Marketing Mascot Marvels

They’re the quirky, cute and colourful creatures designed to give brands a touch of character. And while many brand mascots have taken a back seat over the last decade, they are now re-emerging into the marketer’s must-have handbook.
 
 

 

 

Just ask Ronald McDonald. He first appeared in McDonald’s advertising in 1963 and is probably the most iconic marketing mascot ever. When I was at school I had a sticker of him on my maths textbook. But since the turn of the century, medical experts and family groups rallied to have him removed from McDonald’s advertising, blaming him for the rise in childhood obesity. McDonald’s executives obliged, reducing Ron's profile. But they've recently announced that Ronald is back and bigger (in stature, not weight) than ever. The company has committed to his focal presence in upcoming campaigns. Mortein‘s 'Louie the Fly’ also recently faced extinction, this time at the hands of its own creators. They threatened to kill him off, but in the end Louie was saved by consumers voting on Facebook to keep him.

 

 

 



Marketers say mascots help personify brands, allowing a deeper connection with consumers. The ‘Chesty Bond’ guy has spruiked Bonds singlets since 1938 and developed a cult status in Australian garment manufacturing. The Duracell bunny is the friendly, fluffy face of a battery empire. The Rice Bubbles mascots ‘Snap, ‘Crackle’ and ‘Pop’ play alongside the Fruit Loops ‘Toucan Sam’, Frosties ‘Tony the Tiger’ and the YoGO gorilla in making food marketing child’s play.

 
 

 

 

And there’s a new breed of mascot emerging. The Dodo internet bird, ING’s orangutan and the Sensis sock-puppet are all attempts to make complex or boring services fun. These modern mascots may fade fast, but the marketers who created them no doubt hope they might just become the next Ronald McDonald.

 
 

Pedestrian Pointless Posting

You may not have realised it yet, but social media is slowly destroying itself. Usage of sites like Twitter and Facebook may be rising, but growth is starting to slow. And one of the major reasons is mundane, mindless updates and tweets.

I’m no expert, and there is no ‘correct’ way to use social media, but these days many users simply post the very first thing that comes into their mind; "When will it stop raining?," "Happy Friday!" or; "I'm tired." There is no doubt, it can be nice to hear what our friends and contacts are up to without actually speaking to them personally, but these kind of generic, pedestrian posts are not adding any value, and they're definitely not worth sharing with hundreds or thousands of people on social media.

Twitter and Facebook have given everyone the opportunity to have an audience. That is a beautiful thing. But too many are abusing the privilege. Every time I log into these sites I’m disappointed by a whole range of pointless posts, and I’m not alone. A recent study by The Harvard Business Review showed 64% of tweets are ‘boring’, and 25% are ‘not worth reading’. A separate study by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology had similar findings.

I believe the problem is getting worse. The London Olympics has helped demonstrate this. I’m sorry to say it, but just because you’re enjoying watching the Games, it doesn’t mean all your followers and friends should be subjected to your running Olympics commentary. It’s great that Steve Solomon did well in the 400 meters, but with all respect, we don’t need to see you write it. The strange thing is many compulsive social media users are actually very shy people in the real world. When you see them face to face you’re lucky if they say hello, but online you can barely escape them.

Yes, we want to see photos from your weekend, and yes, we want to hear your jokes and views on various news and issues. But, no, we don't want to hear that you had toast for breakfast and, no we don't care about the mindless hourly updates of how your day is going. Just because you are thinking or doing something, it doesn’t mean you need to share it with everyone else. For celebrities it’s a slightly different story. They can get away with it to some extent, but the rest of us need to start exercising some restraint. Please!

Sure, everyone has the power to unfollow or unfriend someone guilty of unnecessary posts, but if they're a colleague or good friend it can be a drastic and awkward step to take. Already our newsfeeds are clogged with random ads and spam, and now increasingly they are also being filled with a sea of worthless tweets and posts. As a result social media doesn’t seem as exciting as it used to be. And sadly, its credibility is being dismantled, tweet by tweet.

Olympic Social Media Overload

When the London Olympic cauldron was lit, Channel Nine's Eddie McGuire predictably proclaimed: "Let the games begin!" Then, moments later, my twitter newsfeed became clogged with those very same words. There'd already been a painful live-tweeting marathon throughout the Opening Ceremony. Scores of tweeters took it upon themselves to commentate as each new country entered the arena.

During previous Olympics, cries of support for Aussie athletes came mainly from family and friends in my lounge room. Now they come from virtually everywhere, dominating social media, as though the whole world had come to an Olympic standstill.

I've always been inspired by the efforts and commitment of our athletes, but by day 3 of London 2012, I had a bad case of Olympics overload.

Retailers have always jumped onto the Olympic bandwagon in a bid to help promote their goods and services. A visit to any shopping centre during Olympics' gone by was a testament to that. But now social media is giving everyone a powerful new frontier to share the intricate details of their Olympic news and views.

London 2012 was lauded as the 'Social Media Olympics' and seeing posts and updates from the athletes themselves has been insightful and refreshing. But as for everyone else, I recommend leaving the commentary to Eddie McGuire. One of him is enough.

"Let the games begin!"

The Pop-Up Pretenders

They popped up in 2002. Tiny, temporary stores that promised a new, quirky way to shop. Since then many brands have tried to jump on the pop-up shop bandwagon, including big names like Disney, Prada, Reebok and Diet Coke. But many others have failed miserably.

Samsung's PIN London pop-up shop ticks the boxes through its visually appealing, interactive and engaging nature

These ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ shops allow retailers to avoid expensive long- term shop rents. They can go in search of new customers rather than wait, in hope, that new customers will come to them. And they can test new markets before potentially opening up a proper bricks and mortar outlet. But just 'setting up shop' in a new, temporary location doesn't always cut it. Retail analysts say pop-up shops need to be fun, friendly and offer something different to conventional outlets.

Australian optical chain Specsavers didn't quite master the art of the pop-up with its temporary shops in Westfield shopping centres. While its bright and colourful showrooming (below) may have expanded its reach temporarily, it looked nothing more than a change of location and failed to surprise and engage consumers.

Specsavers' attempt shows that to be successful, pop-up shops should appear in an unexpected location, or at least offer some element of surprise

Conversely, Sunglass Hut (owned by Luxottica Group) launched a four-day floating pop-up shop, complete with a DJ, on Sydney Harbour in November last year. CEO Chris Beer was very happy with the result. He says; "Retail is no longer just about four walls and a door and you cannot go past Sydney Harbour for an outdoor store – you would be hard pressed to find a better setting for selling sunglasses in the sun."

One of the 3 Darling Harbour locations where Sunglass Hut used pop-up shops to showcase exclusive collections

Fashion Streetwear retailer General Pants (below) has cleverly used modified shipping containers to sell merchandise at music festivals, a perfect way to engage with its music-loving youth market.

Streetwear retailer General Pants positions its unique pop-up shops at music festivals such as Splendour in the Grass

But when clothing brand Bonds tried to jump on the pop- up bandwagon they had limited success with their uninspiring offerings in Myer centres.

Bonds failed to deliver intrigue, exclusivity or surprise in its Myer pop-up shops

Groups of pop-ups have been known to transform an environment into a cultural and creative hub. The City of Perth has pioneered a 3-month '140 Pop-Up Project' around the CBD to bring together and showcase artistic talent in art, fashion and design.

Perth's 140-William Street development consisted of a 3-month cultural pop-up hub

One decade on, and the pop-up concept is now in full swing, with mixed results. Some pop-up entrepreneurs have complained they’ve become too gimmicky and "there's been an influx in pop-up's that miss the point and neglect to surprise customers with their offerings" (Canadian food entrepreneur Amin Todai). New York furniture pop-up entrepreneur Christina Norsig wisely warns that consumers are starting to show signs of 'pop-up fatigue'. Because when something fun and unique like the pop-up is overdone, or exploited, consumers will come and go in much the same way as the retail channel itself.

Poor Taste in Publicity

Food manufacturers will do almost anything to attract attention. They'll even serve up bizarre food concoctions aimed at leaving a nasty taste in their consumers' mouths. Foods mixing sweet, savoury, and/or sour ingredients are being embraced for their curiosity and free media headlines, not because they are pleasant to eat. In fact the manufacturers barely expect them to sell.

Burger King recently launched a limited edition bacon sundae (below), with vanilla soft serve with fudge, caramel, bacon crumbles and a piece of bacon. Yes, that's right, vanilla ice cream and bacon! There are few doubts the product is only being consumed by the most adventurous fast food junkies, but that doesn't matter, because its launch made news around the world.

Last week a trendy South Yarra bakery in Melbourne employed the same tactic, launching bacon-infused doughnuts (below).

One of Australia's most popular foods, Vegemite, has also featured in some absurd creations. Most disgustingly, the American frozen yogurt chain Tasti D-Lite featured Vegemite flavored ice-cream. And last year Smith's Potato Chips tested our taste buds with Vegemite flavored chips. Not surprisingly they were only available for 12 weeks.

Finally, the not-so-humble hamburger has been massacred by just about every country on Earth. There are endless opportunities for alterations to ingredients, appearance and composition. KFC's 'Cheese-top Burger' (below) was dubbed the 'World's Dumbest Burger' after it was released in The Philippines.

Also the 'Darth Vader Burger' featuring a black bun (below) is the work of European fast-food chain 'Quick'.

Modern consumers are known to be drawn to the unknown, the unheard of and the gross. Even if they don't try it or buy it, the social buzz surrounding weird creations is giving food marketers a lingering taste for success.

What Makes People Stick

It takes a special kind of person to decorate their car's back window or bumper with a sticker. Yes, it's often older cars that get plastered with paraphernalia, but not always. If you're prepared to risk damaging the duco on your car, you must be very committed to the sticker's cause.


Cult Status or Inspirational Messages
There's an underlying cult status attached to the widely shown purple 'Magic Happens' stickers. But it's hard to know what they actually represent. Spirituality? Science fiction? Fantasy? Witchcraft? I doubt even those displaying the stickers know. But that doesn't stop them jumping on the Magic Happens bandwagon, in the hope that some kind of magic will happen to them.

Sporting Club, School or Special Interest Groups

AFL, NRL, and other sporting club stickers are widely prevalent, particularly on utes and tradie vans. Successful teams get a good representation, and funnily enough drivers displaying the St Kilda AFL sticker often look miserable at the wheel. Parents of school kids proudly display their school logos, particularly if they are expensive private schools. Environmental groups also love their car stickers (How often do you see the green Greenpeace ones?!)

The Aggressive, Intimidating and Offensive Take
Seeing a 'Back Off' sticker actually makes you want to tail-gate the offending car. Until of course you realise they are a bearded, possibly toothless, singlet-wearing, tatted-up guy. Similarly, 'If you can read this you're too close' and 'If you can't see my mirror I can't see you' messages are often embraced by aggressive and intimidating truck or van drivers with a chip on their shoulder.

Family Oriented Statements

Like the 'Magic Happens' stickers, the 'My Family' stick figures are well-known and widely hated. Several articles and blogs I've seen have said in response 'I don't give a #$%^ what your family is.' 'Mum's Taxi', 'Baby on Board' are also a hit, primarily with bad, dangerous and selfish drivers who drive as if family values are the least thing on their mind.

If you think you've seen every possible car decoration creation, driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic can surprise you. Fluffy toys dangling from the rear-view mirror; Hello Kitty collections at the back window; and recently spotted, licence plates customised for each star-sign. At least it makes the drive home entertaining.

Keep Calm and Avoid the Hysteria

Exactly what is the origin of the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ motto adorning posters and merchandise worldwide? If you haven't seen it, you don't get out enough.

The motto actually dates back to the Second World War when King George VI was in power. The Ministry of Information (MOI) was formed by the British Government and responsible for publicity and propaganda. A number of posters with morale-boosting slogans were created and displayed across Britain, but the popular ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ slogan was never officially seen by the public. It was only to be released upon Germany’s invasion of Britain, which didn’t happen. It was eventually discovered and reproduced by historians. And, thanks to modern marketing, this slogan has now become a British icon.

This is nice, because in a subtle way it recognises an appreciation for British troops. But it's also nice for all the companies jumping on the bandwagon using it in their slogans. The words on the original propaganda poster have been trivialised by their use on everything from t-shirts to lame office coffee mugs and even iphone covers.

As an Australian consumer I only became aware of these products last year, and I was immediately curious about their success. The original slogan has evolved to reflect more peaceful times. Latest additions include: Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes, Keep Calm and Drink Up, Keep Calm and Cuddle Up. Some of these products have cheekily replaced the iconic crown figure on the authentic 'Keep Calm and Carry On' branding, with a logo of their own. And there's been a whole range of copy cat designs appearing worldwide, desperately trying to stand out from the crowd.

It'd be safe to say that most consumers familiar with all, or any, of these products don't even know the slogan's original identity. Which is a shame.

I'm not looking for new friends...just decent service!

"This is so pretty... is it for a special occasion? Big plans tonight?"

“How’s it going in there, are you right for sizes?” The sales assistant, who just showed me to the fitting room ten seconds ago, is yelling enthusiastically at me while tapping her hand on the cubicle door. Only a superhero could have undressed and tried something on in this time interval. And, if I venture out of the cubicle, her response would be something equally enthusiastic and possibly untrue, like “That’s really cute, it would look so good paired with this top, hang on while I go and get it!!” And, ironically this is one of those stores where there are no mirrors in the cubicles so you must make the grand entrance so the whole shop can see. Quite possibly this scenario would also include being greeted by all three sales assistants within a minute of entering the store. Sometimes it’s all just a little too overwhelming.

In these tough economic times, retailers are doing everything they can to make sales. But many don't realise that their overzealous sales tactics are driving quite a few of us away. A simple smile is enough. But how often do you get asked “What are you up to today?” (when clearly you’re out shopping), or something completely random like “Your nail polish is awesome! Where’s it from?” Is this a tactic to make you buy? Shopping shouldn’t have to be a forced social situation. Most days you want to remain completely anonymous.


But on the other end of the scale, when you desperately need help, there’s often nobody to be found. Or you have to consider interrupting two sales people discussing their weekend. That's when we admit defeat and flee, without anyone even noticing we’ve left.

If sales staff, and the bosses who train them, could understand the balance between being attentive and annoying, then maybe the threat from online sales wouldn’t be so great.

The Great T-shirt Travesty

Believe it or not, but there are some people who love wearing t-shirts with huge brands emblazoned on them. Although they maybe on the decline, because big sportswear and fashion labels seem to be toning down their overt street-wear branding, as more consumers refuse to be lured into the trap of appearing like a walking billboard. Interestingly though, some well-known Australian discount retailers are ignoring this trend.

They are embracing the pseudo-authentic sport team creation:

What does the 82 mean exactly?

There is something a little offensive and disturbing about a t-shirt plastered with a random American sporting club’s name and history. Research tells me that this is actually a baseball team. I’m not sure about the 82 number though. Is that supposed to be when they were established? It doesn’t matter, because it’s clearly a cheap imitation (i.e. the strategically placed ‘Athletic Industries Inc’ at the bottom). Is this supposed to be appealing because it has an American town, a sport, and some letters and numbers thrown in?

 

'Official Champions'..how cool.

This one is a little different. It's so generic that it doesn't even mention a sport. Instead we have a fictional city, presumably also American. 'Champions' sounds pretty cool, so maybe there is a sport reference attached. And what's with the letter and number sequence thrown in. What does it mean? Are there people who really believe it may actually mean something, and why would anyone seriously want to wear these mundane creations?

There's also the pseudo-authentic denim/streetwear brand creation:

'Indian Chief', 'Indigo Denim'..enough!

These cheaply made t-shirts (also available in jacket form, as above) are often riddled with phrases like ‘Authentic’ or ‘Established in 1945.’ They are not real brands, yet the shirt's manufacturers, and the discount retailers which stock them, try so hard to make the consumer think they are. Give up I say. Give me a plain t-shirt any day.

Finally, what's with the select group of country names that streetwear manufacturers choose to adorn their clothing with?

What makes Brazil t-shirt worthy?

Brazil, USA, Venezuela, France, Italy... What about New Zealand, Romania or The Philippines, (to name a few)? Aren't they cool enough for non-tourist merchandise? You never see guys walking down the street wearing a 'Taiwan' t-shirt, although chances are it was probably made there.

The Magnification of the Modern Menu

The house salad must be pretty special if it's not only organic, but it contains artisan lettuce..



Would you like some bisque, charcuterie, jus, or compote? Or perhaps something asian-inspired, hand-crafted, vine-ripened, with seasonal blends and citrus tones? These types of words are used widely on menus, and by waiters who are drawing on their part- time acting experience to enthusiastically read out the ‘specials’ menu. But how much of that five- minute intricate description of each special dish is the average human supposed to remember? When you make your order you could try to use the waiters' wording, but then you risk an embarrassing slip-up of the correct pronunciation of charcuterie! It’s getting harder to order a decent, yet simple meal when going out these days without feeling like you’re a Masterchef contestant!
 
Here's a few more particularly interesting words which have started popping up in cafes, restaurants, and even supermarkets over the past couple of years.

1.'Artisan': This term gets bandied about for all sorts of random things (not isolated to food items). When referred to in connection with food, 'artisan' means the item has been crafted often by traditional methods, using the hands, and in small quantities. So how could it apply to the lettuce in the above picture? ('organic house salad'). And, how about this quote The Age 'Sunday Life' magazine had in its 'Hated' column?:

"Designer bakeries: Eight dollars for an artisan (i.e. knobbly) loaf of bread? No thanks."
 
2) 'Rustic': This word of the moment isn't as prevalent as the others. But it’s worth a mention, particularly if it is combined with another buzz-word. There's a bread-stick I’ve seen at the supermarket, interestingly named a 'rustic batard'. Yes, I know that a batard is a French bread, similar to a baguette. But it’s rustic as well? I feel a bit sorry for it! Rustic actually means that it is simple, unsophisticated or artless. Which is great, but not for a product that is churned out in factories day in and day out no differently to any other mass-market product.

3) By definition 'organic' refers to something natural, from plant or animal origin (in other words not man-made). Ironically, 'basic' is also a word that popped up in a dictionary search. But, as we know, many food products being marketed as 'organic' are actually quite the opposite! The use of the word has finally come to the attention of regulators.

Don't get me wrong, I like descriptive words, and good food, but I'm a bit skeptical about verbal marketing hype.

The Barista as Brand Ambassador

I never thought it would come to this. But, like many consumers these days, I am addicted to coffee. It's embarrassing to admit but not even one day goes by without me having at least one. And, as my coffee dependence grows, I've become increasingly friendly with an array of baristas around town. Unfortunately though, sometimes the friendship does not last. And it's not only their coffee making ability which gets in the way. Sometimes their attitude and poor service has me taking my coffee dollars elsewhere.

I've realised that baristas are not only responsible for ensuring that their freshly roasted blends awaken our senses and our minds (and get us to where we need to be in an alert and functional state). They also play a secondary, but still big, role as a company and brand ambassador.

I'm not a coffee guru per se. I know what I like, but I don't insist on organic, South American or other form of exquisite coffee beans. Actually, I'm most satisfied when I get what I ask for (skinny latte), and some form of appreciation from the barista or cafe worker for my patronage. Let's face it, with an over-supply of providers, I have an array of coffee sellers who can provide my crucial morning caffeine hit.

I'm not asking for much. A smile, thank you, conversation or just speedy, efficient service will go a long way. In fact, the quality of the coffee is often the least of my worries if the above criteria aren't met. Somewhere out there I know there are barista superstars. How often do you hear about people who go on dates with, or become best friends with, their baristas?! But for some reason, many of my baristas barely even crack a smile.

 So my question is: How many baristas are really qualified or ready to embrace their secondary role of company and brand ambassador when you arrive for your usual order each morning? Especially if you're a new customer. As far as I'm concerned, with so many operators on the scene, they really need to be. And, to the one barista who made the worst mistake by spelling my name wrong on the cup, it's really not that hard! And, it was nice knowing you. Next.