Let’s imagine you have a mascot that you absolutely adore. You love its shape, fur, and how perfectly the suit fits your performer. This mascot has a long history with your organization, and its iconic appearance is so well-loved that it is almost more recognizable than your logo. However, after many years, the mascot looks more like a dusty museum piece rather than a lively presence at your events. While you could send it out for cleaning and repairs, you know deep down that its days are numbered.
So, now you find yourself in a pickle. You need a new mascot, but you’re not ready to let go of the legacy your current mascot has built over the years. You want your new mascot to look identical to your old mascot, but also like it just stepped off the assembly line for the first time. If you find yourself in this situation, then mascot replication is the solution for you!
At Olympus Mascots, we frequently encounter scenarios like this. A client comes to us wanting a new mascot that resembles their old one, or they may want a second copy of an existing mascot for backup purposes. Both situations are common in the mascot world. Many people love the history and brand image their mascot has created and see no need to update that. Trust us, we get it. After all, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Unfortunately, mascots experience wear and tear like all material possessions. But there’s no reason for your customers, students, clients, or audience to notice that. That’s why we’ve spent the last five decades mastering the art of mascot replication.
Believe it or not, replicating a mascot is harder than designing one from scratch. Sadly, it’s not as easy as copying someone’s homework. There are numerous intricate details to memorize, measurements to triple-check, and various furs, patterns, and colors to accurately match. The process becomes quite the labor of love.
That’s why we wrote this blog. This blog aims to highlight the intricacies involved in mascot replication, so you can determine whether it’s the right choice for you. So, let’s dive into what makes mascot replication an art form!
Before we can begin the replication process, we need to learn everything about your mascot. The most important thing we need to know is if your mascot was created by Olympus Mascots (us) or another company. If we created your mascot, the replication process will be much smoother since we have an archive that includes fabric samples, photos, and patterns of every mascot we’ve ever created over the past 25 years.
Though the process is easier if we created the original mascot, rest assured, if we didn’t make your original mascot, we have all the tools and knowledge to replicate your mascot perfectly. It just might take a little bit more time.
Regardless of who made the original mascot, we need some initial information to get the process started. When one of our sales members first gets in contact with you, please be prepared to answer multiple questions and share lots of photos. The more information we have about your original mascot, the more accurate our work will be. Typically, our sales and production team requires photos of the front, back, sides, and interior of the mascot, including full-body pictures and close-ups of each component.
We don’t expect you to know every detail about your mascot, but the more you share, the more accurately we can define our scope of work.
Next, you will need to ship your mascot to our facility in Milwaukee, WI, where we will keep it for the duration of the replication process. Having the original mascot in-house allows us to take measurements, match colors, source appropriate fabrics, and give our sewers a pattern reference. If your mascot was made by another company, our production team will also ask if they can partially disassemble the mascot. This disassembly will help our sewers create new patterns that mimic the original design.
Here are some common questions that our sales team might ask:
Typically, the most complex and important part of the process is replicating the mascot’s head. To accomplish this, our production team will take a 3D scan of the head, then use the 3D measurements to create a mold. We’ll use this mold to create a brand-new mascot head for you that looks identical to the original. Psst… If you’re looking for more information on mascot head molds and materials, check out our other blog here.
Another essential aspect of mascot replication is color and material matching. Finding an exact fur match to your original mascot may vary, but with over 400 fabrics available in our facility and a wide range of fur suppliers, we can find several options that closely resemble your original. We will provide you with multiple fabric samples along with our recommendations. Ultimately though, what we use will be up to you!
If you’re looking to save time and money, we recommend using our in-house sewing patterns to create the mascot’s gloves, shoes, foam body pods or muscles. Our in-house patterns still provide a mascot with the same overall look and feel of your original but keep money in your pocket by decreasing production and labor time.
After lots of communication between your team and ours, along with our amazing production team’s hard work, we will have created a well-replicated mascot that represents your brand accurately. After your final approval, we’ll carefully pack your new mascot and send it your way. In addition, if you wish to keep your original mascot—whether as a reference, backup, or a nostalgic piece, we will happily return it to you!
In Summary
As you can see, mascot replication is a complex process that we only assign to our veteran mascot artists. A mascot replication typically requires an additional 20-30 hours of work compared to creating a mascot from scratch. Thankfully, we do replications several times a year, and with over 50 years in the mascot business, that’s a lot of experience. But don’t just take our word for it, check out the gallery below!
Need your mascot replicated? We can help you out!
Please click here or fill out the form below to speak with one of our mascot experts!
Balancing Mascot Design and Functionality
If you want your mascot to be active and to perform at its best, you will need to balance your design with the functionality of the costume. Consider the following design tips to maximize your costume’s performance.
Top Ten Mascot Tips – From Our Customers
Buying a custom mascot can be a slightly complex process that takes lots of time and attention to detail. To help you and your mascot out, read some of our expert tips from our own customers!
Are Mascot Accessories Right for You?
From outfits, to props, to travel necessities, there are many different types of accessories to choose from. Whether you want to clothe your mascot in a custom branded outfit or holiday outfit, or want your character to carry around fun props, you can take your mascot to the next level by ordering custom mascot accessories!
