developing a school mascot from start to finishline.
Mascots are a great representation of school spirit. ddm was asked to re-imagine Southwestern Michigan College’s (SMC) Roadrunner mascot into a strong and memorable character that could be used during recruitment, on campus, and for its sports teams.
Challenge
SMC’s goal was a fierce and determined mascot but one that is also friendly and approachable to better represent the College’s personality and character. It started with reference materials, ranging from realistic roadrunner images to other bird mascots. Once we found enough reference materials, we began the process of sketching out our initial concepts. Two concepts came to the forefront: a more realistic version and a friendlier cartoon version.
solution
ddm recommended that SMC use the more realistic mascot in corporate scenarios and a second cartoon mascot for athletics and apparel. We also incorporated text into the designs to create additional logo options, using the full college name and initials. This solution allows SMC to have different formats of its logo for any space restrictions it may run into.
Results
SMC added additional sports and opened a new athletic facility on its campus to help recruit athletes. The new mascot designs and Roadrunner themed messaging was used throughout the gymnasium and locker rooms. A physical mascot was also created based on the new design to help promote school spirit.
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