March 5, 2025
From Tony the Tiger’s booming “They’re Grrrreat!” to the Michelin Man’s jolly, tire-stacked grin, mascots have been shaping brand identities for over a century.
They’re more than just quirky characters slapped onto packaging - they’re storytellers, emotional connectors, and, in many cases, cultural icons.
The concept of brand mascots dates back to the late 19th century, when companies realised that a friendly face (even if it was a giant peanut with a monocle) could build loyalty in a way that logos alone couldn’t.
Fast-forward to today and the landscape is wilder than ever - brands are reviving classic mascots, inventing bizarre new ones, and even turning to AI to create digital brand ambassadors.
But beyond the fun and fluff, mascots serve a serious purpose.
They give brands personality, help them stand out in crowded markets, and - when done right - create an emotional connection that keeps customers coming back.
So, what makes a great mascot?
And why are some adored while others flop?
Let’s dive into the serious, the fun, and the downright wacky world of brand mascots to uncover why they remain one of marketing’s most enduring (and evolving) strategies.
In an era of faceless corporations, a mascot can make a brand feel human.
Unlike a logo or a tagline, a mascot carries personality traits - whether it’s cheeky, wise, rebellious, or nurturing.
This makes them a powerful tool for engagement, as they allow brands to speak in a tone that might otherwise feel out of place in their industry.
Take Duolingo’s Duo, the green owl - arguably one of the most culturally relevant mascots of the digital age.
What started as a simple icon for a language-learning app quickly evolved into a social media phenomenon.
Duo became a playful, slightly unhinged enforcer of language-learning habits, appearing in memes, TikTok videos, and even real-life pop-ups.
The brand leaned into the chaos, using Duo’s exaggerated persona to drive engagement in ways that a faceless app never could.
And then, in early 2025, Duolingo did something unexpected: they killed off Duo in a dramatic social media stunt.
The result?
A wave of user-generated content, tribute posts, and mass speculation about what was next.
By giving their mascot a narrative arc - complete with a death and resurrection - Duolingo proved that a well-crafted mascot can be a living, breathing extension of a brand.
Mascots allow brands to operate in spaces that might otherwise be off-limits.
They can push boundaries, make bold statements, and enter cultural conversations without the same level of risk as a corporate voice.
Sports teams for example rely on mascots to entertain fans.
But Rocky the Mountain Lion, the Denver Nuggets' mascot, has taken things to a whole new level.
He’s not just there for halftime shows - he’s a full-fledged personality with a mischievous streak that allows him to do things no coach, player, or executive ever could.
From pranking rival teams to skydiving onto the court, Rocky has become a larger-than-life symbol of the Nuggets, showing up in viral moments that transcend basketball itself.
He’s playfully taunted players, crashed opponent press conferences, and even “fainted” dramatically on the court in one of his most infamous stunts.
Could an NBA executive pull off these antics? Absolutely not.
But Rocky can - because mascots give brands (and teams) permission to be irreverent, audacious, and totally unexpected while still fostering goodwill.
In doing so, Rocky helps make the Nuggets more than just a basketball team. He makes them entertainment.
Mascots don’t just exist in the digital realm; they help brands show up in physical spaces where they might not otherwise have a presence.
For decades, Grimace was just another McDonald’s character - an odd, purple, blob-like sidekick to Ronald McDonald.
But in 2023, McDonald’s decided to resurrect Grimace in the most unexpected way.
With a viral birthday meal campaign that sent the internet into a frenzy.
What started as a nostalgic nod to an old-school mascot turned into an unintentional meme goldmine.
The Grimace Shake, a limited-edition purple milkshake, inspired TikTok users to create eerie, surreal videos of themselves drinking it - only to mysteriously collapse as if they’d been cursed.
Instead of shutting it down, McDonald’s embraced the bizarre cultural moment, letting Grimace’s resurgence take on a life of its own.
Unlike a corporate spokesperson, Grimace could ‘exist’ in weird corners of the internet that McDonald’s never could.
His strange, ambiguous nature made him a blank canvas for internet humour, proving that a well-timed mascot revival can turn a forgotten character into a pop culture phenomenon.
Would McDonald’s have achieved the same virality with a traditional marketing campaign? Probably not.
But by letting Grimace ‘show up’ unexpectedly, they tapped into something that no brand guidelines could ever predict: the internet’s love of the random and absurd.
Love them or hate them, mascots have an undeniable power to shape brand perception, spark conversations, and create lasting emotional bonds.
Whether it’s a nostalgia-fueled revival, a futuristic AI avatar, or an offbeat, meme-worthy character, the right mascot can turn a brand into something more than just a name - it becomes a personality, a movement, a memory.
So, if your brand is looking for a way to stand out, connect with audiences, or inject a little fun into the mix, maybe it’s time to think beyond the logo.
Because in a world of faceless corporations, a great mascot isn’t just good marketing - it’s a game-changer.
The only question is: What (or who) will yours be?
