They can capture abstract aspects of a brand, or simply be a lot of fun – so what do The Drum members have to say about creating the perfect mascot?
A digitally revamped Frosties’ Tony the Tiger (Tony is Back!/Youtube)
With the World Cup upon us and the (ahem) iconic Maple the Moose, Zayu the Jaguar and Clutch the Bald Eagle possibly gracing our screens as the tournament’s mascots, we canvassed The Drum members for their takes on how to do marketing mascots well. From Tony the Tiger to Kevin the Carrot, we’ve all fallen for an animated animal designed to represent some elusive quality of a brand or service.
So, let’s hear it for mascots – Maple, Zayu and Clutch included.
Jon Workman, creative director, Ponderosa:“Apparently, mascots are making a comeback, and I’m all for it. Done well, they’re one of the most timeless ways to build brands. They’re memorable, distinctive and, crucially, entertaining. That’s probably why the World Cup mascots rarely stick. They often feel born from a corporate committee rather than human insight. The best mascots don’t take themselves too seriously. Flat Eric, PG Tips’ Monkey, Juan Sheet are all playful, a bit daft, and all the more effective because of it. They make advertising feel less like advertising. We’ve recently created two mascots for pitch wins: a helpful purple crocodile for Snap Finance and a giant orange monster for Leasing.com – the big, but not scary way of getting a new car. (Cuddly toy versions of both are soon to be found on eBay, hopefully…) For us, the fun comes before function. If people genuinely enjoy spending time with a mascot, they’re far less likely to mind being sold to.”
James Hoyle, creative director, 160over90:“Mascots? Love ‘em. I’m all in. Create a good one and it will be ingrained in your punters’ memory bank for a lifetime with an unshakeable sense of familiarity and brand love. Top three of all time? Easy. Hamburglar (untouchable greatness), Coco Pops monkey (for a while, I considered him a true friend) and Hofmeister bear (I’d wear that silk jacket every day for the rest of my life if I had it). The surreality, humor and marketing extensions a mascot can open up in a way an influencer or cinematic ad never will should feel liberating for a brand. Why spend all that money on strategizing a brand personality and not make the character come to life? Pair them with the right celeb and you get double acts the internet is crying out for. Take them into retail, merch or even an entire theme park if you get it right. The US does it best; there’s just something about the tone of Americana that sits better with the concept than a cynical British consumer, but they need to work in all markets and that’s the other potential upside; they can translate. And iconography awaits!”
Daryl Giannantonio, chief strategy officer, VML: “A brand mascot can be a powerful marketing tool, but it’s also one of the most misused ones. Done right, a mascot becomes a strong, distinctive brand asset, capable of creating emotional connections, especially on social media. A well-crafted character cuts through noise in ways that other brand assets cannot. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: most mascots fail. Not because the idea was wrong, but because the strategy was absent. A mascot without guardrails doesn’t amplify a brand – it hijacks it. People remember the character. They forget who it was supposed to represent. Having recently introduced a character for a brand, we are now laser-focused on defining its role and establishing guardrails on how, when and why this character shows up and behaves. A mascot must earn its place. It needs to be a strategic vessel that serves the brand, ensuring every interaction drives recognition back to the business, rather than just entertaining for entertainment’s sake.”
Simon Hewitt, co-founder & client partner, Thirty6:“Having worked on a few sports brands from the International Olympic Committee to BBC Sport to Red Bull’s sporting content, I’ve seen a lot of mascots in my time. I once made an ad for the FA Cup that had over 60 of them chasing each other. I think there is a place for them when it makes sense to have one, ie for sports teams, as there’s a history and a nostalgia there that makes them feel right. But when they are used for brands that have no rational or historical link and are an attempt to create a totemic emblem for a brand when really all they are doing is disguising the fact that there is no insight to shine a light.”
Rocky Riccardi, associate creative director, Left Field Labs: “In tech, mascots are usually underwhelming. Mailchimp’s Freddie and Asana’s Unicorn Birds exist to make software feel human, but you never actually meet them inside the product. They’re figureheads. Duolingo’s Duo is the opposite. He’s on nearly every screen: guiding you, challenging you, poking fun. You build a real relationship. That’s why the brand can spin a whole world around him on social, because the personality already exists. The marketing deepens the parasocial bond; the app deepens the actual one. The mascot is useful, not decorative. And yes, a good mascot risks catering to a specific audience. So what? A friend to all is a friend to none. Who you’re friends with matters. Give your mascot a world and weave it into everyday use and you deepen the connection that counts.”
Want to go deeper? Ask The Drum
Brian Austin, group strategy director, Kettle: “Mascots aren’t just for cuteness, they’re for clarity. They’re an extension of your brand that works to bring everything you touch back to your story in an increasingly fragmented environment. Let’s look at ESPN’s App-E. When ESPN launched its first-ever mascot to anchor its 2025 DTC streaming debut, it wasn’t decoration; it was a coherence strategy. Like many, I asked myself why bother? ESPN is iconic on its own. In execution, though, it makes sense. It was one character that could travel across subway takeovers, TV spots, social content and in-app experiences without losing storyline. ESPN, but always with you. That’s the real value: not virality, but consistency at scale. It doesn’t work for all, though. The brands that shouldn’t have one? Anyone whose identity is too nuanced to survive simplification. A mascot only works if the brand behind it is clear enough to give it meaning.”
Dane Jensen, SVP, partnership strategy, Momentum Worldwide: “Mascots have always held a special place in my heart. My earliest memories of attending sporting events as a child were Carlton Blues games back home in Melbourne, seeing Captain Carlton fly around the grounds in a hovercraft, and launching merch into the crowd. Absolutely Electric. To me, the mascot represents the ultimate fan. They ride the highs with the crowd when your team is winning and, even more importantly, they show up when your team is at its worst to get the crowd going and bring a smile. The mascot will never get traded or injured; they are the one constant on a roster that’s always changing, one that fans of all ages instantly recognize and love. And as with sports teams, so too with brand mascots: they create a physical presence for customers to engage with, in a way no TV ad or social post can. A mascot can have more fun and let your brand play in places that other channels cannot. Take Pop-Tarts, for example, where it literally toasts its mascot as a sacrifice for the winning team to eat at the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Can mascots be a little cheesy? Sure. But in a world where algorithms control your content, where brand logos and messaging grow increasingly bland and where consumer attention continues to collapse, maybe a little cheese isn’t such a bad thing?”
Janey Baker, marketing manager, The Behaviours Agency:“We love mascots; they aren’t just creative indulgences, they are strategic behavioral shortcuts. What’s the magic that makes a mascot work? It’s hardwired neuroscience. The human brain has spent hundreds of thousands of years evolving dedicated neural systems to remember faces. Brand characters piggyback on that system to build incredibly strong memory structures. Any brand can borrow a lifestyle occasion like a sunset or a rooftop bar – especially now that AI can generate that generic content in 10 seconds. But a character truly belongs to the brand. Our favorites include Captain Morgan, The Kraken and Johnnie Walker’s Striding Man. They prove that while authenticity builds credibility, a great character builds memory.”
Shinya Murayama, creative director, Aim B2B by Custom Media: “In Japan, mascots are so embedded in culture and marketing that they can easily fade into the background. But that’s exactly what makes them interesting. When everyone has a mascot, standing out isn’t about being cute or quirky – it’s about creating meaning. The best mascots do more than capture attention. They make complex ideas more human, memorable and relatable. For B2B brands, that can be especially valuable when communicating expertise, trust, and purpose. With that in mind, we created our own Aim B2B mascot: Susumu. Dressed in our navy and gold, his name means ‘to advance’ in Japanese. Equipped with a compass and map, Susumu represents guidance, progress and confident navigation across the APAC region. More than a character, he reflects how we work: combining deep cultural understanding with a clear grasp of our clients’ ambitions. In a market where standing still isn’t an option, Susumu reminds us that meaningful progress starts with knowing where you’re headed and having the right guide to help you get there. Always forward.”
Chris Ambidge, chief client & commercial officer, Collaborate Global: “I grew up with Tony the Tiger. Frosties were grrreat. The Honey Monster was chaotic and I still maintain the Michelin Man is a genius piece of branding. Which is why I loved Neil Bennett arguing that drinks brands are missing a trick. He’s right. Too many alcohol brands look like they were designed by the same bearded, Hackney hipster. Craft. Heritage. Copper stills. Repeat. Mascots work because people remember personalities, not packaging. Quite simply, they humanize the brand. And in a world of AI slop and endless sameness, character stands out. Admittedly, not every brand needs one. Alcohol brands would certainly need to tread carefully to avoid anything too childlike (the Gen Xers here may remember Hofmeister’s brilliant ‘Follow the Bear’ campaign). Rolls-Royce probably doesn’t need a dancing badger. But brands in categories fighting for distinctiveness and equity? If it can be done appropriately, then absolutely. The magic isn’t the costume, it’s consistency. And if Collaborate had a mascot? An octopus. Eight arms, endlessly curious, while keeping dozens of specialists all moving in the same direction.”
Doug Johnson, brand strategy director, Threepipe Reply: “Used well, mascots are incredibly effective, distinctive assets that make brands easier to recognize and remember. But for every Meerkat or Kevin the Carrot, there’s Burger King’s unsettling King and Quiznos’ Spongmonkeys. We know what makes a great mascot. But what makes a truly terrible one? Firstly, there’s a time and a place – if you’re in a regulated industry, tread carefully. Mascots bring warmth and levity, which can feel tone deaf in more serious categories. Secondly, there’s such a thing as too random – tigers don’t belong in cereal and meerkats don’t sell insurance, but there’s still a thread to follow. 20 years on, Quiznos’ Spongmonkeys are still hard to explain. And thirdly, if everyone has one, think twice – if every brand in your category has one, joining in won’t create cut-through. There’s a reason we remember the Meerkats, not Brian from Confused.com.”
Featuring:
Left Field Labs
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AIM B2B by Custom Media
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thirty6
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