Giving brands character: Why mascots work, and how to make one that lasts

The Duracell Bunny. Heathrow’s Bears. Tony the Tiger. Brand mascots are beloved. So beloved, in fact, that they can increase profit and emotional connection with customers by up to 41%. 

Taking a short trip down memory lane, these icons prove marketing zeitgeists of their time. In the 90s, when Winnie the Pooh and Paddington were BNOCs, Pom-Bear stepped into the advertising limelight. 00s icons Wallis and Gromit spearheaded a return to stop motion, even featuring in Renault’s Kangoo ad themselves. Aleksander Orlov the meerkat first stole hearts for Compare the Market in 2009, combining comedy with creature CGI. 

You see, we all like to be seen. It’s human nature. Mascots have a way of doing this without it feeling contrived. 

But why do mascots expel such trust and connection from us? How do you make one, and - more importantly - how do you balance authenticity with emerging trends and technologies?

You see, we all like to be seen. It’s human nature. Mascots have a way of doing this without it feeling contrived. They take relatable human elements and package them up into personified - but visually incomparable - creatures. We don’t feel threatened, because they’re fictitious. Their imperfect, eccentric, or comedic qualities only strengthens our fondness towards them. 

British Gas’ new mascot family The Things, successors of Wilbur the penguin, strike the perfect family balance. Much like The Cookie Monster or Sully from Monsters, Inc, they’re looming, yet lovable and unthreatening. Chaotic and hectic, but with a ridiculously endearing and undeniable bond, The Things are representative of families up and down the UK. And they don’t pretend otherwise. We feel seen. 

 If you’ve ever found yourself more interested in the villain in a story, it’s likely that their flaws are more interesting than the picture-perfect heroes’.

In a similar way, it’s been refreshing to witness the celebration of more ‘imperfect’ characters in recent years.. Most of us don’t fit the narrative of total perfection, so these imperfections become relatable ingredients used to deepen character arcs. If you’ve ever found yourself more interested in the villain in a story, it’s likely that their flaws are more interesting than the picture-perfect heroes’.

Waaaay back in 2017, I was part of the team that brought ‘Bam’, a photorealistic ram, to life for Volkswagen. The initial brief called for a strong, muscular physique to showcase his fearless nature. We chose instead to express this key personality trait purely through animation. The key to realism was in the subtlety - through posing and confident body language. He needed to be almost cocky, yet charming and likeable. We explored a wide range of references to establish the right body language, Muhammad Ali one of the key inspirations for his stance and attitude. 

You’ll get far more out of a performance if you can get inside [a character's] head - and open the door for the audience too.

We also studied animals like bulls, deer, and mountain goats to better understand physical behaviour. Bulls provided great insight for the standoff sequences, creating tension with minimal movement. Deer offered noble, confident posing with strong body language, even when completely still. It was all so nuanced. We knew if we pushed the animation too far, we would instantly lose believability.

Character personality is a huge factor when it comes to animation, too. A bold, confident character might move with sharp, clean timing, while a shy or awkward one might be more hesitant and uneven. To bring back our 00s OGs, a great example of this is Wallace & Gromit. Wallace is expressive, bouncy, and often flails around with dramatic gestures that match his excitable, eccentric personality. Gromit, on the other hand, barely says a word, but his subtle, considered movements and perfectly timed glances tell you everything. Their contrasting styles make their relationship believable and full of charm. All through movement.

More recently, there’s been a noticeable shift backwards, toward nostalgia and imperfection.

And of course, there’s much to be said about dialogue. Animate a character’s thoughts, rather than their words. You’ll get far more out of a performance if you can get inside their head - and open the door for the audience too. A useful trick I learned from animation mentor, Dana Boadway-Masson, is to write out the dialogue, and underneath each line, jot down the associated thought. Often, it’s different from what they’re saying. Animate to the thoughts. Always.

More recently, there’s been a noticeable shift backwards, toward nostalgia and imperfection. We’re seeing more hybrid techniques: stop motion aesthetics within 3D animation, hand-painted textures applied to CG models, and intentionally choppy movement that feels more handmade. Perhaps it’s a response to the overly slick, polished look that can sometimes feel soulless. 

 Our attention span is shorter - so punchier animation styles with tight timings need to grab viewer attention immediately

The BFG for Sainsbury’s is a great example. A well known, well loved character, brought to life with the warmth and texture of traditional animation. It cuts through the slickness of today’s digital world with charm and simplicity, bringing a staccato, stop motion feel to Roald Dahl’s friendliest BFG yet. And, crucially for Sainsbury’s, it reminds us that - like BGF, they have been a trusted household name for years, too. A synonymous power.