, iconic characters like Snap, Crackle & Pop, Ronald McDonald, and the Michelin Man captivated us, filling our childhood with memorable imagery. Over the years, we’ve championed the use of brand mascots to our clients. Although not all choose this path, those who do often experience enduring benefits and an enhanced creative brand identity.
Let’s explore why brand mascots are truly awesome!
What is a brand mascot
A brand mascot is a character, often animated, that embodies a product or company, establishing a unique brand identity.
These interesting ambassadors of creative brands normally come in three forms:
- Humanoid: People (cartoon-ified or real), Super Heroes and more
- Animals: Friendly Tigers, bunnies and cows are often used as brand mascots
- Objects: Items or products pertaining to the brand are often morphed into the brand mascot. Fruits, products or even text can be used.
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Captain Crunch – www.foodandwine.com
What is the objective of a mascot
The objective of a mascot is to entertain and engage your audience on a deeper level. They add personality to your brand, allowing for a physical and emotional connection with your brand.
Their intent is to stand out from the crowd, to be memorable and easy to understand. They are the tangible aspect of your brand’s main message/product.
Why do people love mascots
Apart from most physical mascots sporting fluffy coats and huge ears – making them all the more huggable, they always bring forth the best front of the business.
This means that they embody what the business strives to be, which in most cases consists of being approachable, fun, exciting and different.
I mean, what’s not to love about Duolingo’s well-known Owl mascot’s real-life version?
How effective are brand mascots
Companies utilizing brand mascots achieve a 37% better market positioning compared to those that don’t.
Brand mascots enhance engagement, foster familiarity, build trust, and connect uniquely with audiences—benefits unmatched by other marketing strategies. Interestingly, although only 4% of advertising campaigns feature mascots, those that do enjoy this significant boost in market positioning. Brand mascots can serve as the foundation of your marketing materials, simplifying content reuse and conveying complex ideas to your clients.
For example, they can star in animated explainer videos, effectively communicating key concepts while subtly reinforcing your brand’s identity.
disadvantages of using brand mascots
Even though brand mascots or characters are the coolest thing since sliced bread if you ask us, there are some disadvantages to taking the plung of actually creating one.
Some of these disadvantages for creative brands include:
- It’s a time-consuming task. Not only does it take time to develop the mascot for your specific brand, but it will take even more time to build familiarity with your customers.
- They require continoius development – This can be avoided if the brand manual is followed well, but if any major changes are implemented for the brand a lot of effort will be required to imbue these changes into the character as well.
Is there a future for the brand mascot?
We’re already witnessing a revival of brand mascots that leverage AI and advanced technology to create dynamic, lifelike characters.
These mascots provide personalized, interactive experiences, evolving from mere marketing symbols to engaging companions.
While there are some mascots that are more memorable than others and have stood the test of time, such as Colonel Sanders and Mickey Mouse, some have not done so well and have gotten lost within the catacombs of time. A good example of this is RB Jacobs from FNB, who after some scandalous comments was retired by one of south africa’s largest banks.
One of our favourite examples comes from the amazing crew over at Polyester Studio , who use cute pink hamsters to represent their brand and it’s fun and creatve approach to their work.
Ham the Hamster – https://polyesterstudio.com/
So, what’s our verdict?
If you’re a creative brand who would like to stand out from the crowd, a mascot or brand ambassador is a way to get eyes on your business. And if you’re a fan of the visual arts, seeing an actual designed visual personification of your business baby is something to behold!
We’re 100% behind this idea, and are working hard to increase the presence of our brand mascots that we have created for the crew here at Nifty Studio.
If you’re in need of a creative team to bring some “mascot-ification” to your creative brand, let’s chat!
