We reached out to brand experts to understand if technology has impacted mascot marketing

Read: http://adinsider.in/Lt846_E_ 

Growing up, we have seen the supremely charismatic Amul Girl comment on issues that nobody dared to refer to on public-forums.

However, after the iconic Nirma Girl, McDonald’s Ronald McDonald, Parle-G Girl, 7UP’s Fido, and Vodafone’s ZooZoo, brand mascots did not make an appearance for quite some time and made us wonder if mascots are a dying trend.

Brands did not want to invest in a labour-intensive exercise that involved a lot of commitment, regularity, nurturing and of course, money to make it all happen.

And then @DunzoIt , a new-age home-grown delivery brand, dropped not one but two mascots, #Harri and #Dunya.

Karthik Srinivisan ( @beastoftraal), Brand Consultant and Social Media Expert, said, “There's nothing technological about mascots, as I see it. Regardless of where a mascot is used, in what kind of media, the primary purpose is to enhance memorability and association."

All mascots from the recent past like #Harri, #Dunya, #ZooZoo and #Fido are 3D illustrations that don’t just have a conversation and engage with consumers, they twirl, dance and even drive around on fictional streets.

Ambi Parameswaran ( @ambimgp), Founder, http://Brand-Building.com  said, “I am not sure if you can do better advertising simply because you can create a 3D image. I still believe the simple 2D of @Amul_Coop Girl is one of my favourites.”

Giving us an example, he said, “In recent times, Nippon Paint has used the colourful blobs, called Blobbies as an integral element on their campaign. These are 3D images that paint your walls and is an extension of something the brand has done abroad.

I think the intelligent use of the mascots has helped the brand standout in the celebrity clutter that we see in all brand advertising"

“The mascot today becomes a bot when injected with technology. Interfaces can change, but the core persona of the bot must not,” seconds @harishbijoor, Brand Guru & Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, whose favourite brand mascot is Asian Paints' Gattu!

"A Brand Mascot is...

...a relationship that is forever. It is all about a more long-lasting engagement with the consumer than in the case of celebrities roped in to promote a brand. Keeping this in mind, it is important for mascots to embody the brand with a certain degree of personal integrity."

. @RonitaMitraa, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting said that even if the consumers move to a dominant digital environment, consumers will continue to remain humans and will always look for that human and emotional connect.

“A mascot has the power to be leveraged across multi-media platforms from advertising to social media conversations to technology interfaces to activation programs as demonstrated effectively and endearingly by the Vodafone ZooZoos", says Mitra.

#Mascots can help personify the brand, maintain a voice, stand out in the clutter of celebrity endorsers, and establish the brand in an endearing, memorable and meaningful manner.

So to conclude, experts said that a brand mascot should bring alive the brand narrative and its point-of-view. It will still help create a long-term relationship with your consumer if connected on a daily basis.