7 steps to using mascots to build brands successfully

As designers, we’re tasked with creating images that become “sticky” in people’s minds. We’re building images that we hope will not only be remembered, but also speak to a specific brand promise or expected deliverable. For most small businesses, the challenge lies in getting people to not only remember what they do, but establish how well they provide that service or product.

Obviously, naming plays a big role in developing images that are better able to be sticky. They also go a long way in establishing a specific brand promise. Think about what image you conjure up when hearing the name Air Experts versus something like TJ’s Heating and Air. Assuming you know nothing else about either business, which business name sounds more impressive and more competent?

So where do mascots sometimes fit in when establishing a brand identity? Simply, they’re a visual aid in recognition and in making brands stickier. They can help connect the name of the business to what the business does. They need not always be retro in nature, but because their use is destined for outdoor usage, there are very specific ways in which they need to be designed in order to make them more effective.