Let's Discuss! "Mascots"

Let's Discuss! 

"Mascots" - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!

Hello World! Welcome back, my name is Benjamin. This post will be dedicated to one of my favourite topics, so without further adieu....Let's Discuss! 

The topic will be "Mascots". I will show you a good one, a bad one, and an ugly one! Enjoy! 

(These are all subjective, as these are mascots that I think are good, bad and ugly) 

- What is a "Mascot"? 

Well, that's a good question! I like to answer this question by giving an example....I'll give you some clues and you can try and make an image of this character in your head.

I'm thinking of a very famous mascot....he is small but his ears are big....he wears red shorts and he has a pair of white gloves...but he's also a small animal....his initials are "MM"....who am I thinking of? 

That's right!

Yes, he is a very famous mascot indeed, in fact, he might well be the most famous and recognisable character EVER!

The primary purpose of a mascot is to be used as an "ambassador" for a product, service or an event. Furthermore, these characters are often the centre point or "star" of Advertising Campaigns. These are extremely useful as a Marketing Communication tool. They have been proven to create a robust connection between consumers and organisations who are delivering products and services. 

OK Cool....I think we know what mascots are at this point, right? I'd like to kick off by talking about my favourite mascot. 

- The Good-One (Footix)  

"Footix" - France 98

Allow me to introduce "Footix", the official mascot for France 98, the Fifa World Cup which was hosted in France in 1998.

Footix was introduced to the world in 1998. He is a cockerel, which if you did not already know is a national symbol of France. His colour scheme is similar to that of the French National Team and he is holding a ball that is strikingly similar to the design of the Adidas Tricolore, which was the official ball of the tournament.  

Footix actually holds a surprisingly deep meaning in his home nation of France. The definition of a "Footix" is a person who is not a real supporter, in other words, they are "Glory Supporters". 

Basically, what this means is that if you were a "Footix" and you lived in France in 1998, you would most likely follow another team for the World Cup, perhaps Brazil, Germany or maybe even...England? *Scoffs*. Support for the French National Team before the tournament was dwindling. However, they became the eventual world champions and lifted the Fifa World Cup in Paris after beating Brazil in the final.

Footix (The mascot) was EVERYWHERE! In fact, my older brother and my Dad actually had t-shirts with him on, maybe they were part of a promotional giveaway in 1998? I also have fond memories of seeing him plastered on pretty much everything! I have a huge Footix collection, including a mug, a tie, a Nintendo 64 game and even a stuffed toy. 

I can't put my finger on what it is about Footix that I love so much. It's probably nostalgia, but his simple but bright and inviting colour scheme, his extremely sharp 90's design and the fact that he was EVERYWHERE in 1998 makes him my favourite mascot! 

Longue Vie Footix!   

- The Bad-One (Golly) 

"Golly" - Robertsons Jams (UK)

Oh, Golly?! This fellow's name is...yep...Golly.

Not a great deal to say about this one. If I'm being entirely honest with you, I think he is bad. Nonetheless, here is some background information about this guy. 

The character was popular in 19th-century childrens books. His conception came about by the popular past-time of using discarded fabrics (black material such as women's tights and blouses) to make rag dolls. 

His design became very popular for its simplicity. In the early 1920s, Robertsons decided to use this popular household character as a mascot on their extremely popular jam and marmalade products. "Golly" amassed a cult following, and collectable promotional products such as pin badges and statues were issued through the exchange of Jam Jar Tokens. 

However, the character would soon be recognised as a controversial figure. The character is considered racist in the eyes of many, and to be completely honest I can see why! He has subsequently been quashed in 2001 and he is no longer a mascot for the Robertsons brand. Instead, Paddington Bear has replaced him as a mascot for Robertsons Marmalade. I think that was a great decision, who better to promote marmalade then Paddington Bear?! After all, he is the best 3 foot something, marmalade sandwich-loving, wellington boot-wearing bear EVER! 

Why is this a bad mascot in my eyes in 2020? Well...I'll leave that for you to decide...

Moving on then! 

- The Ugly-One (Old Joe - AKA "Joe Camel")

"Old Joe - Camel Cigarettes"

Here we are! This guy is actually not "Ugly" in the conventional use of the word, in fact, he's pretty handsome! (For a Camel at least). I selected "Joe" because of what he promotes, he is an iconic character in the world of tobacco marketing. 

Old Joe first appeared in Advertising Campaigns for Camel Cigarettes in 1987, and he was scrapped in 1997. 

1997?! REALLY?! That is SHOCKING! How was a cartoon character as charming and sophisticated as Old Joe used as a Marketing Communication Tool in 1997?! He is promoting smoking!!! That is NOT OK!

I mean don't get me wrong, he is smooth, cool and very talented. In fact, he's everything that a naive, impressionable young person would set out to be!  

He is ugly because he has been used as a pawn in the marketing and promotion of smoking by one of the biggest tobacco companies in the world. The advertising and promotion of smoking are absolutely disgraceful, and it has most likely attributed to a lot of health complications and premature deaths. However, controversially, he was an excellent character and although he promoted an ugly cause, he is pretty cool and I will certainly remember him as an iconic and memorable mascot! 

Well, this was my first officical "Let's Discuss!" post! I hope enjoyed it. Keep checking in for more posts coming soon!

Thanks for stopping by! See you again soon!

Benjamin Andrew 95!