Move over Duolingo, there’s a new brand mascot in town
(Image credit: Crocs) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter After the social media rampage of Duolingo's crazed owl, I was suffering some serious…
(Image credit: Crocs) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter After the social media rampage of Duolingo's crazed owl, I was suffering some serious brand mascot fatigue. His threatening persona and omniscient presence were enough to put me off for good, until I met Niles, the new face of the rubbery, holey shoe brand, Crocs.With the recent popularity of Apple's Lil' Finder Guy, it feels like brand mascots are back in a big way, moving from the tired internet meme trope to something more wholesome. While Niles has only just hatched, I can see him quickly becoming my favourite of the brand mascot bunch.A post shared by Crocs Shoes (@crocs)A photo posted by on Taking to socials, Crocs gave a cryptic teaser for its new arrival, posting a mysterious video of an XL egg, sparking a slew of fan theories. What could it mean? Perhaps a new brand collaboration? A shoe debut? Little did they know, 24 hours later, Niles the 6ft anthropomorphic crocodile would emerge.Latest Videos FromCreative BloqWatch full video here: If you're a Crocs veteran, you might think you recognise this cutesy crocodilian – and you'd be right. Since 2002, each pair of Crocs has featured a dinky lil croc on the shoe's rivet, hidden in plain sight for all these years. As Crocs looks towards its 25th birthday next year, the birth of Niles marks its move towards a more character-driven brand.A post shared by Crocs Shoes (@crocs)A photo posted by on "For Crocs, Niles represents a long-term strategy in storytelling meant to deepen the emotional connection with consumers in ways that extend beyond any single product launch, campaign or collaboration. Niles is more than a mascot – he is a character with his own personality, voice, perspective and ambitions," says Terence Reilly, chief brand officer at Crocs.A post shared by Niles (@nilesthecroc)A photo posted by on For more branding inspiration, take a look at Wikipedia's adorable mascot for its 25th anniversary or check out why a mascot isn't enough to survive in today's branding world.Get the Creative Bloq NewsletterSign up to Creative Bloq's daily newsletter, which brings you the latest news and inspiration from the worlds of art, design and technology. TOPICS Natalie FearStaff WriterNatalie Fear is Creative Bloq's staff writer. With an eye for trending topics and a passion for internet culture, she brings you the latest in art and design news. Natalie also runs Creative Bloq’s 5 Questions series, spotlighting diverse talent across the creative industries. Outside of work, she loves all things literature and music (although she’s partial to a spot of TikTok brain rot). View More You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Logout LATEST ARTICLES 1 A 16-year-old girl's iPhone theme is breaking UI designers' brains 2 Studio Ghibli has no plan, isn't anti-AI after all, and doesn't know what Miyazaki is up to other than that he turns up for work every day 3 Help! I'm instantly addicted to my new under desk treadmill 4 The new ACOTAR book covers are giving 2016 5 Amazon's wanton destruction of rare books is a betrayal of the brand's originsSource: Creative Bloq AI Art — Published — Category: Image AI