Top Tips on Creating a Mascot Character

Today, we’re surrounded by fictional characters. They’re everywhere – in books, cartoons, on the web and in adverts.  It’s no surprise that kids (and big kids!) become increasingly attached to them.

It’s for this reason that mascots can be powerful marketing tools for building brand identity and building mascot momentum.

To make your brand stand out and have its own personality, consider a mascot to represent your company’s ethics. You want to create a character that remains in people’s minds. It’s all about getting the design right. There are numerous examples of simple, famous characters (think Julio Pringles by Pringles). Since famous mascots such as this appear simple to look at, people assume designing a mascot is a breeze. But actually, it’s a pretty complex process.

Want to create a gorgeous-looking character so they’re popular and well-liked by your target audience? Check out the below tips – we’re sure they’ll help you achieve this.

Your Mascot’s Purpose

Your mascot has to turn heads. It’s got to make an impact and look a certain way. If your brand is child-focused, you’re not going to want to design a scary-looking character. Always keep your target audience in mind as well as your brief. Keep shapes simple.

Your mascot will be used in different sizes and on mobile devices, billboards, and so on. If your character will be used mostly in small sizes on small screens, don’t worry too much about using lots of detail. If, however, your character will be used on large posters and advertising boards, feel free to add intricate details and features, as you see fit.

Make Your Mascot’s Features Unique

At the end of the day, you want your mascot to stand out, right? Consider ways to make them unique. Think about features like skin tone, eye colour, mouth shape, ear size, tail length, sharp teeth, and so on. Play around with shapes and proportions. Exaggerate your mascot’s features (the ones you really want to highlight). Do you want your character to have a large head with strong legs and a big nose? All of these things can demonstrate different attributes, e.g. intelligence, inquisitiveness and strength. So, have some fun!

Pick Colours Carefully

If anything can make your mascot stand out, it’s colours. If you want your character to be eerie and wicked in appearance, opt for dark, gloomy colours. If you want your mascot to exude happiness and positivity, stick to cheerful, light and bright colours. Perhaps you want your mascot to be magical and mythical. In which case, pastel colours are perfect.

Pick a Personality

It’s really easy to express a mascot’s personality. Think about their facial expression, posture and shape.

For instance, round shapes usually denote gentleness, sweetness and softness whilst sharp lines and angled shapes represent creepier, wickeder characters. Have fun and try out different shapes while bearing in mind uniqueness. Since your mascot will represent your brand or business, it’s got to stand out.

We hope the above tips have helped. We, like you, want your character to be truly unforgettable so it serves a particular purpose and symbolises your brand the way you want it to.

We’re passionate about creating a custom mascot design that brings your brand to life. So, why not get in touch with us today? With 30 years of design experience, rest assured we’ll help you create a truly one-off character your audience will love.