The Problem
We were using the bear emblem (created as a logo) and dressing it up to fit different occasions. It's a fun approach but it created problems with the visuals looking a bit odd as the bear looked like a cut-and-paste graphic. We needed the mascot to be what it was meant for, a lively character that helps portray our brand, not just a static image of a bear.
example of our mascot in previous usuage
Firstly we needed to create the bear as a whole. We wanted the bear to be round and adorable but not too distracting. Also we made a creative decision to remove the black outline, to make it easier to adapt the bear in a wide variety of illustrations. With different angles of the bear mocked up it's ready to move on to the next step!
Next we created visuals that puts the bear in different situations, be it just taking a stroll with a sandwich on hand, or backpacking on a trip. Visuals like these create subtle yet important character understanding, knowing how our mascot reacts to the world and people that he is created in.
Creating the real work
Now it's time to put the bear in action, making it relate to different visuals from internal communications to consumer facing marketing materials. Also a mascot library is created and shared with all designers in the company, making it easy for designers to pick and choose the bear they needed for their artwork. Newly created bears from designers are also placed in this library, making it a growing library that helps improve the efficiency of using the bear in visual materials.
animated brand strategy video (edited to remove confidential information)
That's all folks!
