|
Mascot Mania
Characters help with FEC branding
by Mike Bederka
ALWAYS CUTE AND OFTEN CUDDLY, mascots serve as an important branding tool for family entertainment centers, experts say. The colorful characters make for excellent photo opportunities with guests and can appear on anything from rides to menus to signage.
FUNWORLD explores three approaches that FECs take with their mascots.
Slugger and Bogey
Fiesta Village Family Fun Park in Colton, California, started with Slugger six years ago, says Owner Michelle Kapuscinski. Named in honor of the facility’s batting cages, the tiger soon gained a friend; in 2004, they brought abroad Bogey, a miniature- golf-loving dog. “We could be at two places at the same time,” Kapuscinski says of the addition. “The synergy with two mascots is great.” Fiesta Village actually has a pair of costumes for each mascot.
“We take them out to any opportunity we can: grand openings, carnivals, festivals, and lots of school events,” she notes.
Before the mascots, they had a hard time reaching the schools. Just making calls to teachers didn’t cut it. Then, she had the idea to bring Slugger and Bogey to read with the students.
“Once the schools saw we were taking part in active learning with the kids, it opened the door for other things,” she says. “They really partnered with us and brought us their events.”
 In-house, the duo has a strong presence as well. Eight-foot replicas stand on top of one building; different party rooms and rides are themed after them (Slugger’s Dugout, Bogey’s Bounce House); and, of course, they always pose for pictures. “Our mascots are our walking, interactive billboard,” Kapuscinski says. “They’re so much more effective than giving someone a brochure. The kids can identify with them. They can hug them. … The mascots are the most effective grassroots marketing tool we’ve found.”
Bullwinkle
Recently, Wilsonville Family Fun Center and Bullwinkle’s Restaurant really let the moose loose in Wilsonville, Oregon.
Bullwinkle had his own animated character show in the dining room for years, but now they also use him as a walkaround character, explains Darren Harmon, general manager.
“We felt it was a key piece to entertain families,” he says. “We wanted to make it more of a reason for them to come in and enjoy themselves.”
In a typical day, Bullwinkle will go around the restaurant and say “hello” to all the birthday kids. He’ll then move out into the park, walking by the gokarts, golf course, and other attractions. All along the way, he stops for photos, does a little dance—“the whole bit,” Harmon says.
He believes the secret to a successful mascot campaign is to fully commit to the idea. Bull-winkle appears on the menus, and he’s part of every advertisement they do.
Wilsonville also has two staffers dedicated to play the character. They each earn an extra $.50 an hour. “It’s a premium job,” Harmon stresses. “We don’t just take the prize counter attendants and put them in the costume.”
Ted Token
 Unlike the mascots described above, Ted Token is purely two-dimensional. He lives in cartoon form only, says Linda Fernandez, president of Fun Factory Inc., which has 22 locations across Hawaii and the continental United States.
The facility used to have Henry the Janitor, a “real” human mascot. However, when he moved on, management took a different path. “If the personality leaves, you just can’t find a new one,” she says with a laugh. “We decided to go to an animated character that wasn’t going to leave.”
Ted started to appear in commercials about a decade ago. (To see some of the latest ones, visit http://bigdtv.com/ff.)
In the spots, the coin character does everything from promoting the facility’s token card to specials for recent graduates. Some commercials appear in episodic form, which remains popular with guests, Fernandez says. “People want to know what happens next.”
Fun Factory also features Ted all over its web site, and he appears on televisions throughout the venue to greet customers.
Kids—especially the 10 and under set—have a strong connection with the mascot, she says. “He’s a person (to them). He’s their friend.”
FUNWORLD Contributing Editor Mike Bederka can be reached at mbederka@IAAPA.org.
Five Tips for Mascots
1 . Watch out. Mascot escorts can warm up younger children if they seem a little afraid of the mascot, says Michelle Kapuscinski, of Fiesta Village Family Fun Park. They also can keep an eye out if older guests want to get a little rough with the character.
2. Be animated. It takes a special personality to be a first-class mascot, says Darren Harmon, from Wilsonville Family Fun Center and Bullwinkle’s Restaurant. Look for outgoing employees who use their hands when they talk and have good movement.
3. Theme it. Slugger and Bogey don’t always stay in their standard garb. Kapuscinski will accent the costumes for special events. For example, they may wear grass skirts for a company picnic luau.
4. Smile for the camera. Put the name of the facility on the front and the back of the costume, Kapuscinski says. This helps to identify the FEC in pictures taken by guests.
5. Check the books. Not everyone needs to feature a mascot, says Linda Fernandez, of Fun Factory. Smaller mom-and-pop facilities may not have the funds to buy a costume and keep up with paying employees to fill the suit. |
|
