Three Tips to Increase the Lifespan of your Mascot

Each mascot is unique and may require different mascot care practices. However, the following tips would generally come in handy for most mascots and when practised religiously, it could possibly save you a couple of hundreds.

Mascot Handling

Brand mascots tend to go through the hands of multiple mascot minders and talents over its lifetime. Premium mascots would come with a dedicated inner bodysuit and it is critical that the talent wears it. It is specially designed to reduce the amount of perspiration that would go onto your mascot. Even though it might seem ‘warmer’ wearing the full gear.

Little quirks like not dragging the mascot feet while walking would help reduce the amount of wear and tear of the mascot shoe soles. Additionally, each mascot design would have its own mascot movements restriction and fragile areas that both the talent and minder should be informed about. Prevention is better than cure. These instructions would be shared with you by your mascot maker during the initial fitting. Remember to record them and create a simple method to handover these good mascot practices. Especially when the mascot is complex, wearing it in the wrong order or format could potentially physically damage your mascot as well as distort the look and tarnish your brand image. Sharing knowledge about the uniqueness of your mascot is key.

Mascot Hygiene

Ideally, all mascot makers would recommend that you send your mascot to a professional mascot cleaning company after each mascot appearance. However, that is usually a stretch on resources, whether it is budget or transportation. In all honesty, you may skip some sessions by caring for your mascot diligently.

Firstly, space out your mascot appearance timings so that you get enough time to air out your mascot, especially if you’re making multiple appearances in a day. At the end of the day when you’re wiping down your mascot body, shoes and wiping the interior of the head with a disinfectant, you will still need to air it out once more before packing it up for transport. Moisture is not good for your mascot.

Secondly, understand the type of material that is being used to create your mascot. For instance, if your brand is very particular about the colour of the fur, you should avoid dry cleaning altogether. If your mascot has electrical components, then you will should ensure that those areas do not come into close contact with any form of liquid. If your mascot has some mechanics on the inside, you may need to carefully grease them. Know your mascot thoroughly to provide adequate hygiene care.

Mascot Storage

This is always a tricky issue, unless you’ve purchased an inflatable mascot - the irregular bulky shape usually leaves most people clueless about how to store it. Most mascot comes in an opaque mascot bag to protect the identity of the mascot as well as possible discolouration. However, it also means that the moment one person from the company accidentally stacks something on it over a period of time, you might have a significantly different mascot head.

If your budget allows and you wish to store your mascot within your premise. Consider investing in a black hardy mascot crate with wheels. Alternatively, you can also explore the option of getting a customized standee to display your mascot in your premise without compromising on the shape of your mascot. It provides additional branding and awareness of your company’s mascot whenever you have guests by creating a fun-loving atmosphere in your space.

However, if space is an issue, we recommend that you outsource the storage of your mascot altogether. Mascot storage service providers usually provide a dry and spacious environment that would be healthy for your mascot.

Weigh your options carefully to ensure that the storage you choose will not kill your mascot. If unsure about any of your mascot care challenges, simply hola your mascot manufacturer. We’re usually happy to spare a few minutes discussing about the mascot we’ve co-created with you. Afterall, it is our baby too!

All photo credits are from our client, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore Facebook Page