Design Thinking for Sustainable Mascot Character Design

Abstract

In the character licensing industry, we identify one use of a character brand in the shape of a mascot. A good design for a mascot in an institution, community, or specific event will increase the mascot and the institute's sense of belonging. In order for the mascot design to match the community's tastes, the appropriate formulation is required during the process of producing this mascot figure. As a result, it is vital to have a strategy that enables achieving this goal to be more manageable, which can be employed in creating different mascot designs. This research intends to build a formula based on design thinking to capture the target market's tastes, through a poll based on design elements and principles, in a case study of making the "We Love Design" event mascot from Bina Nusantara University. The baby Sumatran tiger was selected as the mascot's form because, in addition to carrying the most frequently selected features in the poll, it also embodies the local content of Indonesia to raise the sense of belonging. The fundamental contribution of this study is the innovation of a system that streamlines the process of developing a brand character, which in this case takes the form of a mascot. Two polls with 724 & 1,018 respondents were employed as the approach. The process used to create this mascot character design is expected to be used in other character designs, including mascots and character licenses to make it sustainable.

Visualising an Academic Institution's Image Through Brand Mascots: Pradita University

“…On the other hand, unusual combinations, such as mixing a cow and a bird, while eye-catching, may be deemed unfamiliar and less friendly (Jiyavorananda et al, 2016). In terms of form, a study by Fathoni (2023) showed that circular body shapes are preferred, while another analysis by Hotogi and Hagiwara (2015) showed shorter legs tend to be favored. In terms of features, the aforementioned study by Hotogi and Hagiwara (2015) showed that circular black eyes are preferred, whil another analysis by Ito and Yamashita (2014) showed that rounded noses and animal-like mouths contribute positively in terms of viewer preference and cuteness and are indicated to create a good impression.…”

“…If necessary, slight adjustments in warmth and saturation of brand colours can ensure the mascot's intended perception. In terms of colouring style, viewers tend to prefer flat shading (Fathoni, 2023).…”

Developing an engaging and effective mascot design for promoting alternative energy source awareness

“…The research conducted by Fathoni et al contributes to system innovation, streamlining the process of developing brand characters, especially mascots. Fathoni et al employed an approach that included polling 724 and 1,018 respondents, which can be applied to other character designs and licensing strategies to ensure sustainability [5]. Kusuma et al researched the use of mascots during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.…”