Have You Gone ‘Cute & Cuddly’ Yet?

A student in a leading university here was asked recently why she joined there and she had a strange answer. Almost 7 years back, there was an event organized in her school which was sponsored by this particular university and just as a reminder of their presence, they gave each participant a small koala bear toy (the koala is native of the land of origin of the University). This year, faced with a number of colleges offering the course she wanted, the young girl was finding it hard to decide, till a 7-year old cuddly toy made the decision for her. Yes, a mere toy is what made the difference. Mascots might seem like a very small thing to be concerned about but they might have impact in unbelievable ways. A recent article in Adweek spoke of how Downy is bringing back its cute and cuddly Snuggle Bear. For many people, this is the Downy they grew up with- a snuggly bear that’s too hard to resist when doing laundry. Come to think of it, many brands have mascots that loom large in our minds, when we think of their brands. Take Ronald McDonald, Colonel Sanders, Quaker Oats Man, Michelin Man, Quiky the Bunny, Chester Cheetah, Tony the Tiger or even Mickey Mouse! Just see the character and you already know the brand! Here in Dubai, most people must have seen RAK Bank’s advertising near bus stops and other places. Using adorably-evil looking animated characters, the Bank assures you of their friendly services. See those grumpy looking fellas somewhere and you know, the Bank has something to say. When your brand speaks, people might listen but they think of something large and intimidating but when you let someone cute, cuddly and relatable speak for you, you are calling out to the child in every person. Your message becomes clearer and most appealing and a mascot also increases chances of brand cut through and recall. So, who’s talking for you today?