Photo by Kurt Christensen via BrookVeeg
I remember when I was a young boy connecting with my father through mainstream interests, we used to attend professional sporting events. At these events, each team had a ‘mascot’ who intended to get fans ‘fired up’ about the home team. I’m not sure how much adults enjoy mascots, but I feel like they function as some sort of ‘icon’ who can get people emotionally involved/invested in the game. They are also to attract ‘young fans’, inviting them to become a life long member of the team’s ‘brand’, even before the child ‘completely understands the rules of the sport.’
It’s interesting to see that the band WILCO got a mascot. I think that this means they are a ‘huge’ band, needing to reach new markets + demographics. A mascot will make Wilco shows more enjoyable, getting people on their feet, and doing things like ’starting the wavve.’ I feel like the mascot trend might seem ‘cheesy or lame’, but I feel like the early adopters to this trend won’t feel a backlash. Feel more worried about when indie bands with mascots reaches a 27% saturation rate, and people find it to be inauthentic, instead of whimsical and fun.
Do yall think that mascots are the future of independent music? Do u think that bands should accept their status as ‘marketable brands’ and create characters that might great assets when it comes 2 spreading their message? Are mascots ‘cheesy and mainstream’ or marketing tools that are more effective than twitter.
Not sure how 2 feel about the band mascot era. Seems like things are about to get ‘mad crazie.’
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Decided to ‘brainstorm’ mascots for popular indie bands. Let me know if yall have any feedback on these ideas. Some of these are metaphors.
Grizzly Bear
Neon Indian
The Arcade Fire
Deerhunter
Girl Talks
The Animal Collective
The Justice League
Bands with the word ‘deer’ in their name
Belle and Sebby
WAVVES
PHOENIX
Dan Deacon
Sigur Ros
Ratatatting
Cut Copy / the Presets / Empire of the Sun
Miscellaneous Aussie Band
MGMT
The Yeah Yeah Yes
Kings of Leon
Crystal Castles
Diplo [via old pizzaAlt meme]
Feist
The Strokes
Vampire Weekend
U2
The Killers
Coldplay
Air
Daft Punk
Fleet Foxes
Kanye West / Jay Z / Lil Wayne
MSTRKRFT
Friendly Fires
Postal Service
The Posting Services
Creed / Lifehouse / Christian band
Interpol
M.I.A.
At the Drive In
Bloc Party
Brokencyyyde
Bjork
The Polyphonic Spree
The popular new band Fruit Collective
Do yall think that any of these are good/bad ideas?
Do u ’see’ any metaphors in these mascot suggestions?
How should a band go about ’selecting’ their mascot? Fan voting?
Do u think u’d find music festivals more fun if there were mascots representing your fave bands?
Should festivals be more like a ‘competition’ with fan voting [via text]?
Can u think of any artists, and what mascot would represent them the best?
Are indie band mascots just marketing gimmick, or are they a legitimate marketing tool that will be here 4ever?
If u had an indie band, would ur mascot work the merch table, or would he be ‘in the front’ during the show 2 get ppl pumped?
Should u start a myspace page for your mascot, or should u just have a section dedicated to him on ur band’s myspace presence?
MASCOTS: THE FUTURE OF INDIEPENDENT MUSIC?
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37 Comments
Thirst
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u forgot the jonas bros
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Carles, is this post 4 reelz?
SECOND
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//////////Reply by dooders
//////////Posted July 27th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
@alttweenbro, i know, because i am soooo bored…
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sweet poast brah
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So funny, tears in my eyes.
A battered wife should’ve been Crystal Castles (via their black eye Madonna shirt).
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What about cheerleaders?
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Yes.
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this band has a mascot too.
http://www.myspace.com/thebros
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//////////Reply by clarence
//////////Posted July 28th, 2009 at 5:34 am
@bro, STOP PLUGGING YOUR BAND PLZ.
I do lyk ur songs tho, u have 24 plays on my itunes.
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bro, I like the nu ‘adds’ on your ’site’ bro
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omg this is like… the 2nd funniest post all yr
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the dan deacon mascot could be sam beam’s too.
and this is so funnie !!!!
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i LOL’d
esp. @ DAFT PUNK
keep up the good work!
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Wheres the Radioheadz bear? I saw that thing after their show once and It really just freaked me and my friends out.
I think mascots are a good way to freak kids out at fests but thats all.
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love the PolyphonicCultBroads!
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the green days have a bunnie or something 4 their mascot.
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Could have been best post ever but it got racist as hell. However, nice save with polyphonic poking fun at fundies
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//////////Reply by vdieselfor20
//////////Posted July 27th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
@Jesse Jackson, fck man hope ur not being serious abt the racism
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//////////Reply by SilveroTellerson
//////////Posted July 27th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
@vdieselfor20, look who posted it, bro! Jesse Jackson LOL
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I don’t believe that was an official Wilco mascot. Just a minor league baseball mascot with a Wilco shirt on.
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//////////Reply by Chrises
//////////Posted July 27th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
@Emily,
You should get a job at the Washington Post (if you don’t work there already)
LETS GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS TORTURE THING
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//////////Reply by anonyt
//////////Posted July 28th, 2009 at 12:33 am
@Chrises, ka-pow!
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//////////Reply by neednotapply
//////////Posted July 28th, 2009 at 12:38 am
@Chrises, fucking lol’ing like whoa.
srsly, @Emily…u should help figure out if MJ’s death was a broicide.
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lol Dan Deacon
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Do yall think that any of these are good/bad ideas? Tons of good ideas happened here.
Do u ’see’ any metaphors in these mascot suggestions? Yes
How should a band go about ’selecting’ their mascot? Fan voting? I think you should be in charge of mascot selecting.
Do u think u’d find music festivals more fun if there were mascots representing your fave bands? Absolutely
Should festivals be more like a ‘competition’ with fan voting [via text]? haha no
Can u think of any artists, and what mascot would represent them the best? Feel like The Killers would be better represented by a more obvious killer or perhaps a tool often used to kill ppl like a ‘gat’ or a prison shank or a plastic bag or a bullet.
Are indie band mascots just marketing gimmick, or are they a legitimate marketing tool that will be here 4ever? 4eae!!!
If u had an indie band, would ur mascot work the merch table, or would he be ‘in the front’ during the show 2 get ppl pumped? He would be on stage like Bad Brilliance hyping ‘kids’ up.
Should u start a myspace page for your mascot, or should u just have a section dedicated to him on ur band’s myspace presence? mascots should definitely have their own myspace pages. they need to interact with their fans.
MASCOTS: THE FUTURE OF INDIEPENDENT MUSIC? yess
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“yea just know ma condo is the crack spot, every single show she out there reppin like a mascot” Is Drake bro an HRO reader?
CRLS, you the fuckin’ best!
You the fuckin’ best!
You the fuckin’ best!
You the fuckin’ best!
The best I eva had!
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whoa effin Starfox out of left field.
Totally got that game when I broke my hip rollerblading in the 8th grade. Feeling old and lifeless.
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Hey u 4got the PNAU fruits n veggies. I think giant hot dogs get us pumped the most
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Nice posting Mr C.
I don’t know what the Dirty Projectors’ mascot would be, but it would pretty alt whatever it was.
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//////////Reply by hey anony anony
//////////Posted July 27th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
@kig, dirtie prodgie mascot=finch (via dave longstreth’s new haven vision in 2k3)
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//////////Reply by Northsidelady
//////////Posted July 28th, 2009 at 1:16 am
@kig, would be a giant turd in a tutu playing the glockenspiel
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‘best’ post ever. could really relate 2 seeing many of my favorite b(r)ands represented here as ‘funnie’ cultural icons.
love u crls
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HAHAHAHA FUCKING YES. This post made me laugh so hard. HOT DOGS HAHAHA.
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Memorable post
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crls,
this post brings back hope [via barry obama marketing gimmick]
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Yes, music festivals would be INSANELY more entertaining than they already are if there were band mascots. I’d probably end up sexually violating the Okkervil River Rivers, youknowwhatimean.
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most lolzy post in a while, carles.
BUT u 4got the dirty projjies. maybe it would just be a projector that hasn’t been cleaned recently. Also, TV on the radio????
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Rude Bear owns them all
http://rudeny.com/
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Brokencyde already has a mascot!
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//////////Reply by runningcolors
//////////Posted July 27th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
@14, a herd of nasty mexi alt tweens with zany colored nikes?
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Interpol’s is kyutttttttttttttttte
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totes memorable post. think it’s in the top 5.7 posts of 2k9.
the gregtalks mascot? A giant, faceless can of Sparks.
Whose mascot would the JokerAlt be?
Nice metaphor w/the blaxfaced bros.
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why is bloc party mex?
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i see the world MILF behind the bjork mascot
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Didnt Kiss do this before, but really went too far and got huge backlash and then everybody hated them and their shitty movies.
But they did have their own jet so…
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h8 u FruCo. h8 u commenting 2 dayz aftr original post.
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