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Posts Archived Under Mascots
"His Master's Voice"
(What you don't see is that Nipper is
sitting on the coffin of his dead owner) |
In company logos and advertisements, animals are a fairly common sight. So common, in fact, that you probably haven't given these mascots a great deal of thought. But those whose job involves selecting an animal representative for an organization or company face no small task. With their choice, they will be aligning themselves with whatever qualities people tend to associate with that animal. Once they’ve found their totem, they may forever be associated with it.
A prime example of logo longevity is "His Master’s Voice," a design trademarked by the Victor Record Company on this day in 1900, sealing forever in our minds the image of Nipper the dog listening attentively to a Victrola, and connecting it further with the Gramophone Company (later known as HMV). In the ensuing century, plenty of other corporate critters have made their marks on our cultural consciousness. How many times have you heard Leo, the MGM lion roar?
Financial institutions have adopted symbols of strength, including an elk and a lion, though Merrill Lynch was wise to select a bull rather than a bear. Animals in advertising have also provided memorable and humorous moments.
Cuteness gives many animal representatives their appeal. The Geico gecko is pretty adorable, as is Snuggle, the Fabric Softener Bear. Some creatures are simply effective because they are cartoons, and appeal to kids, such as the Trix Rabbit and Sugar Bear.
Turns out there’s a science behind the success of animals (or "visual identifiers," as the marketing analysts call them). While some wine critics may claim they avoid "labels bearing cute animals," the rest of us are drawn to these images almost against our will, according to researchers. Did you pick up that bottle of Syrah because it had a kangaroo, chameleon, or a cute dog or kitty on it? It’s not your fault -– you're a victim of your own "perceptual fluency."
In light of the incredible sway these animals have over us, some mascots may not have been the best selections. Joe Camel, for example, the longtime rep for Camel cigarettes, was no longer depicted in cartoon form due to objections that he appealed to children too effectively, and Budweiser’s Spuds MacKenzie faded into obscurity before anyone noticed that a dog in a Hawaiian shirt was probably not the most appropriate spokes-animal for beer. After all, wouldn’t you rather share a tall one with a creepy penguin?
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Directory categories:
Advertising, Commercials, Pop Culture, Graphic Design, Phonographs |
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Archived under: 19th Century, Advertising, Animals, Anniversaries, Bears, Birds, Brands, Cartoons, Design, Dogs, History, Images, Mascots, Music, Music History, Nostalgia, Records, Society and Culture, TV, Wine |
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The Olympics are here! And as we celebrate the Games of the current Olympiad, our thoughts turn to -- no, not to steroids and genetic testing, or the ways in which protesters will be relegated to the far reaches of Beijing. No, we're not getting nostalgic for the events of yesteryear: croquet, golf, and Jeu de Paume (Jeu de what?). We're not even thinking of how Beijing's air has the consistency of pea soup (or perhaps birds' nest soup this year), though Chinese officials are doing their darnedest to keep competitors from horking up a lung.
No, as the Games begin, we like to concentrate on the symbols that identify the Olympics: icons like the flag, whose rings represent the five continents of the world and the colors found on every flag. Or the Torch Relay -- devised by Hitler's propagandists, but which culminates in the lighting ceremony that can choke up even the hardest-hearted cynic. American television viewers associate Leo Arnaud's "Bugler's Dream" with the Games, though in recent years, that musical theme has been replaced by John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare and Theme." Most of all, we love the mascots of the Games -- cuddly creatures like Waldi (who admonished other daschhunds against urinating on the Olympic flagpole) or Calgary's lovable polar bears Hidy and Howdy -- or even Los Angeles' Sam, who fended off accusations that he looked more like a chicken than a bald eagle. Perhaps the least-loved mascot was Atlanta's Izzy, if only because no one was really sure what the hell he (she? it?) was.
The final verdict on this year's Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini is anyone's guess, but we're pretty sure that they'll end up being less creepy than Turin's Neve and Gliz -- an anthropomorphized snowball and ice cube with unnervingly cheerful expressions.
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Directory categories:
Beijing Olympics, Olympic Symbols, Olympic Games, Summer Olympics History, Beijing |
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Archived under: Athletes, Beijing, China, Events, Mascots, Olympics, Sports, Track and Field |
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S.J. Sharks' "Sharkie"
(photo by Mike Lee) |
Inside your suit, it's 120 degrees, your visibility is limited, and it's difficult to move. You are in frequent danger. You might get shot by a CIA sniper, whacked with a baseball bat, punched by a 330-pound offensive lineman, or thrown from an outfield wall. You might even have your tongue ripped out. But it's all worth it, you say. It's worth it for the kids. So who are you? Why, you're a professional mascot! You dance, you jump through hoops of fire, and you flap your wings unceasingly throughout the entire game. Your work is as physically demanding as that of the players on the field, but you are meant to be ridiculed. And you love it. Mascot life isn't easy (unless you're a real dog), but you wouldn't trade it for the world. You live by what the San Diego Chicken once said: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the chicken."
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Directory categories:
Mascot Life, Sports Mascots, Famous Chicken |
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Archived under: Fanatics, Mascots, Sports |
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