The Case For Brand Mascots (Episode 026 - The Marketing Gateway Podcast)

Remember Flo from Progressive? She’s not just a face; she’s a marketing genius! In our latest podcast, we explore how mascots like Flo and the Aflac Duck have skyrocketed brand awareness and success. They’re fun, memorable, and can capture your audience's attention like nothing else! Who do you think is the most effective mascot? SOURCES: Mascots by Jeff Marzick https://www.theculturecrush.com/feature/mascots Handsome Dan: A 130-year-old legacy https://news.yale.edu/2019/07/03/handsome-dan-130-year-old-legacy How A Little Girl Grew Up To Be An Icon https://www.mortonsalt.com/heritage-era/how-a-little-girl-grew-up-to-be-an-icon/ Gorton’s: Our story is forever tied to the sea https://www.gortons.com/our-story/ The pure and honest Quaker Oats guy: a biography https://triviahappy.com/articles/the-pure-and-honest-quaker-oats-guy-a-biography How a park bench meeting led to Aflac’s $200 million mascot idea https://fortune.com/2025/12/01/aflac-park-bench-meeting-led-to-200-million-mascot-idea/ Tom & Eric 911 on the creation of the Aflac Duck https://www.tomanderic911.com/new-page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jmC8Uy_Q3s ---------------------------------------- The Marketing Gateway is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean in St. Louis (Sean J. Jordan, President of https://www.researchplan.com/) and featuring guests from the St. Louis area and beyond. Every week, Sean shares insights about the world of marketing and speaks to people who are working in various marketing roles - creative agencies, brand managers, MarCom professionals, PR pros, business owners, academics, entrepreneurs, researchers and more! The goal of The Marketing Gateway is simple - we want to build a connection between all of our marketing mentors in the Midwest and learn from one another! And the best way to learn is to listen. And the next best way is to share! For more episodes: https://www.themarketinggateway.com Copyright 2025, The Research & Planning Group, Inc.