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London 2012 Mascot Design Contest


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Well, I literally and loudly groaned when I saw the first pic, the hideous guys in suits one. It was my worst fears realised. I actually googled up a pic of Kang and Kudos and was gonna post it with a Teletubbie. Soon became clear I was beaten to that. But they were true set of bastard love children. Izzy was starting to look good.

But ...

I gotta admit, as I went through this thread, saw the animation clip posted, and then the pics of the critters in chrome and the figurines and all, I did a 180 degree turnaround. Talk about growers. Yeah, costume versions rarely work well - not even Disney characters retain their charms when they're in suits striding through the Magic Kingdom. But the more I saw of the animations and the figurines the more I could see quirky and cute and oh-so-Brit. I still think the mono-eyes might be a bit frightening for the very very young, but I could see them really catching on with the school-agers.

I'm really quite surprised. My initial reaction was to give them a big fail, but instead I think these could be quite inspired and end up amongst the most popular of the mascot pantheon.

I still think the unsurpassed high point was one of the arliest, though. Mischa.

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You know, I don't care for them, but I can be honest and admit I'm beyond the age the mascot is targeted for anyway. So more power to them if it works.

But I can't help but be confused by the love given what I usually hear about mascots. I have heard so many people rip (and still rip) Izzy at Atlanta 96 for being too amorphous and unfocused. And then we have two mascots who, in all honesty, is every bit as 'what is that' as Izzy was, and only seem to include the Olympics itself in a throw away (the friendship bracelets), and are getting a pass for all of that. So, what's the element that makes this work any better?

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I can see them working really well as vinyl toys like the kidrobot stuff, that opens up an older market too

Completely agree - those versions could really become collectors items and seemingly have more potential than a cuddly toy. Release smaller versions in the various outfits and you really do open up a collectors market for people trying to get the set - though they have to get it just right so whilst they're not too exclusive, they don't flood the market with them either making it difficult to get the whole set.

This is worth a look from the agency that created them

http://www.irisnation.com/thework/olympic_mascots_case.php

Those sports animations are just what I was talking about - we'll probably get the 2D official pictograms on the TV graphics, but incorporating these into them would bring them to life and ensure that unlike most games, the mascots are actually noticed.

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I'm still waiting for the logo to grow on me - but I still dislike it today as much as I did 3 years ago.sad.gif

the funny thing is, it did grow on me... but not to the extent that I can say I love it. hopefully with the countdown already started, the logo can come to life, and bring the mascots along with it. this is the hope :) i remain hopeful ;p

not the eternal pessimist as some would like to believe.

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the funny thing is, it did grow on me... but not to the extent that I can say I love it. hopefully with the countdown already started, the logo can come to life, and bring the mascots along with it. this is the hope smile.gif i remain hopeful ;p

not the eternal pessimist as some would like to believe.

I wish someone had pointed out that it resembles Lisa Simpson giving head at the design stage - then it would never have been commissioned.

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I just saw the pic of the mascots. Just a big, loud WTF came out of my mouth.

London outdid themselves. Those are the ugliest mascots in the history of the games. I'll say it again... WTF!?!? :blink::blink::blink:

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LOLL...the Canadian and Vancouver media, blogs, and forums are having a field day on this one for revenge after all the bad Vancouver 2010 press the Brits gave us.

The costume designs are most certainly better than the naked ones (god awful, and the animation was just pitiful), but they still look a little weird to me.

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LOLL...the Canadian and Vancouver media, blogs, and forums are having a field day on this one for revenge after all the bad Vancouver 2010 press the Brits gave us.

The costume designs are most certainly better than the naked ones (god awful, and the animation was just pitiful), but they still look a little weird to me.

Here's the article from the Vancouver Sun, featuring reactions on Twitter:

Vancouver Sun: Reaction to London's 2012 mascots on Twitter

Haha, this one's great:

@amylouise82 Can't just be me who thinks the #london2012 olympic mascots resemble bizarre sex toys? aimed at kids they say? should bloody hope not!!

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But I can't help but be confused by the love given what I usually hear about mascots. I have heard so many people rip (and still rip) Izzy at Atlanta 96 for being too amorphous and unfocused. And then we have two mascots who, in all honesty, is every bit as 'what is that' as Izzy was, and only seem to include the Olympics itself in a throw away (the friendship bracelets), and are getting a pass for all of that. So, what's the element that makes this work any better?

I'd better not hear any Londoner criticize Izzy's design after this. :P

It's the big eye that's weird, I think. And those claw hands . . . ugh. Those little thumbnails are cute, though.

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I know where the inspiration for the mascots came from, someone send some royalties to Andy Samberg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Es6kbzcUA8

The image was flipped so Youtube wouldn't delete it.

*yelling at Michael Phelps* "You're in the mother f$@*#$! Space Olympics!"

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/\ Cool...in that u were able to flip the image. But how come the audio isn't in reverse either? :lol:

I didn't flip it or post it to Youtube. I just found it on Youtube that way.

But yeah, these mascots have "Space Olympics" written all over them.

*singing* "Space Disc: is totally cancelled! Space Swords: is totally cancelled! Space Luge: is also cancelled! And all other events are pending!" :lol:

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They are very "Izzy"-like indeed, but without Izzy's cheap cartoonesque look and annoying grin, they have a less corny quality. The video was quite cute but I think the two mascots will only be appealing to children as an animated cartoon, but not as statue and especially not as cuddly toy.

And I find it quite ironic that Britain, a country with strong video surveillance of public places, invents Olympic and Paralympic mascots whose eyes are cameras with which the mascots can record everything. In that regard, especially that mascot statue wearing a bobby uniform has something eerie about it.

So all in all: They aren't as repulsive as the logo, but they aren't heartwarming either. I hope that, just like so many Olympic mascots before them, they will hardly be noticeable during the 2012 Games. It's because those mascot suits are hideous beyond description.

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So all in all: They aren't as repulsive as the logo, but they aren't heartwarming either.

Exactly, they aren't heartwarming. In the introductory cartoon, their silver appearance makes them look like child-friendly versions of Robert Patrick's liquid-metal T-1000 from Terminator 2.

Here's hoping Rio comes up with something better.

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And not when a guy you grew up with died trying to save others.

And not when your brother very nearly got splattered doing the same thing.

And not when millions of people were victims of a genocide that has decimated your community.

Short version: whether you're stoopid or mean=spirited is really besides the point. By the time you put that "collection" together common sense should've kicked in.

not when one of your american cousins died in the WTC

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To be fair....when the Vancouver mascots were launched the reaction was as negative as positive--especially online. Like most things related to the Games, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone today who'd cop to that now. In person, at least.

But the reaction they got in-person was uniformly amazing: kids love 'em!

First reaction for London is: WTF. But I'll give them a few more goes over the coming days. They are, perhaps, the first dishwasher safe mascots though.

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