On Brand Ep. 6: Character Building (for Characters)

What happens when you’re tasked with “making the Doughboy relevant again”? In this episode, Ethan and Laura unpack the Pillsbury challenge from On Brand, where contestants must introduce the classic mascot to a “new generation of bakers.” The duo dives deep into the science of brand mascots—what makes them memorable, how they evolve, and why some (like the Duolingo Owl) thrive by going full chaos while others play it too safe.They also explore how brand characters work as mental shortcuts in consumer brains, why over-sanitizing your mascot kills storytelling, and what happens when a brief asks for “everything, everywhere, all at once.”Main Topics Covered:The brand science of mascots: consistency, storytelling, and emotional cuesWhy old mascots can (and should) appeal to young audiencesThe risk and reward of killing—or reviving—your mascot (RIP Mr. Peanut)The importance of giving characters character—conflict, flaws, and stakesDuolingo Owl vs. Doughboy: chaos vs. comfortWhen briefs go rogue: the danger of asking for a “small activation” that’s secretly a global campaignThe perils of bad focus groups and why marketers shouldn’t count votes in a room of 10“New generation of bakers”—what that really means (and doesn’t)How “There’s Dough Place Like Home” rebrands nostalgia for modern audiencesPremium Stickiness Award: “There’s Dough Place Like Home.”Simple, nostalgic, and just clever enough to work. It’s not reinvention—it’s reinforcement. Proof that even 60-year-old mascots can stick if you give them a little story and a lot of heart.Tune in for a deep dive into brand mascots, modern marketing myths, and the fine art of keeping your brand fresh without throwing out what makes it lovable. Subscribe to Cover Brand wherever you get your podcasts—and keep following our On Brand mini-series for more reality TV, real lessons, and just the right amount of brand nerdiness.Descript used to create drafts and then edited with human eyes, ears and hands. Produced by BiCurean.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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