Research Says Brand Mascots Really Do Move the Needle

A study finds these characters boost market share

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The quirky and sometimes unsettling mascots that have come to define brands like Kool-Aid and Pillsbury are apparently doing something right.

According to a study by global marketing research firm System1, these “fictitious characters” employed by brands increase advertising effectiveness. The study, which used data from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (a U.K. trade body that represents agencies) collected 2017-18, found that campaigns including a mascot are 37% more likely to increase market share than ones without.

These

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