In today’s increasingly competitive business world, it’s becoming more and more essential to truly connect with customers, stand out from the crowd and create a brand that is memorable.
Think about sports mascots. Every college has them, as do many great brands. We’re not saying you have to have a mascot to be a great brand with bandwagon fans, but we are saying you can learn some lessons from them. After all, they are one of the few branding tools that have withstood the test of time.
Mascots Rule
If you think about it, mascots (or brand characters) are quintessential branding. From Ronald McDonald to Mr. Clean, mascots help companies do a number of things:
- Strengthen their brand
- Engage and connect with customers
- Build brand loyalty
- Drive customer retention
- Stand out from the pack
- Tell a brand story
So what does this mean for your company?
You don’t have to be McDonalds or Disney to create a successful brand character. If you think a mascot makes sense for your brand, ask yourself a few questions to get the creative juices flowing:
- How will the mascot help enrich communications with customers?
- Where will it be used – online? In-person? Everywhere?
- Would you want a human embodiment, anthropomorphic animal, or personified object?
- What kind of personality would complement your company? Silly? Friendly? Helpful?
- Does your logo inspire any mascot ideas? What might look good next to your logo?
Bring Your Brand to Life
One of the keys to successful branding is making your brand relatable and giving your audience something to connect to. This is especially important if you’re selling something that isn’t tangible or product-oriented.
Brand characters and stories can also help to make complex or not-so-exciting subject matters more understandable. Take Flo from Progressive, for example. She’s a likable, “always happy-to-help insurance clerk” who makes insurance seem less complicated. And then you have the Energizer Bunny making even batteries seem exciting.
Perfect Timing
Today’s media-oriented landscape is the perfect setting for brand characters. Social media and content marketing make it easier than ever to leverage characters in new and entertaining ways. All the better if you make the mascot’s content super shareable.
If you’re ready to hop on the mascot bandwagon – or if you just want to kick your branding up a notch – StellaPop is at the ready to help you bring your brand to life.
See Also:
Brand Strategy vs. Content Marketing Strategy
