Top mascot driven campaigns that have established brand identity- A Case Study

As the problem is rooted in behaviour and mindset, therefore its solution needs a human-centric approach. Rather than employing an outsider approach of distributing knowledge, we are proposing a mascot driven campaign that would pervade the natural living ecosystem of our targeted beneficiaries to drive behavioural change. The mascot driven campaign will be leveraged by local cultural and linguistic elements to establish relevance and relatability amongst the audience to ensure maximum impact.

The mascot will cultivate a positive outlook, to overcome an aversive mindset of fear and preconceived notion. The mascot will become a symbol of joy, comfort and trust, aiding the efforts of the brand. The mascot driven campaign has a human centric approach, where the mascot takes a human form to interact with the audience. 

When people have problems, they share the concerns with a friend. The assurance that a friend gives of things turning around has a positive impact. The mascot will be that friend that will instill courage and enable you to eradicate negative thoughts.

  The mascot will be a symbol of TRUST. Coming from their own ecosystem, the mascot will be their trusted friend that provides them with credible information. Furthermore, as a friend, the mascot will instill the motivation among beneficiaries to act. Rather than just providing knowledge, the mascot is a friendly hand that the audience need to trust in the importance of the brand’s message

Mascot driven campaigns have built brand associations amongst the audience which facilitates recall and retention of information. The usage of mascots is immensely popular in sports. People associate the CommonWealth Games with ‘Shera’, the tiger mascot. Air India wanted to establish a royal and luxury experience amongst the passengers, hence they used a “Maharaja” mascot. Even though, currently, Air India is diluting its stakes in the market, the mascot of “MahaRaja” will continue to be a symbol of nostalgia amongst the passengers.

The mascot has human characteristics. Their usage ensures relatability and wider attention. This can be used to drive behaviour change. In the early 2000s, the Government of India along with NACO wanted to raise awareness amongst families and youths about HIV AIDS and the usage of condoms. The West Bengal government started the campaign by using a puppet driven storytelling by the local mascot called a “Bula Di”. A Bengali lady who broke the stereotypes associated with HIV and the importance of using condoms. The mascot changed the behaviour of women towards AIDS and the perception of safe sex even with their spouses. ‘Bula Di’ made the grim subject of HIV relatable to the audience in a fun and upbeat tone

Mascot-driven campaigns are highly scalable.  The same mascot can be easily adapted as per the local context which makes it easily replicable. At the same time, using local distribution channels enables the approach to be cost-effective. As a result of these factors, mascot campaigns are highly scalable.