Most successful marketing campaigns have one thing in common: iconic visual elements. Digital marketing can involve a lot of written content and pictures, which can be effective in communicating messages, however, brand logos and mascots can join all these messages together and act as an instigator to consumer activity. Think of it as a spokesperson that leads your campaign. These visual elements can be pivotal to building an iconic brand. Here’s how.
Why Visual Elements Are Useful
Symbols, logos and mascots above all else are a way of bringing your brand together under one umbrella and giving it a voice. When people see a small blue bird, they think of Twitter. If they see a swoosh, Nike will pop into their heads. By drawing connections to your product, consumers think of you more often, hear your message clearer and most importantly, elicit an emotional connection to your brand.
Crazy Egg, a software company that assists small businesses to increase conversions, says a mascot fosters positive feelings and assists in getting your message imprinted into customers’ minds, which describes the strength of logos and mascots in building relationships with customers. Additionally, while it may be time-consuming and involve creativity, research and effective execution, these elements can be used campaign-wide, across multiple mediums and platforms.
How to Visual Elements
Logos and mascots have the potential to build your marketing campaign and brand as a whole, but only if used properly.
What not to do
Don’t be mistaken, brand logos and mascots are a big and important investment. A lot of time and money has to go into market research, design, brand messages and appropriate media outlets, and there is usually a fine line to success. Try to avoid sensitive subjects like politics, race and stereotypes when building characters. Timing and market placement can also impact its reception among consumers, as well as language barriers if working in an international market. Burger King’s King mascot’s look and character led to it being known as “The Creepy King,” and was slandered online before being revoked as the company’s main mascot. To avoid this, run yours past various teams, including slang-savvy people, sample consumers and other teams to ensure that the visual is appropriate and effective.
What to do
A good thing about logos and mascots is that you can attach character and emotion to them. Take advantage of that. Use colors and symbols that align with your brand’s values and build a rich story line for your mascot. The Orkin Man, the mascot for pest control company Orkin, is a great example of an effective design. He is a simple character but has a helmet and uniform to communicate the expertise, professionalism and competence of the brand.
Building your brand can be a challenging process that involves a number of elements. Along with strong written content and clear messages, effective brand logos and mascots are a great way to take your brand from mediocre to iconic in the minds of your consumers.