A brand mascot is a person, animal or object that is used to represent a brand or company. It is a marketing tool that helps in creating an identifiable and unique brand image. Brand mascots are known for their creative, human-like, and bursty characteristics that resonate with the audience. They are an integral part of the branding strategy for most organizations.
Having a brand mascot offers several benefits like:
Increased Brand Recognition: A mascot helps in creating a strong visual identity for the brand, which enhances its recognition amongst the target audience.
Emotional Connection: Mascots have human-like characteristics that enable them to connect with the audience emotionally. This enhances brand loyalty and helps in maintaining long-term relationships with customers.
Brand Ambassador Campaigns: Mascots can be used as representatives of the brand in various promotional campaigns, making them an effective tool for brand ambassador campaigns.
Brand Character Marketing: Mascots can be developed into characters that are used to communicate the brand message to the audience. This helps in creating consistency in communication.
Brand Icon Campaigns: The use of mascots as icons can help in creating a memorable visual identity for the brand that stands out from competition.
To create a successful brand mascot, it is important to:
Understand Your Target Audience: Research your target audience to identify their likes, dislikes, values, and preferences. This will help you create a mascot that resonates with them.
Align With Your Brand Message: The mascot should align with your brand message and values. It should enhance your communication strategy and not contradict it.
Make it Memorable: Create a unique and memorable mascot design that stands out from competition.
Use it Consistently: Use your mascot consistently across all communication channels, to ensure brand recognition and recall.
Be Ready to Evolve: A successful mascot needs to evolve with time, learn from feedback, and adapt to changes in your brand strategy.
Some popular brand promotion strategies that use brand mascots are:
Social Media Campaigns: Mascots can be used in social media campaigns to increase engagement and create viral content.
Product Launches: Mascots can be used in product launch campaigns to create hype and interest amongst the target audience.
Advertising Campaigns: Mascots can be used in advertising campaigns to enhance brand recognition and recall.
Event Promotion: Mascots can be used at events like trade shows or community events, to attract visitors and enhance brand visibility.
Some popular mascot advertising tactics are:
Animated Ads: Animated ads starring the mascot can be used to create memorable and engaging content that resonates with the target audience.
Print Ads: Print ads featuring the mascot can be used to enhance brand recognition and recall amongst the audience.
Billboards: Billboards featuring the mascot can help in creating a strong visual impact on a large scale.
A good brand mascot has the following characteristics:
Uniqueness: A good mascot design is unique, memorable, and stands out from competition.
Human-like Characteristics: The mascot should have human-like characteristics like emotions, humor or wit that enable it to connect with the audience emotionally.
Suitability: The mascot should align with your brand values, message, and target audience preferences. It should also be suitable for use across various communication channels.
To choose a mascot for your brand, you need to:
Identify Your Brand Persona: Identify your brand's personality, values, message, and target audience.
Develop a Character Profile: Develop a character profile for the mascot that aligns with your brand persona.
Brainstorm Mascot Ideas: Brainstorm ideas for the mascot based on the character profile.
Refine the Design: Refine the design of the mascot to make it unique, memorable and consistent with your brand image.
Some famous brand mascots are:
Fournier, S., & Avery, J. (2011). Uninvited brand mascots and brand avoidance. Journal of Marketing Research, 48(3), 470-482.
Belch, G. E., & Belch, M. A. (2014). Advertising and promotion: An integrated marketing communications perspective (10th ed.). Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education.
Berkowitz, E. N., Kerin, R. A., Hartley, S. W., & Rudelius, W. (2017). Marketing (13th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Drumwright, M.E., & Murphy P.E (2009). Strategic Use of Corporate Social Responsibility Programs Can Be Risky Business.Journal of Consumer Research 36(2), 318–332.
Galician Mary-Lou , Jansen Bernard J.(1994) Cartoon Characters: To Sell or Not to Sell? Journal of Consumer Marketing Vol 11 Issue: 4 pp 42-51.
