The Michelin Man from Michelin, Tony the Tiger from Kellogg's cereal, the Clown from McDonald's, and more recently the Panda from the 2022 Olympics are just a few of the recognizable mascots of famous brands. Also, how many times have you seen animations or unique characters on TV that you recognized and immediately associated with the brand? That's exactly what a mascot does in brand marketing.
What is a brand mascot?
A brand mascot, which can be an object, a person, an animal, or something completely made up, is a character that reinforces and "humanizes" the brand itself. It can extend your reach and is considered a smart and fun way to make your brand personality, and therefore your marketing, special and unique. The mascot can be used in your logo, on your website, and in your social media.
Why use a mascot for your brand marketing strategy
- Strengthens your brand identity
- Helps your brand express its personality
- Grab the audience's attention without using a word
- Increase brand awareness
- Increase audience engagement
- Make a personal and emotional connection with your audience
- In some cases, more reliable than an influencer (who may make mistakes that can leave a negative impression of your brand)
- For small businesses, a long-term marketing strategy can be budget-friendly
The mascot becomes an integral part and active character of your brand, it becomes its face! Especially today, it is important to stand out from the competition in this highly competitive market where companies are looking for new ways to connect with their audience.
An interesting fact is that this method of branding is already widely used in Asia, such as China, Japan, Thailand, etc., where mascots have long been one of the main components of marketing strategies, as funny and cute characters are much better received by the public of all ages.
What TO keep in mind when creating your mascot
Creating a mascot is easier said than done. It's a creative process that takes time and thought. Here's what you should consider: :
- What is the personality of your mascot?
- Will it be an object, a person, an animal, or something else?
- How does it fit with your brand?
- Will you give it a backstory?
The first instance for this new decision should be your own audience because even this strategy can fail if it does not fit your target audience. It is advisable not to rush headlong into this idea and push it through on every platform or service your brand offers. Start by showing one or more mascot ideas on your social media and observe the users' reactions.
At W4, we could not resist creating our own mascot. We got inspired by an inside joke in our team and one of our graphic designers created our own dinosaur：
Would you also like to use this branding marketing strategy? Would you like a completely personalized mascot? Our graphic design team will be happy to implement it for you. Contact us now!
