{"id":19531,"date":"2022-04-19T18:56:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T22:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/?p=19531"},"modified":"2026-09-15T18:58:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T22:58:50","slug":"advertisings-secret-weapon-its-the-brand-mascot-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/news\/advertisings-secret-weapon-its-the-brand-mascot-2\/19531\/","title":{"rendered":"Advertising\u2019s Secret Weapon? It&#8217;s The Brand Mascot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>By Heather Taylor, Contributor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jim \u201cRocki\u201d Nawrocki has always been amazed at how many people love the Pillsbury Doughboy.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Poppin&amp;apos; Fresh Pillsbury Doughboy Commercial (1972)\" width=\"1240\" height=\"698\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/p0wqNxtjIiM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nawrocki started his career in 1970 as a junior art director at Leo Burnett, the Chicago advertising agency famous for bringing beloved brand mascots like the Pillsbury Doughboy, Tony the Tiger, and StarKist\u2019s Charlie the Tuna to life. Nawrocki, who was hired by the Doughboy\u2019s creator Rudy Perz, worked on campaigns for the Pillsbury Doughboy and learned how to do mascot advertising from the masters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back then, working with characters wasn\u2019t such a coveted gig. Nawrocki said at the time many creatives looked down on mascots. There was even a running joke that Leo Burnett himself had a closet full of animal characters where he would go to see which animals hadn\u2019t been used yet for new campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 10 years at Burnett, Nawrocki moved on to work for other agencies include Needham, Harper &amp; Steers and DDB Chicago. He found himself working on mascots again at DDB and can easily recall these characters. A talking lettuce for Bacos bacon bits. A space alien named Fruit Nick for General Mills. These mascots might not have had the staying power found in Burnett\u2019s roster, but Nawrocki fondly remembers each one just the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-9514\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/jim_nawrocki_doughboy.jpeg\" alt=\"jim_nawrocki_doughboy\" class=\"wp-image-9514\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jim Nawrocki and the Pillsbury Doughboy at Leo Burnett in the 1970s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEvery time I tell people I worked on the Doughboy, their faces light up and they become so much more friendly to me,\u201d said Nawrocki. \u201cThis happens even today. Even a person\u2019s body language will change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What endears us, as people and consumers, to the world where the brand mascot resides? What is it about these characters that we like and enjoy so much?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-the-human-touch-of-characters\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Human Touch of Characters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most audiences can instantly picture Snoopy, created by Charles M. Schulz, the cartoon beagle that serves as the Peanuts mascot. Alongside Snoopy, there are other recognizable characters that round out the Peanuts: resilient Charlie Brown, assertive Lucy, and quietly optimistic Linus.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"MetLife Peanuts Commercial\" width=\"1240\" height=\"930\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hVXNft5hPYU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Snoopy has gracefully transitioned from cartoon mascot into a character that may be used for various marketing campaigns from major companies. In the 1980s, MetLife used Snoopy in their campaigns to show it is not daunting to choose insurance. And in the 1960s, Snoopy appeared on NASA safety campaign materials to make going to the moon appear more relatable. (Snoopy is still used by NASA and will be orbiting the moon as the Zero Gravity Indicator on Artemis 1, slated to launch this year.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Melissa Menta has been closely working alongside Snoopy and the Peanuts gang as the senior vice president, marketing and communications, for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peanuts.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peanuts Worldwide<\/a>. Menta, who has held the role for over 20 years, said while people of all ages enjoy the Peanuts in and out of advertising, there is just one prerequisite to liking the characters. You need to be human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe characters resonate with people on many different levels,\u201d said Menta, adding that the Peanuts characters lend themselves to so many themes that they work well in a wide variety of brand partnerships. As the brand continues to find these genuine partnerships every generation can believe the Peanuts are their own.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Trix TV Commercial (1987)\" width=\"1240\" height=\"930\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CUIYYx2n1bI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/johnabowman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">John Bowman<\/a>, adman emeritus at Admeritus, has spent decades working on a wide range of <a href=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/brand-mascots-nanny\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">advertising campaigns for characters<\/a> like Lucky Charms\u2019 Lucky the Leprechaun, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Trix Rabbit, and Cheerios\u2019 Buzz Bee. Bowman said people are social and brands are inanimate. Mascots seize this gap to humanize brands and bring them to life using a character with whom people engage with beyond products, benefits, and features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s where social relationships begin,\u201d said Bowman. \u201cWhen the mascot has charisma, distinctiveness, and adorability, those relationships can last a lifetime \u2014 or lifetimes, as the relationship is passed on to new generations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-brand-mascots-don-t-have-an-agenda\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Brand Mascots Don\u2019t Have an Agenda<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ken-stewart-71a150\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ken Stewart<\/a>, an independent documentarian who creates sizzle reels and promo reels for film and TV producers, is the creator of the <a href=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/ken-stewart-creator-of-coca-cola-polar-bears-reflects-on-their-25th-anniversary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coca-Cola Polar Bears<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1992, Stewart was the senior vice president, creative and advertising at Columbia Pictures. He was approached by Peter Sealey, the head of marketing at Columbia Pictures, to create a new look for Coca-Cola.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What could be done in a post \u2018Mean\u2019 Joe Greene era for the brand? The iconic bears, which turned 25 years old in 2018, were inspired by Stewart\u2019s yellow Labrador, Morgan. The love and happiness Stewart felt when he saw Morgan, whom he referred to as his \u201cpolar bear puppy,\u201d quickly translated into an idea for Coca-Cola. What about a new campaign starring polar bears and the wordless environment they exist in that can transport audiences to another world?<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"1993 Coca Cola Northern Lights commercial\" width=\"1240\" height=\"930\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SfIbBNuORHU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These beautiful, positive feelings and messages are made possible through characters because Stewart said they have no agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[Mascots] are not political, or easily put into categories that might be offensive,\u201d said Stewart. \u201cSo, we don\u2019t assign them negative capabilities. They\u2019re pure, they\u2019re innocent, and that allows us to open up to them. We can emphasize with them and build special relationships with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When there is no negativity, people will laugh and cry with mascots. In turn, brands can associate themselves with characters that mirror their marketing identity. The greater the frequency, the greater the association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-relevance-and-breaking-through-the-cultural-zeitgeist\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Relevance and Breaking Through the Cultural Zeitgeist<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Votey McVoterson - Andy Cohen\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/497447689?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"1240\" height=\"698\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brent Weldon, creative director at <a href=\"https:\/\/wearebarbarian.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Barbarian<\/a>, worked on the brand mascot for the Biden Harris 2020 political campaign: Votey McVoterson. Weldon said that brand mascots are here to stay \u2013 most have existed for decades for a reason \u2014 but their success doesn\u2019t happen overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBrands could spend years and herculean budgets in the hopes of creating a connection with audiences without success,\u201d said Weldon. \u201cThere is a massive amount of effort and rigor needed to propel them into the cultural zeitgeist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/clippy_emoji.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13387\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where Weldon believes there\u2019s a huge opportunity for brands to integrate relevant mascots into today\u2019s world, especially in the context of social media. A few examples of rising character stars include <a href=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/microsoft-clippy-emoji\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Microsoft\u2019s revival of Clippy<\/a> as determined by a Twitter vote into an emoji, the Celestial Seasoning Sleepytime Bear who officially woke up in the 2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/sleepytime-bear-wakes-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cWhat the Bear Missed\u201d campaign<\/a> from Deutsch NY, and <a href=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/duolingo-owl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Duolingo\u2019s bright green owl, Duo<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@duolingo\/video\/7081274278112431402?is_from_webapp=1&#038;sender_device=pc&#038;web_id=6898326945534297605\">https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@duolingo\/video\/7081274278112431402?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=6898326945534297605<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Duo, the bright green Duolingo owl, may have one of the strongest social media personas out of any character today. With a TikTok following that expanded from 50,000 followers in September 2021 to 3.4 million today, Duo has been a source of entertainment and humor for Duolingo\u2019s learners and wider social media audience. Much of this is because one of Duo\u2019s strengths <em>is<\/em> the owl\u2019s strong persona. Michaela Kron, Duolingo\u2019s U.S. marketing manager, said Duo has a strong persona as a mascot that allows the owl to be widely known via social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok. And Duo has a strong persona as a character and is extremely personable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDuo is fiercely loyal and supportive of our learners\u2019 goals and progress,\u201d said Kron. \u201cDuo often talks directly to our learners, making that relationship more interesting. Giving a mascot a unique personality creates a way for audiences to connect with the brand in a compelling way. He\u2019s a huge green owl who just wants you to be your best, multilingual self.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-we-are-characters-too\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>*We* Are Characters, Too<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-11512\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/169brandmascot.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11512\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the brand mascots that, quite literally, kept us alive during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the reasons why characters resonate so much with audiences, beyond humanizing brands, is that they trigger our innate love for stories. A character bible for brand mascots outlines some of their backstory, personality, and mannerisms. The Green Giant hails from the Valley. The Pillsbury Doughboy giggles when poked in the tummy. Mr. Peanut wears spats and a monocle. And the Kool-Aid Man loves to roar out \u201cOH YEAH!\u201d upon entry\u2026 pretty much anywhere he goes!<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"1984 - Kool-Aid - Roller Hockey (with Kool-Aid Man) Commercial\" width=\"1240\" height=\"930\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mpbaznILT3s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere are many more accidental mascots than purposeful ones,\u201d said Mark DiMassimo, founder and creative chief of <a href=\"https:\/\/digobrands.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DiGo<\/a>. \u201cPeople love characters because people <em>are<\/em> characters. They can identify with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jayme Maultasch is the managing director at <a href=\"https:\/\/deutsch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deutsch NY<\/a>. In 2021, the agency woke up the Celestial Seasonings\u2019 Sleepytime Bear for a new campaign that modernized the brand and tapped into consumers\u2019 deep memories. The familiar, iconic look of the Bear was paired with a fresh, new voice. Waking up more than 50 years later, the Bear doesn\u2019t quite know what to make of the present landscape. The Bear sings aloud some of his ongoing frustrations, including struggling to understand why everyone has a computer in their pocket and whether \u201cGIF\u201d is pronounced with a \u201cg\u201d or \u201cj\u201d sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/CB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13762\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maultasch said people love to hear the bear react to the absurdity of the modern world. If we are, indeed, characters ourselves we would likely have a similar reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-who-is-your-brand-mascot\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who Is Your Brand Mascot?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/-TAwAJwPp3c\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/-TAwAJwPp3c<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether it stars a brand mascot or not, few commercials or campaigns are actively discussed outside of advertising circles. Generally, most commercials come and go. Few have real lasting, sticky, staying power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some spots create that hook with the help of a brand mascot or brand spokesperson. Just look at Progressive\u2019s Flo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeople like to talk about people, and characters work just like people. \u2018I like that Flo from the insurance company campaign\u2026 which one is it?\u2019 evolves to \u2018I like that Flo from Progressive,\u2019\u201d said DiMassimo. \u201cWord of mouth is free advertising on top of your advertising. That\u2019s priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-13408 size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/popicon.life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/LibertyMutual_LST-SH017-R8-Yellow-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13408\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LiMu Emu and Doug, mascots for Liberty Mutual.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brand mascots have proven that businesses considered to be a bit more serious like those in insurance, airlines, and financial management, can see eye to eye with consumers. A character that is able to humanize a brand, has no agenda, maintains relevance, and tells a story audiences can relate to has the potential to endear consumers to the brand for life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a brand must question whether they should have a mascot, they may already know the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMost brands, if they think about a mascot at all, may wonder: \u2018Why would we have a mascot?\u2019 said Bowman. \u201cPerhaps a better wondering is: \u2018Who would our mascot be?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jim \u201cRocki\u201d Nawrocki has always been amazed at how many people love the Pillsbury Doughboy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":19532,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[15],"topics":[2],"class_list":["post-19531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-popicon","topics-editorial"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.5 (Yoast SEO v28.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Advertising\u2019s Secret Weapon? 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