History Main / Mascot

** While The Pokémon Company operates separately from Nintendo, Pikachu is not too far behind Mario, being the face of the Pokémon franchise, appearing in every game of the series and nearly every episode of the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime. Pikachu also became [[http://soccerly.com/article/salvadorborboa/pikachu-named-japans-official-mascot-in-brazil-2014-world-cup Japan's Official Mascot for Brazil 2014 World Cup.]]

* Most video game companies use a character from one of their franchises as a mascot; Creator/{{Nintendo}} has [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]], Creator/{{SEGA}} has VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog, Creator/{{Capcom}} has [[Franchise/StreetFighter Ryu]], Creator/{{SNK}} has both [[VideoGame/FatalFury Terry Bogard]] and [[VideoGame/SamuraiShodown Nakoruru]], Creator/XboxGameStudios has [[VideoGame/{{Halo}} Master Chief]], etc.

** In Japan, Sega actually had a second mascot specifically for the [[UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn Saturn]]: Advertising/SegataSanshiro, a badass martial artist who would beat up people for not playing the Saturn. He eventually got his own video game, which was the last first-party game released for the Saturn.
*** Capcom and Sega's former mascots include '''Cap'''tain '''Com'''mando and Alex Kidd, respectively. ''[[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Mega Man]]'' used to be considered a mascot for Capcom due to being quite recognizable and appearing in almost all of their crossover games (but Ryu predates him by a few months), but he's been OutOfFocus ever since Keiji Inafune left. Though recently, Capcom has shifted some focus back to Mega Man, thanks in part to the release of ''Mega Man 11'' and the character's appearance ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''.
*** Konami tends to cycle through characters from several of their franchises, though out of all of them, [[VideoGame/MetalGear Solid Snake]] and [[Franchise/{{Castlevania}} Simon Belmont]] tend to be their two biggest and most notable picks. Though in the wake of Konami dissolving Hudson Soft, VideoGame/{{Bomberman}} has also risen to a similar rank.

** Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment's is ''VideoGame/PacMan'', with [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Heihachi]] trailing behind.

* Pikachu, appearing in nearly every episode of the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime, and [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue appearing]] [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver in]] [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire every]] [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl game]] [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite of]] [[VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2 the]] Pokémon series. Pikachu also became [[http://soccerly.com/article/salvadorborboa/pikachu-named-japans-official-mascot-in-brazil-2014-world-cup Japan's Official Mascot for Brazil 2014 World Cup.]]
** Let's take a survey: ask anyone off the street if 1) they play Pokemon & 2) if so, which Pokemon is their favorite. If the answer to #1 is "yes", see how many answer "Pikachu" to #2. The results may surprise you.

*** There was also Jarvis the Wizard who got replaced by Cookie Crook & Officer Crumb, and Jarvis even had one commercial ''alongside'' Cookie Crook so there is a linear progression from Jarvis to Cookie Crook & Officer Crumb to Chip the Dog to Chip the Wolf. That said Cookie Crisp seems to BrotherChuck their mascots on a regular basis.

* Small Midwestern college Missouri Western State University had, in the late 80s, a mascot that strongly resembled a golden aardvark. It was ''supposed'' to be a Griffon (the actual name of the sports teams), but the school had recently [[DorkAge changed their logo]] and the mascot was intended to suggest the new, inferior-in-every-possible-way version.

** [[WesternAnimation/OswaldTheLuckyRabbit Oswald]] used to be one for Walt, [[DorkAge but then....]]

* Creator/DreamworksAnimation's mascot is the Moon Child, a sillhouette of a young kid fishing on a cresent moon.

* ''Magazine/ShonenJump'' has the Jump Pirate, a black and white photo of a pirate that cuts off at his mustache.

* Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer has Leo, the lion in their IconicLogo. The current Leo (and the only one who was actually named that in RealLife) is the most recent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_the_Lion_(MGM) eight lions]] and has been in use since 1957. He also had [[WesternAnimation/TheLionhearts his own cartoon]] in the late '90s.

** The Crimson Ghost from the 1946 film of the same name has probably become better known for being Music/TheMisfits official mascot/IconicLogo.

* [[Creator/OsamuTezuka Tezuka Productions]] (formerly known as Creator/MushiProductions) has Manga/AstroBoy, Manga/KimbaTheWhiteLion, and Manga/{{Unico}} .

* In Japan, Pepsi had an IronButtmonkey mascot in form of '''[[Advertising/{{Pepsiman}} PEPSIMAAAAAANNNN]]!!!!'''

* In Japan, Pepsi had an IronButtmonkey mascot in form of '''PEPSI-MAAAAAANNNN!!!!'''

* Shamu (an orca whale) has been Ride/SeaWorld's mascot practically since its beginning.

* A&W has the Burger Family: Papa, Mama, Teen & Baby, later joined by Grandpa and Uncle. It’s kind of like burger for everybody. They also had the Great Root Bear, with his distinctive theme music.

* [[Creator/WaltDisney Disney]] has three: WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, [[WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}} Jiminy Cricket]], [[WesternAnimation/PeterPan Tinker Bell]].

* Mrs. Butterworth, formerly a borderline racist Southern Mammy, is now always presented as an animated humanoid syrup bottle. Parodied on ''[[WesternAnimation/CloneHigh Clone High]]'' with Racist Mammy Products.

*** Funny thing: The one time the rabbit actually tries to purchase trix legally, we get [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plmFkZHjt6Y this]].

** [[Advertising/SnapCrackleAndPop Snap, Crackle, and Pop]] for Rice Krispies.

** Bob, Quienno, and Wendell for Cinnamon Toast Crunch ([[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome Only Wendell was still around until even he was eventually replaced by the crazy squares in 2016.]]).

** And who can ever forget Count Chocula, Frankenberry, Boo Berry,and Fruit Brute from their [[Advertising/MonsterCereals namesake cereals]]?

* The creepy, silent [[Advertising/TheBurgerKing Burger King]], who shows up in the most random places ([[BedmateReveal like your bed]]) to give people BK food (Actually a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] of an earlier version of the King, who was played straight as a cheerful kids' mascot a la Ronald [=McDonald=]). He talked, too.

* In Japan, Pepsi had an IronButtMonkey mascot in form of '''PEPSI-MAAAAAANNNN!!!!'''

* Michelin tires are hawked by Bibendum, a strange white bulbous fellow who looks like a cross between the Mummy and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. Also, the company publishes a line of restaurant guides for travelers: http://www.michelintravel.com/michelin-guides/.

* Fast food chain Jack in the Box has Jack, a man with a clown-head who is both mascot and {{Kayfabe}} CEO of the company. Like the King, Jack is a subversion of an earlier mascot, a clown-head which stood atop the original Jack in the Box restaurant and which appeared on their drive-thru menus for many years. The ad campaign featuring Jack has run continuously since 1995, making it one of the longest-running in history.

*** Uga the bulldog at U of Georgia.
*** Tusk the pig at U of Arkansas.
*** Bevo the Texas longhorn at U of Texas.
*** Smokey the coonhound at U of Tennessee.
*** Jack the Bulldog at Georgetown U.
*** Peruna the pony at SMU.
*** Lions Leo and Una at U of North Alabama.

** ''Pro teams'' with mascots, however, were more or less unheard of until the Famous Chicken (as he's now known, presumably because he's no longer tied to San Diego and has become a freelance mascot...I think he appeared in a ''Gymboree'' tape I had as a toddler) came about.

* The ''Ride/SixFlags'' parks has the ''Franchise/LooneyTunes'', partically WesternAnimation/BugsBunny as the chain's mascots since the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mr. Six later became the second mascot for Six Flags beginning in 2004 and up till the mid 2010s.

* [[Creator/WaltDisney Disney]] has three: WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse , [[WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}} Jiminy Cricket]], [[WesternAnimation/PeterPan Tinker Bell]].

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw49uTsuUV8 The cute Koala mascot]] for a Japanese bite-sized cookie snack with a sweet filling "Koala's March" (Called Koala Yummies in the United States.

* [[Creator/WaltDisney Disney]] has two: WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse and [[WesternAnimation/PeterPan Tinker Bell]].