Why Should you have a Brand Mascot?

Mascots are ideal for interacting with an audience and creating a buzz for your brand.

When you think of it, mascots are everywhere in advertising. You may not realise it, but when watching TV, almost 80% of the adverts have a mascot representing a brand. Trip Advisor has Ollie the Owl, Compare the Market has Aleksandr the Meerkat, and Churchill has… well, Churchill. Then you realise how many of those mascots are animals. But why?

Because of animals can be funny, adorable, vulnerable, and most of all, relatable - we see them all over the mascot industry. But does an animal represent your brand?

Brands that don’t have an animal as their mascot, usually have been around longer. Maybe they didn’t relate to animals as much as we do now? For example, Quaker Oats have been around since 1877, and the Jolly Great Giant since 1928.

To get your brand recognised and to get your audience to associate with what you do, a mascot has the potential to give your name a boost!

So why are Mascots so effective?

For years, children have identified with characters and mascots to help them learn, as adults we do the same. A mascot can help to break down information and showcase it in a fun, easily digestible way. They help to grab your attention and keep you engaged. This enables your target audience to better identify, remember, and understand your company, your products and your values.

Almost all Mascots come with a saying or phrase that will stick in your head as well! We guarantee you know what Churchill says for instance, and Aleksandr the Meerkat!

Animals, in particular, help to transfer information across to the audience. As different animals reflect certain traits that can represent the brands ethos. Such as, dogs are seen to be happy, friendly, and loyal, whereas cats are seen to be smart, quick, and independent.

How to choose a Mascot

Choosing a mascot to represent your brand can be tricky, especially as it may carry your brand forever. Some of the most famous mascots are simply created with no agender, such as Disneys’ Mickey Mouse, who was created by accident and saw the company through 90 years of success and is still going strong today!

To choose your mascot, perhaps think about what your brand ethos is. Ask yourself - what do you strive to do and be? What do you care most about? Then search through characters that reflect that ethos. You would have a brand of fast cars and pick a sloth to be your mascot, in the same way you wouldn’t want a wasp to be the mascot of a toilet roll brand. But really, what connection does a pink fluffy bunny have to a brand of batteries?

Read our blog on our 5 Top Mascots to see how these mascots helped their brand make it big!