If you are currently developing a new logo, emblem or symbol for an organisation, group or club, then your final product must be something that adequately embodies your organisation’s values, ethics and mission statement. If you want to land on a visual symbol that achieves all these criteria points, then you’re undoubtedly going to need the help of a mascot company. They will be able to provide you with all the necessary paraphernalia, costuming, and even the people who can perform as the character for the marketing or publicity event.
Here are our top 6 tips you should remember when designing symbols and marketing paraphernalia for your organisation.
Make it family-friendly
Unless you’re operating in a space that is specifically for adults, then your branding, logos and brand personas should be family-friendly. This means they shouldn’t be wearing any strange of ridiculous, which could otherwise deter families (especially young children) from interacting with the character.
Make it easy to remember
The most famous brand or club characters have generally been the easiest to remember. Louie the Fly is one that springs to mind, as the brand persona for the successful insect repellent manufacturer, Mortein. The easier it is to recall the name, features, and themes of your character, the more successful it will be. If you believe that you don’t have the creative nous or experience to conjure up a suitable character, then get in touch with a reliable mascot company. They can help you with the design, colour scheme and performance attributes.
Make the character unique
Making the character unique is somewhat linked to its memorability. Think of it this way; a unique brand character is usually easier to recall. Long-term brand success revolves around an individual whose story is wacky, unique or compelling. Yet again, if you don’t believe that you have the experience to create an authentic, meaningful character for your club or organisation, get in touch with the experts at a custom mascot company.
Make sure the character connects with your target audience
This aspect of the process is often overlooked. Before designing a brand character, you must understand who your target audience is and what their likes/dislikes are. Are you creating something for children or adults? Is it an item designed for children while the parents/guardians are making the buying decision? These are crucial things you need to recall when reaching out to mascot company.
Indeed, a specialist mascot company will be able to perform quantitative and qualitative market research, and then present crucial findings as to what type of characters, themes, and personality traits will resonate the most effectively with your target audience.
Make the character’s story authentic
The most genuine and moving brand or club characters often have origin stories that resonate with the populace/market they represent. In the Australian Football League (AFL), the Sydney Swans’ primary emblem or character is Syd “Swannie” Skilton, a character who pays direct homage to the club’s greatest ever player, Bob Skilton. As a result, the Swan’s clever use of branding demonstrates the value of using authentic, moving characters that pay homage to a club or organisation’s history, while looking forward to the future. Not all organisations have enough resources to devote to this task, which is why we recommend hiring a professional mascot company to help with design and performance.
Make the costume functional and straightforward
Simplicity is also essential, both for marketing purposes and functionality. Remember, someone will need to be wearing the costume at public events (like fairs, sporting matches, entertainment centres, etc.), so you want the attire to be comfortable and simple to manufacture. Get in touch with a mascot company to hone all the finer details, and before you know it, you’ll have a perfect emblem ready to go!
