There are two main material options when purchasing a custom mascot: a foam mascot or a “standard” mascot. A standard mascot consists of a head made of ABS plastic and a suit made from either fur or printed-on fabric. Standard mascots are more common than foam mascots, but not necessarily because one is better than the other. In fact, you’ve probably seen some famous foam mascots without even knowing it, like the Milwaukee Brewers Racing Sausages or the Pillsbury Doughboy! Ultimately, the material better used for your mascot will depend on your mascot’s design. Mascots that are more human-like that have a head, 2 arms, 2 legs and a torso look better as standard mascots. Whereas mascots that are shapes, objects, or products are typically better suited for foam.
Thankfully, the decision of standard vs. foam is something your mascot specialist will handle. One look at the design and a little conversation about what your movement expectations are will make the decision rather obvious for them. However, we still wanted to write this blog to give you the heads up on the pros and cons of using foam in your mascot, as we occasionally have clients that are dead-set one way or the other. So, without further ado, let’s start learning!
Lightweight
Foam is a very lightweight material, especially compared to a standard mascot that uses a ABS plastic head. Foam mascots will provide your performer with more comfort and won’t wear them down. Specifically, they are only about 2-6 pounds on the shoulders. Now, that’s a weight off your performer’s shoulders!
Photogenic
Get that camera ready! Foam mascots are typically on the larger side to accommodate their specific designs. If you want a mascot that holds a particular shape, like a baseball, an apple, or a giant backpack, then foam is the way to go. Foam can hold these particular shapes better but will be larger as a result. The nice thing about having a larger mascot is that it allows you to have more eye-catching details! Whether it be on the field, in the gym, or at an event, your foam mascot will always be ready for its close-up.
Great for Product Mascots and Racing Mascots
Put your foam mascot in the game! Famous racing mascots like the Mississippi State Racing Cowbells and the Cleveland Indians Racing Hot Dogs are all crafted from foam. A costume with a foam head is better for an active performer, especially if the performer will be tumbling.
From batteries to pancakes, foam can bring your products to life. Some foam product mascots include Energizer’s Battery Man mascot and Denny’s Grand Slam Breakfast mascots. Foam’s shaping abilities easily can create life-size replicas of your brand’s unique products.
Branding
With their photogenic qualities and large size, foam mascots are a great brand marketing tool. Corporate companies have found lots of success with their mascot marketing efforts. For more mascot marketing ideas, check out our blog on how to turn your brand mascot into a celebrity.
Duplication
Foam mascots are crafted differently than our standard mascots. With a standard mascot, we use an ABS plastic mold to create the head of the mascot. This allows us to replicate it exactly whenever needed and you don’t need to send in your original. With foam, the entire mascot is made entirely by hand. With foam being handcrafted, duplication is more challenging, and we can’t guarantee an exact replication (although our talented team comes pretty close). If duplication is a priority, then we recommend a standard mascot instead of foam.
Cleaning
With all mascots, your performer is going to sweat in the costume and it’s going to get gross pretty quickly. That’s why consistently cleaning your mascot is crucial and it’s even more necessary for foam. The foam material is porous so it’s going to hold sweat and odors a little big more than comparted to a standard mascot. To keep your mascot fresh, we recommend using a disinfectant spray—just be careful not to oversaturate, as that can cause the material to wear down faster. For detailed cleaning instructions, check out this blog. At the end of the day though, foam mascot or not, you will likely need some professional help in the future to give your mascot a full refresh. (and don’t worry, we can help with that too!)
Longevity
With regular use, foam mascots will naturally soften over time and may gradually lose some of their original shape—especially with frequent sweating and cleaning. Don’t worry, with proper care your custom foam mascot will still last you years of fun but will wear out a little bit quicker than a standard mascot. Regardless, mascots do need refurbishment and sometimes a replacement after a while. If you know that your mascot will be put to some serious work though, then you might want to consider a standard mascot to give you a few extra years.
Transportation
When creating your custom mascot, a good item to consider is how your mascot costume will be transported from Point A to Point B. How is your brand character traveling to your school or company’s various events and activities? Foam mascots are typically made oversized to create accurate shapes and to allow for big and animates features. Due to this though, they can take up more space than our standard ABS plastic heads, which means you may need to plan ahead for transportation. Typically, foam mascots don’t fit in the back of a car and sometimes they don’t always fit through doorways or walkways. With proper measuring and having alternate transportation prepared (like a bus or a truck) foam mascots can still travel. If you would like to avoid the extra logistics, especially if you plan to travel regularly, then a standard mascot might provide you with more ease.
From branding to cleaning, there are various pros and cons associated with foam mascots. It is important to evaluate your brand’s unique needs when choosing the material for your costume. Olympus Mascots will work with you to construct the perfect custom mascot for your school, company, or business!
Need a foam or standard mascot? We can help you out!
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