Zoozoos : New Vodafone Mascots

The popularity of zoozoos, the white, ghost-like creatures promoting Vodafone’s value-added services, are indicative of the fact that mascots are definitely here to stay. Advertisers are banking heavily on visuals, colours, mnemonics, sounds and symbols to connect with the target consumers. The advantage of a mascot over celebrity endorsement is that it is cost-effective. Also a celebrity endorses multiple products, creating confusion in the minds of the consumers, unlike the mascot that is unique to each brand.

Not only do the mascots create instant recognition for the brand, it also helps advertisers cut through the clutter. In a diverse market like India where mass brands have not less than 16 language translations for their ads, mascots are a very powerful means to create a stronger connect with the consumers. It also helps minimising surfing out of the channel during commercial breaks.

It appeals not only to the educated mass, but even an illiterate consumer, who instantly identifies the brand with help of the mascot.

The Hutch pug not only attracted customers, but even set the business soaring for the telecom major — it led to an increase in its subscriber base by 20 per cent.

Chintamani was another appealing mascot people identified with. The other unforgettable mascots include the Amul girl and Lalitaji who endorsed Surf.

On the flipside though, Indian consumers have a tendency to associate animated brand mascots with products aimed at children. However, sometimes mascots overshadow the brand itself in the consumer mindspace.

The cool, yuppy Fido Dido mascot grew bigger than the Seven Up brand, so much that one recalled the mascot but did not associate it with the brand.

Mascots need not be animated. Zoozoos indicate that fresh execution of ads with mascots always work.

Zoozoos have indeed revolutionised way mascots are projected in Indian ads. In case you have not been able to figure out what these zoozoos are, they aren’t animated characters. They are human beings who were made to wear body suits. Kudos to Ogilvy.

Watch Ads : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGqndA5F3i8

Source: AM