Comments on: Vancouver recruits Nintendo characters as mascots

By: Chad

Chad — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:22:09 +0000

I think the Vancouver mascots look like they were created by firms (they were a collaberation-yes, it took more than one) who turned the tv on for ten minutes and decided to boil down all of the Sponge Bob-Dora the Explorer-Nicktoons-wannabe anime crap to some very forgettable, soul-and flavor-less mulligan stew. Where’s the personality? Does character design have to be bland in order to be international? And to think people got paid to come up with these things. Even Atlanta’s “Izzy”, though a terrible idea for a mascot, had some personality to it.

As for the 2012 logo, I think the Olympics is just becoming a joke. That’s the laziest damned thing I’ve ever seen in commercial art.

Even though 1984’s Sam the eagle was created by a Disney studio employee, it showed grace, time, and effort in character design. Heidi and Howdy from 1988 were a little generic, but again, personality and effort were put into them. These new 2010 mascots have as much emotional output as a slug. Or maybe a slug with a hip tattoo and scarf. Could be the designers thought “how do we out-bland those ‘Friendlies’ from Beijing”?

By: Meg

Meg — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:45:37 +0000

The Sasquatch kind of looks like a kid-friendlier version of The Abominable Charles Christopher.

And I think the 2012 logo looks like an angry fox, with Flock of Seagulls hair, telling someone to “get the fuck out.”

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:55:50 +0000

I agree with the sasquatch love. The other two are a bit twee, though. I have to admit, the only other mascot I remember is Sam the Eagle from the ‘84 Olympics in L.A. But then again, I’m old.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:05:04 +0000

Oh god, I remember them now. I don’t remember feeling strongly about them one way or another, in fact, and I was a kid back then — nothing drove within me the urge to get excited about them. They were just the giant costumed people waving at the screen whenever the CBC had to do an establishing shot between events.

I think what bugs me about the Vancouver mascots is that they’re really, really obviously commercial. I mean, check this out:

“Miga is a young sea bear who lives in the ocean with her family pod, out past Vancouver Island near Tofino, British Columbia. Sea bears are part killer whale and part bear. Miga is part Kermode bear, a rare white bear that only lives in British Columbia.”

Sea bear? Half killer whale and half white bear? What the fuck?

On the other hand, I have to concede your point about the sasquatch. It is very hard to find anything wrong with sasquatches doing people things, like playing hockey or ski jumping or curling. Can you imagine the sasquatch on a luge? That’s comedy cold, right there. I’d have that sasquatch guy all over the place on the first day.

This just in: I really wish they’d just used the sasquatch, and not the two other fucking Pokemon things. That would have made my heart grow two whole sizes.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:52:27 +0000

People were so ready to hate the mascots right away. An informal poll on Global last night had about 80% giving the thumbs down… but come on. At least it’s not an anthropomorphic inukshuk. It’s a hockey-playing sasquatch! that’s cool!
Do you remember the cowboy bears from the 88 olympics?