MASCOTthe olympic games case studies

Friday, December 14, 12

Sam the Eagle

• Emphasis first focused on developing something emblematic of the Southern California area, including such possibilities as the sun, palm trees and seals. Considerations were expanded to include the state of California, whose symbol is a bear, but that idea was soon discarded since the Moscow Games had used a bear mascot. Finally, design development focused on symbols representative of the entire United States and the logical choice was the eagle. Generally considered a rather stern and aloof bird, a warmer, more friendly eagle had to be created. A short, stubby, cuddly little eagle evolved. He had a large head, bulbous middle section and a protruding derriere accented by an array of tail feathers. Besides serving as the national bird of the host country, the eagle was also universally recognized as an incarnation of the ideals cited in the Olympic motto: “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (swifter, higher, stronger)

• Since the eagle would have to be shown as a competitor in the various athletic events, the wings were drawn to function as “arms” and the feathers as “fingers.” The eagle was designed to work as a costumed character as well as a two-dimensional graphic symbol.

• Designed by Robert Moore (from The Walt Disney Company)

Los Angeles 1984

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

Hodori

• In December 1983, the SLOOC Executive Board finalized the tiger as the mascot. In selecting the tiger as the mascot, the SLOOC cited the tiger's traditional popularity among Korean folk, and its image of an animal which symbolizes the vigorous and marching spirit of the Korean people.

• As the mascot of the Seoul Olympic Games, the Korean tiger, long familiar to Koreans through myths and legend, was designed in the simple figurative form of a little tiger cub. The body lines were contoured to give a soft feeling, and the mascot wore an Olympic medal around the neck to identify itself with the Olympics. To enhance the Korean flavor, the figure wore the traditional sangmo hat of a Korean farmband player. The hat's spiraling streamer formed an S-shape to denote the first letter of Seoul, the host city.

• "Ho" is derived from the Korean word for tiger ("horangi", Korean: 호랑이), and "dori" is a diminutive for boys in Korean.

• Designed by Hyun Kim (Design Park)

Seoul 1988

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

Cobi the Sheep Dog

• It consisted of an image of a human-looking dog, with open arms, sketched in a thick, uneven, black line and treated with a false perspective that gave it a flattened effect. Although it was an anthropomorphic animal, the quality of the drawing and the treatment of colour (flat colours with neither gradations nor textures and a tendency to shun the primaries) made it quite different from most earlier Olympic mascots, all of which had been clearly influenced by the Walt Disney school of cartoons,

• The name chosen was "CoBi", which made an allusion to the initials of COOB'92 and was easy to remember and pronounce in most languages. The arbitrary combination of upper and lower case letters and the typography in which the name was presented (an alphabet created specially by Mariscal) helped to make "CoBi" more than just a name: it was a logotype.

• Designed by Javier Mariscal

Barcelona 1992

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

WHATIZIT

• WHATIZIT - a computer-animated mascot created by a local design firm, DESIGNefx-was chosen as the most innovative concept because of its ability to change in appearance to represent different athletes and sports; hence its name, "What is it?" Selection of the mascot was announced in 1992. However, a major challenge was presented, as implementation of its computer image into printed images, costumes, and merchandise had not yet been fully developed at this time.

• Initial reaction to WHATIZIT was not favorable among adults, but children were attracted to it. Their overwhelmingly positive reaction to the mascot confirmed ACOG`s belief that its audience was youth.

• ACOP Licensing began resarching the mascot`s appeal to children. As a result of studies from multiple focus groups, youth contests, and an animation studio, a number of adaptations were made to the mascot. For example, its name was changed to IZZY, and its appearance was altered to make it more adaptable to licensed products and animation.

• Designed by John Ryan

Atlanta 1996

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

Powder, Copper & Coal

• The mascots are indigenous animals of Utah, and are named after natural resources which have long been important to Utah's economy, survival, and culture. All three animals are major characters in the legends of local American Indians, and each mascot wears a charm around its neck with an original Anasazi or Fremont-style petroglyph to remind them of their heritage.

• Powder - A Snowshoe Hare, represents the Native American legend when the sun was too close to the earth and was burning it. The hare ran to the top of a mountain, and shot her arrow into the sun. This caused it to drop lower in the sky, cooling the earth. Powder is the only female of the trio, and represents Faster/Swifter from the Olympic motto.

• Copper - A Coyote, represents the Native American legend when the earth froze and turned dark, the coyote climbed to the highest mountaintop and stole a flame from the fire people. He returned and brought warmth and light to the people. Copper represents Higher from the Olympic motto.

• Coal - An American black bear, represents the Native American legend of a group of hunters who were never able to kill a mighty bear. Today the sons of these hunters still chase the bear across the night sky, as constellations. Coal represents Stronger from the Olympic motto.

• Designed by Steve Small, known for his work in Rugrats and Disney’s Hercules

Salt Lake City Winter 2002

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

Neve and Gliz

• They both represent the characteristics of the Winter Games, including "Snow and Ice". Neve ("Snow" in Italian) is a humanized female snowball that wears red and represents "softness, friendship and elegance." Gliz (a shortened form of Ghiaccio, "Ice" in Italian) is a humanized male ice cube who wears blue and represents "enthusiasm and joy."

• For the 2006 Winter Paralympic Games, TOROC subsequently requested Albuquerque for the creation of a new mascot along the creative lines of Neve and Gliz. He created "Aster", a stylized snow flake that is to convey the Paralympic ideals: the determination, passion and courage of the disabled athlete.

• Designed by Pedro Albuquerque

Turin Winter 2006

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

The Fuwa

• They were five personified dolls, called “Fuwa” in general, and respectively named “Beibei” (carp), “Jingjing” (panda), “Huanhuan” (Child of Fire), “Yingying” (Tibetanantelope), and “Nini” (swallow). Their names put together - “Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni” - literally reads “Beijing Welcomes You” in Chinese.

• The design inspiration and colour of Fuwa come from China’s vast landscape and beloved animals, as well as the Olympic rings. Their images are also associated with the elements of nature - sea, forest, fire, earth and sky, and are all stylistically rendered in representation of profound traditional influences of Chinese folk art. Each Fuwa symbolises a different blessing - prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck. Altogether, they carry the message of peace, friendship and good wishes for harmony between man and nature.

• Designed by Han Meilin

Beijing 2008

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

Miga, Quatchi, Sumi & Mukmuk

• The conception of the mascots were based on the local wildlife, as well as First Nations legends, mythologies and legendary creatures. During the design process, an early name for Quatchi was dismissed when the undisclosed word was found to have a rude connotation in another language.

• Miga - A mythical sea bear, part killer whale and part kermode bear living off the coast of Vancouver Island. She loves surfing in the summer, especially inTofino, and snowboard in the winter.

• Quatchi - A sasquatch. He comes from the mysterious forests of Canada, wears blue earmuffs, and dreams of being a hockey goalie. He loves to travel and learn about the regional dances and cuisines of every place he visits. He carries his camera around his neck wherever he goes. His name comes from "sasquatch", itself a word coined by J. W. Burns from the Halkomelem word sásq’ets (IPA: [ˈsæsq’əts]).

• Sumi - An animal guardian spirit with the wings of the Thunderbird and legs of an American black bear who wears a killer whale-like hat in an artistic style ofHaida people. He lives in the mountains of British Columbia and is a passionate environmentalist. His name comes from the Salish word "sumesh," meaning "guardian spirit." His favorite sport is alpine skiing in monoski.

• Mukmuk - A Vancouver Island marmot described as "small and friendly", Mukmuk acts as their "sidekick". He has a large appetite. His name comes from the Chinuk Wawa word "muckamuck," meaning "food" or "to eat". As of December 2008 he has joined the other mascots as a stuffed toy.

• Miga and Quatchi are mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics, while Sumi is the mascot for the 2010 Winter Paralympics.

• Designed by Meomi Design

• Meomi is a group of Vicki Wong, a Vancouver-born Canadian of Chinese descent and Michael Murphy who worked in design and motion graphics.

Vancouver Winter 2010

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12

Friday, December 14, 12