Contributed Post

Over the years, social media marketing has become one of the largest advertising markets in the world. Marketing expert Heidi Cohen reports that over 90% of Inc. 500 companies use at least one form of social media platform. Even more telling, 62% of those say that social media is at least somewhat necessary to their growth.

The growing trend towards social media and the sheer depth of communication it allows between brands and consumers hasn’t escaped the eye of the online gaming industry. Numerous bingo sites have tried to leverage the power of social media, but only a few have survived to this day. Cashcade’s Foxy Bingo is one such brand creating marketing that “goes beyond just a sales pitch”.

One big reason for the company’s longevity is brand mascot Foxy, who the BBC’s Duncan Walker describes as “the suave, purple-suited fox who leads a bus full of women on a big day out in Foxy Bingo's television adverts.” Foxy has become part and parcel of the company’s advertising push, appearing on the company’s official website, TV and print ads, and the Foxy Bingo Twitter feed.

In today’s social media marketing landscape, the age-old idea of a brand mascot is once again becoming more and more relevant. Celebrity endorsers may generate buzz, but only a small portion of the shares and tweets about them will have anything to do with the brands they endorse.

Mascots and characters, on the other hand, are inextricably tied to their brands. You can’t talk about the Pillsbury Doughboy without talking about the Pillsbury Company itself. Similarly, you can’t mention Foxy without talking about Foxy Bingo. Sharing a link, post, or tweet about the mascot means sharing a link, post, or tweet about the entire brand.

Of course, as with any marketing endeavour, careful thought must be put into how to use a brand character to best bring a message across. It’s important to make sure that you get your mascot out there, but using them in overly overt advertising content may backfire. On the flip side, they work great for bringing a fresh and exciting new flavour to otherwise boring content.

Creating a constant and positive connection with your customers is perhaps the most important aspect of social media marketing. Using a smart and well-designed brand character will make it just a wee bit easier.

Have you thought of using a brand character as part of your marketing efforts?