Brand Mascots in B2B Tech

The Original Gangster in Tech Brand Mascots → Clippy 😎

Can mascots actually work in a tech brand? 👇

Remember Clippy? 📎 The paperclip mascot from Microsoft Office in the 90s.

Clippy was cheerful and well-intended, but often more frustrating than helpful, popping up with irrelevant tips. Clippy might have been too early, too generic—but there's still room for mascots in the tech space today.

A few brands are nailing it...

𝗗𝘂𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼 - 𝗗𝘂𝗼 🦉 (𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲)

• Friendly Reminders: Duo’s notifications feel more like a nudge from a friend than a pushy reminder, often delivered with a dash of humor.
• Engagement Booster: Gamifying language learning keeps users motivated and coming back—trust me, I know from experience! 😉

Salesforce

𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗛𝘂𝗯 - 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁 🐙 (𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆)

• Developer Icon: Octocat has become an icon in the developer world, embodying GitHub’s playful spirit and fostering community.
• Merchandise & Culture: Beyond the platform, Octocat has taken on a life of its own with merch and events, amplifying GitHub's presence in the developer culture. It's all about community!

𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗽 - 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 🐵 (𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆)

• Approachable Differentiation: Freddie gives Mailchimp a unique, fun personality that makes email marketing less intimidating, helping the platform stand out.
• Brand Collectability: Believe it or not, people flock to Mailchimp booths at conferences just to grab a limited-edition Freddie figurine. It’s a thing! 🤓

Geico

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵?

Mascots might not be for every brand, but for those that embrace them, they offer a powerful advantage:

1. Humanize the Brand
2. Drive Engagement
3. Build Brand Loyalty

When done right, a mascot is more than just an assistant—it’s a brand ambassador, community builder, and engagement driver.