Brand storytelling with character design
I’ve been drawing characters since I was a little one – what started in the 80s and 90s as reading comic books and watching Transformers, He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the TV has turned into a passion of mine both inside and outside of my career.
Having recently had the chance to design brand characters for some of our clients at Creative62, I have seen the power of characters first-hand and how they spark imaginations for future projects.
The landscape of marketing and branding is an ever-evolving beast, with brands constantly searching for ways to connect with their audience. Beyond the traditional logo and brand elements, the creation of characters or mascots adds a dynamic and relatable dimension to the right brand identity. In this blog post, I’ll be talking about the significance of using characters with a brand architecture and how it can elevate the right brand to new heights. So, let’s get to it!
Duolingo’s DuoFun, bright and engaging.
Waze’s Bubble CarCombining everything that the brand does with its communication tool.
Reddit’s SnooA perfect execution by Pentagram.
Octopus Energy’sConstantine, cute and welcoming.
Headspace’s SmileAlthough not a mascot, the warm use of colour and emotion in such a simple way is perfect.
Duracell’s BunnyOriginally launched in 1973 and has been through various iterations, has continuously evolved for the target market.
KawsAlthough not a brand that utilises marketing in the traditional way, Kaws shows just how powerful a perfectly executed character can build a brand on its own!
Everyone Active’sActive Monsters, would be a bit silly to not put one of our own creations in the mix now, wouldn’t it?
Storytelling
Character design, when used in the right way, provides a visual narrative that enables the brand to speak to the viewer in a completely different way than words alone can get across. Humans are natural storytellers and readers, you can tell the story of a brand’s journey, mission, values or cadence in a much more engaging and personal way in an instant.
Recognition
By creating a distinctive character or mascot for a brand, it gives the brand a face, a recognisable face, a personality and a story that makes the brand memorable and forges an emotional connection.
Loyalty
Well-designed characters or mascots have the potential to become a cherished symbol for a brand. Looking at characters that have stood the test of time are the Compare the Market Meerkats, Monopoly’s Milburn Pennybags, Pringles’ Julius Pringles and the Michelin Man, whose brands can all be recognised without a single word.
Target Audience
Brand characters can be tailored to suit the demographic of the brand, which is something that can be difficult to do using any other method of branding as it leaves very little in terms of interpretation when used well.
Versatility
From packaging and printed advertising to digital and social animated campaigns and merchandising, a strong character is versatile and can be used across various marketing channels.
Stand out
In a noisy modern marketplace, it is increasingly more difficult to stand out from the crowd. Character design offers a memorable way to differentiate brands from the next, which isn’t easily replicated.
In conclusion, by utilising character design within a brand, you are connecting with the audience via storytelling on a purely visual platform. It’s not creating a logo or mark that people might recognise… it’s creating an ambassador for the brand that can speak to the hearts and minds of the customers when you can’t.
If what you have read here resonates with your brand in any way, please just reach out for a chat and see if we can create some storytelling magic together.