Mascot Musings Archive

Mascots Are Brand Diplomats!

November 30, 2020Leave a Comment

They are BIG and somewhat unmanageable.

They are MASCOTS, and mascots are diplomats for your brand.

Think of mascots as enthusiastic community liaisons who represent your brand in very public places.

Lives change in the presence of a mascot:

Victor E Bull the mascot for U. Buffalo

Say you’re looking at a couple of schools. Both are terrific schools. At one school, the mascot shows up to greet the potential students. You take a selfie with the mascot and go to the bookstore to pick up a plush of the mascot. You’re already invested in the school culture.
Or you’re at a sporting event and turn to the person next to you and say “Holy cow! I love that mascot!” and that comment leads to a new romance or a lifelong friendship.

Both scenarios are monster events. Something BIG happened because a mascot was present.

BIG, Somewhat Unmanageable & Fun

You’ve probably seen the Geico Gecko. The mascot is a Brand Awareness Monster for GEICO. The Geico Gecko has brought big, somewhat unmanageable attention to their brand and it’s been really fun and exciting to witness the personality of the brand through the Gecko.

Many have switched to the brand because they like the mascot.

We all know, Disney uses mascots brilliantly. Who doesn’t recognize Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Donald. They have lead million to Disney parks, theater, movies and products.

Mascots are powerful. They represent the brand’s true desire interact with their community.

Mascots are Enthusiastic, Community Liasons

Community is formed around mascots. That’s good for the brand, the team, the school and the world.

Thinking about getting a Brand Awareness Mascot?

We’ve been making mascots since before they were a “thing”. We will work with you on design and bring the mascot to life in our mascot studio ,

Let’s connect and discuss big things!

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Tweets by avantgarb

Food & Beverage Mascots Are Ardent & Memorable Sponsor Representatives

November 18, 2020Leave a Comment

The FDA Nutrition Label Mascots

*When the FDA added more information to their Nutrition Label, they let us know about it with food package mascot costumes*

Usually, food, product & beverage clients want the name of the product BIG, FRONT and CENTER. However, if you’re making a food package mascot for an FDA ( Food & Drug Administration) and they want to get the word out about the expanded information on the nutrition label, the nutrition label is BIG, FRONT & CENTER.

Front of FDA Food Package Mascots – well, Really the back – the Nutrition Labels are in the front. In the Mascot Studio

We’ve made a bunch of soda and beer can mascots

Beverage Cans Mascots show up in all sorts of venues. They often serve as sponsor representatives.

The Beverage Can Mascots race on the ice at hockey games and run around bases ball games. They go to the rodeo and show up at store promotions. The name and the product are primary. They are hugely effective marketing tools all sorts of events, both live and online

Pepsi Cans at the Rodeo – Western Wyoming Beverage

*Budweiser Beer Can Mascots in the mascot studio – finished and ready to ship!*

…and the Cocktail Cans

A few years ago we got a call to make some Cocktail Cans for Coppercraft Distillery. Some of the cans hang out with the Detriot Lions.

*Cocktail Can Mascot for Coppercraft Distillery enjoying cocktail hour*

Familiar products in mascot form, with arms and legs are endearing – they make us friends with the product. Mascots are the warm-fuzzies of marketing —they bring all of us together.

xo the mascot know-it-alls

Let’s connect and discuss big things!

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©Jennifer Smith 2022

The Soybean Mascots

November 11, 2020Leave a Comment

Nobody thinks about soybean videos – we do! – Click below the pics.

We’ve made a few Soybean mascots. The very 1st was Bennie the Bean for Indiana Soybean growers. Bennie has shown up at the Indiana State Fair, as well as Indiana Soybean events for over 20 years. He’s even made a few music video!

*Bennie The Bean – Indiana Soybean Council*

A few years after we made Bennie, we designed and made Simon the Soybean for Missouri Soybean Growers. Simon hangs out at Busch Stadium where the Cardinals play. He runs a race with corn & a pig at every home game.

Our most recent Soybean is Suzie Soybean for North Dakota Soy Bean Growers. Suzie represents Soybean Growers at events throughout North Dakota. She was even featuresd on the cover of N.D Soybean Magazine!

The mascot makers at Avant Garb know a lot about soy beans.

Let’s connect and discuss big things!

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What comes next/ Mascots in a Post Pandemic World

July 22, 2020Leave a Comment

Even during the quarantines and the pandemic, the mascots reach out to us with —well—goofy joy. Like us, the mascots have adjusted. They totally get social media. They groove with ZOOM. They easily interact with fans, students and customers no matter what the circumstances.

They are with us in on our screens as we work from home and tiptoe into the office.

When we all come out of our homes to explore the ever-changing new normal, the mascots will be there to greet us.

Stay in touch with each other, wear a mask and connect with your favorite mascots.

xo Queen of Fuzz and the Mascot Makers

https://twitter.com/PierreTPelican/status/1243721675797073928

https://twitter.com/i/status/1243721675797073928

Let’s connect and discuss big things!

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©Jennifer Smith/Avant Garb Inc. 2020

9 Reasons to Get a Custom Mascot Costume

February 12, 20203 Comments

Why get a big bundle of fuzz and foam with a big head?

1. Mascots are media magnets. No matter how good-looking and socially savvy your marketing people are, they will not get the attention a mascot gets by just showing up.

2. You posted a photo of your kid (or your mom, grandma, boyfriend, uncle) dancing with a mascot. You’re probably going to buy the product, go to the game, consider the college, attend the event.

3. You have an amazing, custom-made mascot. Your competition has a brochure. ‘Nuff said.

4. A mascot is a diplomat, your representative at events that matter in the community like parades, charitable runs, festival. You can probably name a dozen event where a mascot’s presence would enhance your brand.

5. When a mascot shows up, everyone knows they’re gonna have fun.

6. …and there’s mascot merchandising. Get bobbleheads, plushes, hoodies, caps.Marketing and the revenue pool is much bigger than just the mascot. When people wear your image – or sleep with your mascot —I mean the snuggly, plush toy of your mascot!!!! —-you have made a lasting bond.

7. Mascots are the true, real life, totally interactive social media.

8. Mascots are Brand Awareness Monsters.

9. Mascots promote goodwill for your brand because they bring people together in a community around the mascot. It’s a kind of accidental Flash Mob community. Mascots are the true warm fuzzies of marketing.

Join the fun! Let’s talk about your mascot.

A Truck Mascot with Blinking Lights!

May 4, 2019Leave a Comment

We made a Truck mascot named, Safety Sammy, for Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF). It has lights that turn on & they blink! The video above is one of our “ooh & aah” studio videos.

We worked closely with the visioneers at Story Partners on this mascot. First, our designer made several, custom, character designs. With an approved design we moved onto mascot creation – bringing the Safety Sammy the Truck, to life.

Standing Around a Work Table & Making Plans

There are lots of parts and plans that had to come together to make a big, big mascot like this one. We stood around a worktable in the mascot studio, talking through the process. To clarify our ideas, we made lo tech, simple, pencil sketches.

We knew what the truck would look like because we had the character design. We had to figure out what the interior structure would look like and what it needed to do.

The Truck has an intense inner structure, that we designed, engineered & built just as dazzling as the truck’s exterior.

That inner structure is lightweight. It includes:

An intuitive harness so the performer can move safely through venues.
Interior handles so the performer can give the mascot personality with signature moves.
Visible & simple controls for the the light features.
Terrific vision for the performer.

This mascot was an exciting challenge.

We were up to the challenge, because we are always up to the challenge.

We have high, high standards and the knowledge, talent and vision to grab hold of the fabric, fur, fuzz and foam. We sculpt, sew, engineer and wire in the technology.

Need a mascot with razzle dazzle – We know how to do it!

Let’s connect and discuss big things!

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