SHOPPING CENTRES’ MASCOT ACTIVITIES AND CHARACTER EVENTS

St James Shopping's mascot, Rudi, fronts social media campaign.

Organisations across the UK, operating within different sectors, use mascots in different ways in support of their marketing, entertainment and experiential campaigns.

St James Shopping in Edinburgh commissioned Rainbow Productions to create walk-around character, Rudi the Reindeer.  After Rudi was launched he went on to be used as a hook in a social media campaign; Rudi was the focus of a Polaroid competition where people were invited to guess his location within the city and post answers to the centre’s social media platforms.

Starting from his home at 1, Leith Street, during the campaign Rudi was spotted at iconic sites across Edinburgh, including St. Giles’ Cathedral and Canongate Kirk, as well as outside St James Shopping.

Many UK shopping centres are adding branded mascots to their mix of family-oriented events and entertainment.  As part of a drive for increased engagement with shoppers, events programmes often  feature licensed children’s characters making personal appearances and taking part in experiential brand activities such as interactive mini shows, story-telling sessions and workshops.

Licensed character events in June and taking place within shopping centres include venues such as the Hammerson Group’s Brent Cross, the Eden Shopping Centre in High Wycombe and Intu branded centres Broadmarsh, Potteries and Merry Hill.  May 2014  also proved a busy month with licensed characters - particularly around the Bank Holiday and Half Term dates - for example, seeing bookings from centres within the Jones Lang LaSalle portfolio and outlet centres such as Royal Quays in North Shields.