There may be companies who are miles ahead of Geico and offer way better deals, but if you want to purchase car insurance, that’s probably where you’d start because it’s familiar! You’ve heard it a gazillion times! All you have to do is see if their prices suit you. And just like that, you’re sold.

It’s no secret that Brand Mascots can rock your business as they boost profits, establish a more emotional connection to the audience, generate goodwill for the brand, convey the brand’s message more clearly, make the brand unique, increase engagement, and outshine celebrity ambassadors.

In our Brand Character design journey, we came up with a Brand Mascot Total Solution. We had many clients reach out to us. Some were concrete with their brand DNA and only needed help with the design, some lacked strategy, and some needed both.

But they all had one thing in common:

An A to Z solution could put them miles ahead of the competition and offer better results.

See how we analyzed “Laeeb”, the beloved but confusing mascot of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

How does Dream Farm Agency’s total solution work?

Our method applies to any client who wishes to enjoy the benefits of a brand mascot for their business. Different teams at DFA participate in the total solution process to create an oriented mascot that clearly communicates the mission and identity of the brand.

By doing everything from scratch, we’re changing the way brands tell stories.

Our creation process (identity, story universe, and character creation) consists of 4 main phases.

Phase 1: Research and Brand Identity Analysis

Depending on the industry the brand operates under and by analyzing and identifying its competitors & competencies aligned with the values, voice, slogans, and mission, we define a brand identity that will leave a positive impression on customers for a long time. We put high emphasis on this stage as it can increase customers’ loyalty.

Brand identity gives customers a sense of belonging.

All this sets the grounds for the next phase.

Phase 2: Story Universe and Character Profile

We want our character to be as human as possible. We all have an identity that owes its meaning to the world we live in. It’s hard to believe the human characteristics of a character without a story universe. We need to know where the character came from, where he/she is now, and what they’re trying to achieve.
As for the character profile, we answer the following questions:

• What must she/he look like?
• How old is she/he?
• Does she/he have any exceptional skills, talents, or magical powers?
• Where does she/he live?
• Does she/he have a family? If so, who are they?
• What is her/his posture (Stiff, slouching, relaxed, tired, or…)?
• What is her/her lifestyle (hobbies, education, social role, and status)?
• What is her/his psychology (Street-smart or book-smart/ optimist or pessimist/ introverted or extroverted)?
• Does she/he strive for some Higher purpose?

Phase 3: Character Creation

As the next phase of the brand mascot creation, we go through multiple concept designs to hand over sketches we think correspond to the brand strategy. This is a back-and-forth process because a lot of ideas are introduced and we must take into consideration the feedback we get from the brand owners and managers. A finalized 2D version of the character(s) is introduced before the 3D modeling, texturing, rigging poses, and facial expression stages.

Phase 4: Marketing and Advertising Solutions

How far can characters reach audiences if you don’t use them in commercials?

And while we’re at it, why normal commercials? Why not animated ones?

The thing about ads is, it’s not what you tell. It’s how you tell it. Video being the most powerful medium in the world, 87% of marketers say it was animation that brought more traffic to their websites. The benefits of animated commercials are plenty, and considering their cost-effectiveness, people’s attention span these days, and the fact that animation’s dynamic and easier to digest, it’s one of the best marketing tools right now.

Start-ups, fast food giants, and even banks and insurance companies all use their brand mascots in their animated ads to depict complex ideas and establish a deeper connection to their audiences.

Phase 5: Mascot Transmedia Storytelling

This is the world of creativity. So, probably talking about a character only in a way that the audience has already gotten used to, won’t work.
Transmedia storytelling can be the key. But what does it mean?
Transmedia storytelling is when you tell a story in different mediums and different forms. It is the art of telling a story in a different way.
Imagine you create a mascot and then you create a comic book using the mascot, a video game based on its character, or a movie starring the creature.
This is the definition of transmedia storytelling.
A great example of doing such is Star Wars with telling a set of stories in films, TV shows, comic books, novels, video games, and so on.

Phase 6: Immersive solution

Mascots are no longer just 2D or 3D figures. Thanks to technologies such as AR, VR, and AI they can come to life.
With the help of these technologies, you can create more engaging mascots that can communicate with your desired persona like a human does.

Phase 7: Merchandising

This is one of the latest steps of taking advantage of a successful mascot. When your mascot has proved its popularity among your target audience, you can sell your products directly to your clients.

Phase 8: Metaverse

Metaverse is a world in which people can exist as avatars. If people can do that, why would not mascots?
The only problem with having mascots in Metaverse is that there is still no way that external designs can be uploaded as avatars in Metaverse. But who knows about the future? Maybe in the near future we can transfer our mascots into Metaverse and make them part of it!

Special Phase: Brand Mascot Book

After the brand character is created, we provide clients with a visual certificate for it to have a detailed view of everything we have done and understand your character(s) better.

Which Teams Are Involved in the brand mascot total solution process?

Brand Identity Team (Brand Strategy Team):

The first step in character design is always creating a strategy that is suitable for the brand and its character(s). Helping the brand with its positioning, forming a strong identity, identifying its target audience, and coming up with the basics of a character that could consistently speak the brand’s message are some of the services of this team.

Art Direction & Creative Design Team:

These two teams have to take up the challenges of designing a brand mascot according to what the brand and the strategy team have introduced. They usually have to attend multiple brainstorming sessions and meetings, produce initial sketches, and lastly, edit the final design(s) considering the brand owners’ feedback.

Character Design and Production Team:

By this stage, we know what our character should look like. But the challenge lies in making this idea come to life.

The members of these teams have to decide:

• What color -while respecting the brand’s message and tone- should the characters’ clothing be?
• How to produce the best 3D model and animate it in a way that best conveys the defined characteristics of the to-be-mascot?
• What poses does the character appear in?
• What facial expressions does the mascot have?

Marketing Team:

This team has the responsibility to grow the newly-born brand character by introducing it to the world. They choose the best marketing strategy to use the character in social media, for teasers and ads, transmedia storytelling, interactive media, Metaverse, and even NFT.

Mascot Launch, Marketing & Advertising Solution

Everything we’ve done so far makes a newly-born character ready for the world to communicate the brand’s intentions and distinctive features.

The following are our methods and services to efficiently introduce your mascot to the audience:

1. Launch Event

We put forward ideas so you could use your mascot and introduce it at launch events, inauguration ceremonies, or any other gathering. A wearable mascot is a good example that can interact with the attendees and add flavor and approachability to the event.

2. Social media

Tastes, thoughts, and preferences have changed in the past decades, pushing many brand mascots into the shadows. But their presence in social media remains strong.

You can use your brand mascot to say a lot about your brand on social media platforms. We can provide ideas about how the character should be used in images, videos, etc and keep him/her viral in the consumer marketplace.

3. Website

As part of introducing your mascot and keeping it familiar to your clients, the character can be used in every part of your website (except when you want to directly sell something).

An interesting technique to tell a story across multiple platforms, transmedia storytelling creates a coordinated story experience for the audience. They can’t know the whole story using one single source. We create an interesting story that is persistent and pervasive enough to keep them coming back for a complete experience.

4. Real-time Interaction with Virtual Characters

To understand the importance of this advertising method, picture the following scenario:

You’re at an amusement park. There are posters and billboards with the face of the brand celebrity everywhere, and a pre-recorded message is played to welcome you and your kids. And that’s it.

Without any personable approach, not only are kids deprived of seeing their beloved characters in person and taking pictures, they won’t be able to interact with them and ask questions.

That’s not an impression a business would want to leave on its clients.

Motion capture technology on the other hand provides real-time animation plays and shows that draw in the audience and keep them entertained.

5. Immersive Solutions

Video is great. But you may want to break beyond the routine and really stand out among your competitors.

Immersive solutions in digital marketing are rather new but when done right, they can improve engagement with the audience, offer a realistic view of your product(s), and create an emotional connection on a level that no other platform can. Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and immersive media rooms are some of the common mediums for immersive solutions.

6. Metaverse

One of the smartest ways to include your character is an interactive 3D environment. Metaverse can host an audience of any size while the mascot communicates in real-time. This to-be replacement of the Internet also places your brand in games.

Related article:

The Impact of Brand Characters in Metaverse Marketing

Metaverse Marketing Strategies: Tips for a Successful Virtual Campaign

Why Dream Farm’s Brand Mascot Total Solution?

It is more convenient for companies who think they need a brand mascot to work with experienced, flexible teams. Our total solution service leaves nothing out of the creation of a brand mascot that resonates with the brand’s audience. Thanks to our in-house animation studio, our quality-driven team takes up the whole process and delivers a mascot that is more cohesive than what would be the result of one that was partially outsourced.
At Dream Farm Agency, we have the years and the outcome to create a memorable brand mascot that resonates with your audience.