The world is divided in opinions when it comes to brand mascots. Some believe them to be as important as the brand logos while others think that the time when mascots made any difference is long gone. While some believe smaller business can still benefit from having a mascot, others like to think that the benefits a mascot offers are significant enough to make a positive impact even on the bigger brands of the world.
No matter which side of the debate you believe in, a glance at some of the brands like GEICO and McDonalds is enough to reinforce that brand mascots are not only considered important but are also of great use when it comes to brand building exercises.
Here are 5 reasons why all brands, irrespective of their size, should consider having a mascot for their brands.
1. Brand Personality
A lot of brand creation and brand building exercise revolves around creating a likeable brand personality. Which is why you see so many brands trying to personify their brands. What can be a better way of personifying your brand than to actually having a living figure associated with it? A brand mascot provides a simple yet completely controllable way of adding human-like personalities to your brand. Want to make your brand look like a warm, loving and caring entity? Just create a brand mascot that visually looks like it and your work is half done already.
2. Better Than Brand Ambassadors?
The audiences nowadays are far more evolved than audiences from the previous generations. They have also become more sensitive towards the social standing of the brands and the ambassadors that represent those brands. A mascot can potentially avoid a lot of sensitive areas since they don’t belong to a certain race, nationality and financial class. Unlike celebrities, mascots also don’t have the potential of creating controversies in their personal lives which might have a negative impact on the brand’s image.
3. Engagement Beyond Advertising
Have you been to a sports game? It is literally impossible to not have noticed the team mascot if you have. They not only represent what the brand stands for, but are also immensely effective in creating audience engagement. From entertaining spectators during breaks to encouraging them to get behind the team by cheering for them, a mascot at a game does it all.
And while the adults take keen interest in the game, the mascots also increase team affinity for the next generation of supporters by creating memorable moments with the younger audiences. And to think of it, all of this is achieved without the help of the large budgets that the TV and radio commercials rely on.
4. Brand Attention And Recall
Elaborating on the point made above, custom mascots also help the brand create awareness and recall. Imagine walking through a fair where all energy drink brands have a presence. Chances are, if you had the chance to see, speak and interact with the mascot of one of the brands, you will remember the brand for days to come. The mascots, with their costumes and exaggerated movements grab your attention, and through a small interactive session can establish a first impression that is as positive as it is lasting.
5. Winning The Social War
Let’s agree, being a likeable brand on social media is something all brands desire to be but only a handful achieve it. The social media audience is looking for fun and engaging content but corporate brands find this difficult to achieve as not all of them can easily transition into being a fun brand. And if there’s anything we know about mascots, it is that they are all fun. Big brands have their social media strategy revolving around creating a brand image solely through the use of their mascots. And a lot of these brands are being successful as it too.
The bottom line is that there is enough evidence to prove that having a brand mascot can do more good than harm to a brand. All one needs to do is have a solid strategy regarding how to use the brand mascot.
