Homeowners want to feel good about the company they’re inviting into their home. They want skill, professionalism and reliability, of course. But they also want to see a spark of personality that says, “We’re friendly. We’re capable. We’re the kind of people you’ll be comfortable having around.”
That’s where having a character-based mascot represent your brand can really pull its weight! All logos should be unique, but character mascots have something in common with one another—they all seem to say “at your service. These eye-catching, memorable characters colorfully personify a company and convey its brand promise. When done correctly, it’s a sure-fire strategy to stand out among a sea of bland competition and give potential customers another reason to feel comfortable about making that service call.
Let us be clear—a mascot logo isn’t always the right fit for every company. And if it’s poorly executed, character branding will fall short for any business. But when done well, a mascot has so many strengths that can’t be denied!
Believe it or not, mascot branding is actually a very uncommon approach to small business marketing. If you remember lots of mascot brands, it’s not because the strategy is oversaturated—it’s because it’s working as intended. Mascots pack a powerful punch when competing against larger companies with bigger budgets that plaster their brand across the market. This branding style portrays longevity, even for a company in its infancy.
A well-designed mascot’s personality can be infectious. The wholesome charisma attached to them can ease tension before a technician even walks in the door, which is especially helpful when homeowners need to trust strangers in their personal spaces.
But be wary of adopting a poorly designed mascot. If it’s too cheesy or amateurish, instead of enhancing a company’s professional perception, a mascot can have the opposite effect. Additionally, if the mascot is going to be used for your vehicle advertising, there are very specific characteristics that the mascot must adopt in order to work for a canvas as large as a truck wrap.
The key is intention. Any creative logo, especially a mascot, should never feel random or slapped onto the side of your truck just for decoration. Every facet of your character should represent the story you’re trying to tell or enhance your company perception. Expression, pose, held tools, color and detail should all be chosen carefully. If the mascot is cheesy or looks amateurish, it could far too easily have the opposite effect and actually harm your brand.
How do you make sure your mascot brand is done correctly? And how do you make sure that a mascot is even the right fit for your business?
KickCharge has a long track record of creating character-based brands for home service companies across the country. Our process starts with a conversation about who you are, what makes your company different and how your brand needs to show up in the market. We’ll help determine what visual direction will best fit your new brand and begin bringing it to life.
From there, we research, concept, draw, refine and build a logo that is custom to your business. The work is hand-rendered and developed 100% in-house by our world-class brand design team. Every decision is made with your larger brand in mind, from the character’s personality to how the final identity will perform on vehicles, websites and marketing collateral.
Once your mascot logo is complete, KickCharge can carry that character through the rest of your brand experience, including print collateral, uniforms, web design and other marketing materials—all to ensure that your new mascot remains consistent across different touchpoints.
Contact us today or give us a call at 918.890.1733. Together, we’ll bring your new character mascot to life!
