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Lately, it seems like brand characters and mascots are popping up everywhere you look. But it’s for good reason: earlier this year, research from System1 found that brand characters outperform celebrities when it comes to Super Bowl ads. “Based on a survey of 46,200 respondents who assessed 308 Super Bowl ads that aired between 2020 and 2023,” Inc. reports
System1 found that Super Bowl ads with brand characters outscored commercials with celebrities when it came to consumer appeal, brand recognition, and commercial impact.
At a time when relatability and personalization are key, brand characters give consumers a face to connect with and provide a bridge, embodying brand values and acting as relatable, trustworthy figures. And while some B2B brands think of such an addition as unconventional at first, they may find their fields especially well-suited to a mascot that can make complex services feel more approachable, memorable, and human-centered.
Read on to check out what today’s industry leaders are coming up with and explore how you might be able to bring your own brand to life with a character or mascot.
Luna, the B2B Astronaut From NetLine
At NetLine Corporation, what started as a simple illustration on a 404 page over a decade ago is now known as Luna: the brand’s beloved astronaut mascot. She represents exploration, discovery, and the brand’s dedication to guiding marketers through the ever-expanding universe of B2B content syndication and lead generation.
As a full-fledged brand ambassador, she appears prominently across NetLine’s blog, tools, research reports, education hub, and events, reinforcing the connection with innovation and curiosity. “The idea of data exploration and the fact that marketers are naturally inquisitive, matched so perfectly what an astronaut is doing,” said David Fortino, the company’s Chief Strategy Officer.
It was clear that this character needed to take a front row seat at NetLine and become one of the faces for the brand and it could introduce a level of playfulness that…is uncommon in the B2B technology service industry.
As part of the company’s new Intentive platform, Luna is “very much part of the product…including product verbiage and all marketing aspects,” which are heavily influenced by space. But what’s even more impressive is that the company has created ways for Luna to interact with folks offline and IRL as well, with merch and custom-made sculptures. “All of NetLine’s swag includes a version of Luna,” Fortino said.
It’s a way to stand out but, more importantly, it’s something that customers or attendees will actually like receiving and displaying.
Related Reading: Why Brand Mascots are Stellar Storytellers for Content Marketing
Owly Hooterson From Hootsuite
Hootsuite is another company that’s turned to a well-loved mascot to stand out in a crowded market and help users navigate the ever-evolving social media landscape.
Note: Hootsuite and other forward-thinking companies often choose to specify brand character pronouns in guidelines and related content. Owly’s pronouns are they/theirs while Duolingo’s owl, Duo, is identified as he/him.
Following a recent rebrand, the creative team “designed an Owly glow-up, expanding Owly’s appearance to a full body with poses.”
For the first time, Owly [can] emote, react and empathize, emulating the feelings of both Hootsuite and its customers.
Now formally known as Hootsuite’s “Chief Connection Officer [and] the anthropomorphism of the brand’s tone and tenor,” the updated Owly Hooterson appears across the company’s website, social media channels, a brand new ad spot, OOH placements, new tools, affiliate programs, merch, and more.
Static or animated, ornamental or explanatory, Owly succeeds as a symbol of wisdom and a pleasant burst of personality that guides social media professionals through the maze of platform updates, emerging tools, and best practices. And with the ability to express content-specific emotions like excitement, camaraderie, attention, consideration, and much more, their application and engagement potential becomes limitless.
Related Reading: Marketers: Weird Is Back, Embrace the Absurd
The Divine Skintervention Sinfluencer From e.l.f. Cosmetics
Brand-wide mascots like Owly and Luna can be a great addition to simplify messaging and build trust and awareness. Still, one-off or product-specific brand characters can also make a serious impact. To promote their Holy Hydration! skincare line, e.l.f. Cosmetics enlisted Instagram comedian-turned-actress Megan Stalter to take on the role of the devil on your shoulder — and just in time for Halloween.
Related Reading: Cue the Comedy: 3 Brand Campaigns Making People Laugh
In the light-hearted spot that carries over to related product page content, the Sinfluencer girlie tempts her victims into committing various skin sins, from popping pimples and sleeping in makeup to skipping SPF entirely. The message? Why skip steps if e.l.f. makes it so simple? “We’ve made it e.l.f. SKIN’s priority to provide a straightforward routine that delivers great results without asking our community to have a PHD to understand it,” said Kory Marchisotto, the brand’s Chief Marketing Officer.
With this campaign, we’re putting a halo around proper skincare, demystifying horror stories that taking care of your skin is complex or cumbersome.
With extra shorts that dive into a selection of sins and a quiz to find out which you’re guilty of — complete with personalized product recommendations based on the results — the Divine Skintervention campaign makes the most of the schtick while capitalizing on Stalter’s rising star on social and beyond.
See more of e.l.f.’s best-in-class marketing in springboard Top 50 Content Marketing Brands of 2024.
The Cast of Characters at Salesforce
In the B2B sphere, Salesforce has shown how impactful mascots can be for even the most sophisticated products and services. With almost a dozen active characters that help humanize the brand’s technology, the company is betting big on the power of brand illustration to break down big ideas.
Related Reading: The Human Element: 3 Brand Campaigns Demystifying AI and Advanced Tech
“Whether you’re learning new skills, connecting with each other, or giving back to the community, Astro and friends are here to encourage you all along the way,” said Domenique Sillett Buxton, the company’s Executive Creative Director of Brand Design, Characters, and Culture. But they’re not just there to look pretty; the characters correspond to a specific vertical, audience, or element of the Salesforce ecosystem, making it easier for users across the board to recognize, understand, and get excited about what they’re working on.
They were all brought to life by what was happening in the wider community.
Astro, a friendly figure representing a new Salesforce user, connects with audiences by making the platform seem less overwhelming and easier to manage. Codey the bear serves as the face of coding and technical skills, while Einstein brings AI and analytics to life with a personality that makes machine learning feel less daunting. And having the scientist’s trustworthy face as part of the brand has done wonders for its image. “He’s just an amazing human being — one of the most quoted individuals in the world,” said Chris Fleming, Executive Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Salesforce.
It’s been one of the best brand decisions we’ve ever made as a company.
Related Reading: The Power of Branded Illustrations + Animation in Content Marketing
