When you think ‘mascot,’ do you think of a sweaty guy in a character suit?

Or do you think of lovable brand characters like Hello Kitty, Tony the Tiger, or the Michelin Man?

Whatever your feelings on mascots, it turns out they are an EXTREMELY effective marketing tool. Only 4% of brands use them, but campaigns with mascots are 37% more likely to increase market share than those without them. If that doesn’t sound like untapped potential, I don’t know what does!

In today's newsletter:

• Are brand mascots going extinct? (spoiler alert—no, they aren’t! Here’s how you can create an effective mascot to humanise your brand)

• How Supreme went from NYC skate shop to $1.5B brand (steal the marketing strategy they used to create demand for their products that’s so high, they might as well be Eras Tour tickets)

• Trend plug - Get your thinking cap on

• Ask the Editor - What kind of social strategy should I use for a B2B niche solution?

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

Despite the majority being undeniably creepy (yes, I’m looking at you, Ronald), historically, mascots have helped many brands become icons. And the most successful mascots go on to be the face that defines that company for decades.

But let’s face it. Even the term ‘mascot’ feels kind of outdated.

I mean, I would be absolutely floored to see a giant Kool-Aid Man walking around at Cannes Lions. It just seems archaic, like the time for overheated, underpaid, weirdly silent people in costumes has come and gone.

But does that mean there’s no place for mascots in modern marketing?

Absolutely there is.

When you think about it, mascots are the OG brand influencers.

And when I say OG, I mean as original as you can get. The Michelin Man came to life in 1898, meaning he’s most likely older than your great-grandparents.

Mascots still move the marketing needle like almost nothing else. Only 4% of ads use them, but campaigns that include a mascot are 37% more likely to increase market share than those without.

While your brand tells the story, your mascot brings it to life. It adds personality and emotion to your marketing efforts. And it creates character-driven narratives that resonate on a deep level.

If you're thinking a mascot might work well for your brand, here's what you need to know…

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

How Supreme Went from NYC Skate Shop to $1.5B Brand

There’s skater cool, and then there’s Supreme cool.

Just ask any fashion or cultural enthusiast, and they’ll tell you Supreme is the heavyweight champion of streetwear. The original curator of cool.

The minimalistic red and white logo has icon-level status. And it has garnered a cult following since its conception as a small NYC skate store in 1994.

Now valued at an eye-watering $1.5B, Supreme has risen to insane levels of cultural significance. And that journey is a masterclass in calculated brand building.

It’s impossible to deny how influential Supreme is on both fashion and skate culture. From unheard of collaborations to record-breaking sell-out times, the brand continues to be one of the most sought after streetwear brands in the world.

So, how does a skate brand become so powerful?

Supreme has always been unapologetically authentic. They burst onto the scene with a brick and mortar in downtown Manhattan, and the store quickly became the home of New York City skate culture.

Sometimes the store would run into cash crunches and struggle to fill the shelves. The team started only ordering small quantities of stock out of fear of being stuck with merch they couldn’t move.

This gave birth to the scarcity model that many brands have since adopted.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - Get Your Thinking Cap On

One of the greatest cartoons of all time, Gravity Falls, has once again found itself trending on TikTok.

Originally, one creator put together a two-minute compilation of Gravity Falls clips. 

TikTokers have now gone crazy with one specific clip of the character, Dipper, speaking with his clone. In the clip, he comes up with this amazing idea then makes a sound symbolising their 'big brain moment'.

So people are using this trend to show themselves talking to themselves in the mirror, coming up with not-so-smart 'smart' ideas that help them overcome a problem. Some examples of their 'smart ideas'--'You can always just change your hair,’ or 'You can always just stay up as late as possible to keep tomorrow from coming longer.’

How to jump on this trend: 

Film yourself lip-syncing to this sound. As you say the words, tap your head like you've just had a super great idea about something. Then, use onscreen text to describe your 'great' solution to your problem.

A few ideas to get you started:

• You can always just leave everything until the last minute

• You can always just tell the intern to do it

• You can always just reschedule the meeting (again)

-Carter, Intern

Tune in to the YAP Podcast

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Ask the Editor

Q - What kind of social media content strategy should I be using for a niche, B2B solution, especially if I want to rank for search? - Michele

Hey Michele,

When you're thinking about creating content for a B2B solution, I would strongly suggest building a presence on LinkedIn. The platform is such a powerful tool, especially for B2B businesses. And a great way to do this is to get your team to start posting. The key here is you all aren't just talking about what you do as a business.

There should be some content around the solution you provide, but have your team also post about projects they're working on, things they're learning, team dynamics, etc. Each person in your team will create content that resonates with a different audience, so as they build their personal presence, your brand will become more well known, too.

As far as ranking your content for search, you'll need to identify what keywords you want to rank for based on what your target audience is going to search for. If you're on YouTube and want to rank on Google, use these in your video titles and descriptions (while keeping these sounding natural!!). Also, make sure you're using high-quality thumbnails that will make people want to watch your content.

For ranking on other platforms like TikTok or Instagram, keywords are still important. But you should mainly focus on creating content that's as useful to your audience as possible. Then, make sure to engage with people in the comments. This will not just help your reach, but will help you reach the right audience.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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