RED PHANATIC...YOUR CHANCE FOR A SIGHTING!!!

That's right - it is time for the Phillies "PAINT THE TOWN RED" campaign before opening day....and the city of Philadelphia gets a chance to see one of the most seclusive and endangered mascots ever created.....THE RED PHANATIC.....good luck trying to spot him around town....here is his schedule!!

http://mlb.mlb.com/phi/fan_forum/pttr_week.jsp

MASCOTS AND WALL STREET JOURNAL?!

Knights, Pirates, Trees Flock to Facebook

Mascots and Other Embodiments of Corporations Make a Comeback in Order to Tweet and Interact

By SUZANNE VRANICA

A new marketing campaign for StubHub, the ticket-resale website, stars a 25-foot-high animatronic talking tree with tickets as leaves. In commercials, the tree, known as the "Ticket Oak," lives in a suburban backyard and doles out tickets to neighbors.

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StubHub

StubHub's Ticket Oak, whose leaves are event tickets

It is quite a departure from StubHub's last ad campaign, which showed people dreaming about getting a ticket to a concert or a big game. But with the Ticket Oak character, StubHub hopes to make a splash on Facebook and other media.
StubHub, a unit of eBay Inc., EBAY -0.54%is just one of a number of marketers that have turned to characters—both live action and animated—to help sell their products in the past year. Hormel Foods Corp. HRL +0.03%now has a little cartoon knight named Sir Can A-Lot. Diageo DEO -0.64%PLC launched an ad campaign for its Captain Morgan rum last May that starred a live-action Captain character. It is the first time the character has appeared in TV ads, although the rum's label has long included a drawing of the pirate.

Progressive Corp.

Progressive's Flo chats up insurance shoppers.

Ad executives say consumers on Facebook are more likely to bond with a character than the traditional company page on the social-media website.
"Consumers are less likely to have a conversation with a logo or a PR guy on social media," said Jeff Charney, chief marketing officer for auto insurer Progressive Corp. PGR +0.13%Since 2008, Progressive's TV ads have centered on a perky sales clerk named Flo, who touts the insurer's rates. She now has 3.5 million fans on Facebook, where she posts comments about new Progressive products.
Characters also offer a softer way to sell a product, which is important on social media where executives fear that blatant selling or promotion can turn people off.
"You can put fairly bald product benefits into the mouth of a mascot and it doesn't come off as hard sell," said Parker Channon, partner at Duncan/Channon, a San Francisco ad firm that crafted the StubHub pitch.
The use of characters to personify corporate brands first became popular in the 1950s, when companies such as Kellogg Co. K +0.59%and Maytag introduced figures such as Tony the Tiger and the Maytag Repairman into their ads.

Kraft Foods

Mel, MilkBite's talking granola bar

Over the past decade the approach fell out of favor, particularly with younger creative executives who were eager to push ad strategies they considered more sophisticated. While it never disappeared altogether, the need to find ways to engage with consumers on Facebook or Twitter has given the concept a new impetus.
Kraft Foods Inc. KFT -0.40%recently began an ad push, crafted by ad firm Droga5, for MilkBite centered on Mel, a talking granola bar. The product's website is Mel's Facebook page where the mascot deals with his identity crisis: Unlike other granola bars, he is made partly of milk. In between, Mel reminds consumers to pick up some MilkBites.
Companies that have had success using ad characters including Geico Corp. with its popular talking Gecko and Procter & Gamble Co., PG -0.24%which saw sales of Old Spice body wash jump when the brand began featuring a comically loquacious, shirtless manly man. The character, played by Isaiah Mustafa, became wildly popular on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Progressive says it has had year after year increases in policies sold since the Flo campaign started in 2008. Several months ago, the insurer introduced a new character, "the Messenger," meant to portray the typical insurance customer. The Messenger so far has accumulated about 14,600 fans on Facebook, where he posts about ways to save money.

Aflac Inc.

Aflac's quacking duck

Maintaining a character often requires hiring staffers dedicated to keeping the mascot relevant. For Captain Morgan, Diageo has a team of eight people at its New York ad firm, Anomaly, who devise the pirate's daily chatter topics on Facebook.
The agency hired a 26-year-old man, who has a background in comedy, to be the official voice of the Captain. He spouts off drink recipes; shares photos of the Captain at parties; and offers up weekend partying tips.
StubHub said it doesn't have a marketing budget to create a Twitter account for Ticket Oak so for now it is creating only a Facebook page for the character. "We are still looking at Twitter but it's a 24/7 medium that needs dedicated resources," says Michael Lattig, StubHub's head of brand.
Some older characters are learning new Internet tricks. Aflac Inc.'s AFL -0.74%well-known duck has been around for 12 years, but two years ago the duck got a Facebook page and started tweeting. The duck has 313,500 fans on Facebook and 14,537 followers on Twitter.
Even some aging mascots are getting a new lease on life, thanks to Facebook. Last year, P&G launched a Facebook page for Mr. Clean, a brand icon created in 1957. The muscular, tanned, bald character, who has long appeared in ads, has amassed almost 280,000 Facebook fans.

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Procter & Gamble Co.

Mr. Clean was created in 1957.

"Our strategy has been not to put things like coupons and promotions" on Facebook, said Mark Renshaw, chief innovation officer at Leo Burnett, the Chicago ad firm that helped put Mr. Clean on the social-networking site. Burnett, a unit of Publicis Groupe SA, PUB.FR -0.62%has created many of most well-know ad icons including the Tony the Tiger, Jolly Green Giant and the Pillsbury Doughboy.
A recent post from Mr. Clean said: "It is the first day of spring, which means Spring Cleaning is just around the corner. Personally, I think Spring Cleaning should be a national holiday. Who's with me?" The post drew 72 comments and 774 "likes."

2012 NCAA FINAL FOUR MASCOTS!!!

Ok, so in honor of the 2012 Final Four game this weekend, see schedule below, I thought we should take a moment to check in on the mascots which will be busy cheering on their teams to the Championship!! Also, who do you think would win in the match up of mascots...

03/31	Kentucky	vs			Louisville	‎-6:09 PM (ET)
03/31	Kansas	vs			Ohio State	‎-8:49 PM (ET)

KENTUCKY

Wildcat Mascot - Scratch

The Wildcat mascot "Scratch" (in the left photo) originated during the 1976-77 academic year at UK. A few years later, he was joined by another Cat ("Blue" - the right photo) - walking on stilts - who made his appearance during UK's twin tower era of Melvin Turpin and Sam Bowie. Even today, the original mascot Blue is joined by Scratch, who's a more child-friendly mascot and serves as the host of UK's official Kids Club.
Today, both mascots attend each football and basketball game, several academic functions and generally serve as friendly ambassadors for the University.

VS.

LOUISVILLE

Cardinal Bird


The University of Louisville's mascot is a Cardinal. His official name is Cardinal Bird, but he is affectionately known to students as The "Bird." The Cardinal is the state bird of Kentucky, which gives the team statewide identification, and a sense of state pride. The Cardinal also provided the inspiration for the school's colors of red and black. The mascot is a rowdy presence at games, once even parachuting into the football stadium to make his entrance.

MATCH UP OUTCOME - I would have to take Scratch in this fight, although Bird's beak looks kind of scary!


KANSAS

BIG JAY (jersey #1) AND BABY JAY (Jersey # 1/2)!!



The origin of the Jayhawk is rooted in the historic struggles of Kansas settlers. The term "Jayhawk" was probably coined around 1848. Accounts of its use appeared from Illinois to Texas and in that year, a party of pioneers crossing what is now Nebraska, called themselves "The Jayhawkers of '49". The name combines two birds--the blue jay, a noisy, quarrelsome thing known to rob other nests, and the sparrow hawk, a quiet, stealthy hunter. The message here: Don't turn your back on this bird. How do you draw a Jayhawk? For years, that question stumped fans. Henry Maloy, a cartoonist for the student newspaper, drew a memorable version of the Jayhawk in 1912. He gave it shoes. Why? For kicking opponents, of course.
In the 1960s, the Jayhawk went 3-D when the KU Alumni Association provided a mascot costume. Welcome, Big Jay. In 1971, during half-time of Homecoming, a huge egg was hauled out to the 50-yard line, and fans witnessed the hatching of Big Jay's companion, Baby Jay.

if you are bored, you should check out Big Jay and Baby Jay's awesome website!!
http://www.kumascots.com/

VS.

OHIO STATE
Brutus Buckeye

Brutus Buckeye is the athletics mascot of The Ohio State University. Brutus is a student dressed in Buckeye colors with a headpiece resembling an Ohio Buckeye nut. Brutus has appeared since 1965, with periodic updates to design and wardrobe. As a member of the cheerleading team, Brutus Buckeye travels to many events around The Ohio State University and often makes appearances around Columbus.  Hmm....got me thinking, what is a buckeye Nut?? Well, the amazon.com product description cleared everything up....who knew amazon.com would teach us about mascots too???

Buckeye Nuts - Quarter Size - Twenty-Five Nuts

• Product Description
• These rich brown buckeye nuts have been thoroughly dried and are ready for use. They are clean and smooth with no cracks, squirrel bites or mold. Buckeyes can be made into necklaces and other jewelry items to show your support for Ohio State University. They can be used for crafts, party favors, wedding table centerpieces, holiday garlands and more. This listing is for twenty-five buckeye nuts that are quarter size or larger. The buckeye nut has a rich, mellow, warm-brown shell highlighted by a beige eye. They resemble the eye of a deer and get their name from the Indian word hetuck which means eye-of-a-buck. Ohio is known as the Buckeye State, the buckeye is the official state tree and Ohio residents are commonly known as Buckeyes. Folklore says that buckeyes bring good luck and prevent rheumatism, arthritis and headache. Many OSU fans wear buckeye jewelry to bring their team good luck. The buckeye is a relatively new symbol at OSU. During the 1920s the buckeye gradually assumed an unofficial role as a school symbol. The buckeye's five-fingered leaflets, along with the nut were adopted by the University as its official symbol in 1950. Today this stylized buckeye emblem assumes a prominent place at the base of the University's seal. The first buckeye leaf decals appeared on the helmets of the 1967 OSU football team and are still awarded to players today for execution of an exceptional play. In 1965 the Buckeye was named Ohio State's mascot by the OSU athletic council. The buckeye mascot was later named Brutus Buckeye in an all-campus naming contest. The Ohio buckeye was popularly accepted as the State's symbol during the late 1800s but was not formally adopted by the Ohio legislature as the State Tree until 1953 on Ohio's 150th anniversary of statehood. Buckeye's are poisonous and should not be eaten; they are for craft and decorative purposes only.

MATCH UP OUTCOME - no question that the Jays would crack the nut :)

What do you think, are my predictions correct based on the mascots, who will win the games this weekend??

Trivia Answer....

Hope you had some fun guessing the answers to Friday's trivia question....
Name the only four major league baseball teams that do not have an official mascot....and the answers are....







Some guesses that were wrong...


white sox have South Paw


Giants have mascot - Lou Seal

Some mascot fun from my recent trip to Miami!!

Just hanging out with Billy The Marlin in Miami...he didn't like that I was a Phillies fan!  Good thing I didn't tell him that the colors of his outfit are hideous! :)

     
 


Also, while in Miami visiting the campus of the University of Miami, I learned what an ibis was....since Sebastian the Ibis is the mascot for the Hurricaines...
    
The ibis was chosen as Miami's unofficial mascot in 1926 when the school's yearbook chose its name to be "The Ibis."^[1]

"Miami adopted a native marsh bird called the Ibis as the official mascot in 1926. The Ibis is known for its bravery as a hurricane approaches. Folklore maintains that other birds look to the Ibis for leadership. The Ibis uses its instinct to detect danger. It is the last sign of wildlife to take shelter before a hurricane hits, giving warning that danger is imminent. As the storm passes the Ibis is the first to reappear, a sign that clear skies are approaching."^[1][2]

The first official mascot for the Miami Hurricanes was a 65-pound brown and white boxer named Hurricane I. Chosen in 1950, the canine wore a ceremonial orange and green blanket with his name lettered in white.^[3]
Sebastian was created in August 1957 and was used as a homecoming competition entry. The next year, student John Stormont performed at Hurricanes football games dressed up in a makeshift ibis costume.The current costume dates from the 1980s.^[1]

The mascot was named after the San Sebastian building, which became a University dormitory in 1939. The building, now an apartment building, still stands at the intersection of LeJeune Road and University Drive in Coral Gables.

From 1984 through 1992, Sebastian was portrayed by John Routh, who also portrayed The Miami Maniac at baseball games, and later Billy the Marlin for the Florida Marlins. Routh created what is now Sebastian's signature: the C-A-N-E-S cheer, where Sebastian forms the letters with his body.^[4]
Sebastian typically leads the University of Miami football team as it enters the field.

MASCOT TRIVIA!!!

Name the only four major league baseball teams that do not have an official mascot.  Answer will be posted later tonight!  Happy Friday :)