How can you stand out in a world saturated with ads, where consumer attention is priceless? A unique mascot can help establish an emotional connection with your audience and make your brand more memorable.

Mascot: What It Is and Why It’s Used

A mascot is a character that creates a strong emotional bond between potential customers and a brand. We all associate M&Ms with the red and yellow talking candies, Coca-Cola with Santa Claus bringing festive cheer, and Michelin tyres with the iconic white Bibendum. Interestingly, the first mascot is considered to be Mickey Mouse, created by Walt Disney in 1928. Mascots enhance brand recognition and boost loyalty.

Beyond forging memorable associations, mascots can also generate additional revenue. A brand can boost profits and launch new product lines by creating mascot-themed merchandise like figurines, magnets, clothing, or accessories.

Marketing Applications of Mascots:

1. Incorporation in TV commercials.
2. Use in logos, templates, websites, social media, or packaging.
3. Running social media accounts or newsletters in the mascot's voice.
4. Developing brand identity elements.
5. Integration into mobile apps as an assistant.
6. Creating branded merchandise featuring the mascot.
7. Use at retail points (inflatable figures, life-size costumes, or animators interacting with customers).

Not Every Character Is a Mascot

Not all characters used in logos qualify as mascots. Logos are typically static and aren’t designed with multiple expressions or poses. Logo characters usually maintain a single pose, angle, and outfit, whereas mascots often take on the form of 3D figures with a personal backstory, defined personality, and role. Animation adds another layer, bringing the mascot to life.

Why Do Brands Need a Mascot?

A mascot helps achieve several key objectives:

1. Expanding the audience and boosting revenue. Mascots capture the attention of younger demographics and often become fan favourites, encouraging people to purchase merchandise featuring their image. Statistics show that advertising campaigns featuring a mascot generate higher profits.
2. Enhancing brand recognition. Mascots create positive visual impressions and evoke long-lasting emotions. The more frequently a mascot appears, the stronger the associations with the brand, leading to quicker recall.
3. Increasing engagement. By strengthening the emotional bond with the brand, mascots become integral to marketing strategies, fostering interaction with consumers.
4. Simplifying communication. Sending promotional messages from the mascot’s "voice" can boost customer loyalty and trust in the company.
5. Reinforcing brand identity. 3D mascots can star in videos and marketing campaigns, helping a brand stand out from competitors. They can also "come to life" as life-sized costumes, creating a closer connection with the audience.
6. Communicating complex ideas in simple terms. Mascots can explain complicated products or services in an easy-to-understand and engaging way. For instance, a bank mascot might improve financial literacy or playfully explain credit terms via social media or messaging platforms.

How to Determine If Your Brand Needs a Mascot

It all depends on the brand’s specifics. Mascots are most commonly associated with the B2C sector, where establishing an emotional connection between the customer and the brand is essential. Sports clubs and events frequently use mascots as their primary recognizable symbols. Interestingly, even the Vatican recently introduced its mascot, as we covered in a recent article.

In the business world, mascots work well for companies targeting younger audiences, children, or families, such as those in retail or e-commerce. They are also effective for organizations with complex products, like IT firms or those in the financial sector. Additionally, mascots play a significant role in the gaming industry, where their usage is especially prevalent.

Mascots in Mobile Applications

Mascots play a significant role in mobile apps by enhancing user experience and engagement. A branded character can introduce users to the interface and assist with navigation. Additionally, mascots in apps:

1. Fill empty spaces. Vacant areas within the app can lead to negative user perceptions. For instance, if a user accidentally taps on an empty cart, the mascot can suggest returning to the catalogue to choose products. Similarly, mascots can appear during technical errors or when the app loses internet connectivity.
2. Attract traffic. A well-designed mascot has the potential to go viral and spark conversations. For example, the playful and sometimes "pushy" notifications from Duolingo’s owl became a social media meme, generating significant organic traffic. According to a survey, 29% of respondents started using Duolingo after seeing its viral TikTok videos.
3. Boost installs, active users, and revenue. SensorTower’s Q3 2024 report highlights the top mascot-based entertainment apps in Europe, showcasing how memorable mascots contributed to maximum installs and revenue growth. The data is summarized in the table below.

Types of Mascots

Mascots come in various forms and serve different purposes based on their method of use and social role:

1. Emotional Mascots. Designed to influence the psychological aspects and loyalty of the target audience.
2. Functional Mascots. Created to simplify communication with consumers (e.g., on social media, websites, or messaging platforms).
3. Advertising Mascots. Used exclusively for marketing campaigns.

Mascots can also be classified by their appearance or type:

1. Inanimate Objects. Representing technically complex products.
2. Animals and Plants. Enhancing consumer engagement and eliciting emotional responses (e.g., the Milka cow, Tom the plant from the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics).
3. Humans. Such as Samsung's mascot "Sam," a virtual human character.

Mascots can take on various roles depending on their roles and functions:

1. Lovable Underdogs. Clumsy and endearing characters that evoke empathy.
2. Villains. Antagonistic figures against whom the brand's products offer protection.
3. Superheroes. Positive characters that solve problems.
4. Experts. Knowledgeable characters who share insights with consumers.
5. Friends. Friendly characters providing tips and advice.

Brands may opt for one mascot or several. However, having too many characters can dilute consumer attention. It's recommended to use a primary mascot consistently across campaigns, introducing additional characters selectively for promoting specific products or services. Lastly, ensure your mascot is protected from copying to maintain its unique identity and association with your brand.

How Do They Make Mascots?

Developing a mascot is a collaborative process involving a graphic designer or illustrator and a marketer. This collaboration ensures the mascot's design aligns with target audience analysis and competitive insights. Every detail of the mascot — role, personality, and style — must be meticulously planned. Mascots can be created and implemented either in-house or through outsourcing.

Here are the key steps involved in creating a brand mascot:

1. Client Consultation. The process begins with the client filling out a brief to define the mascot’s purpose, goals, and areas of use, as well as acceptable and unacceptable themes. Next, the client and the designer agree on deadlines, budget, and other terms, which are formalized in the documentation.
2. Sketching. Based on the brief, the team brainstorms concepts that reflect the brand's mission and philosophy. Several sketches are created, incorporating elements such as style, poses, hairstyles, and clothing for the character.
3. Detailing. Once the client selects their preferred sketch, designers refine the concept. Special attention is given to the colour scheme, emotional expressions, and intricate details. Every aspect of the design is crafted to reflect the mascot’s story, mission, and communication style with the audience.
4. Adaptation. At this stage, the mascot is updated with additional poses, seasonal clothing changes, and variations in design complexity, depending on its intended use.
5. Integration into Brand Materials. Experienced designers ensure the mascot is seamlessly incorporated into the brand’s marketing materials, including brochures, flyers, videos, and product packaging.

With a thoughtfully designed and strategically implemented mascot, brands can create a strong, emotional connection with their audience and stand out in the marketplace.

Mascot Development at Acquisition.mobi

Mascots can be utilized in both advertising and digital applications. At Acquisition.mobi, our team specializes in creating animated characters that seamlessly integrate into video content and augmented reality. We’ve designed mascots for clients across various industries, including retail, consumer goods, and IT.

If you’re looking to develop a memorable 3D mascot and incorporate it into a commercial using cutting-edge CGI, send your request to info@acquisition.com.

Explore our portfolio here.