Updated November 2026
Recent academic studies report a positive link between a brand mascot and recall or purchase intent, but they are small, single-country surveys. They show an association, not a proven cause. We cite each study with its country and what it measured.
What published studies report about brand mascots
- A 2025 study of a food brand in Thailand found that emotional connection with the mascot was the strongest predictor of purchase intention (standardized coefficient 0.489).
- A survey-based model on a sporting goods brand in Iran found that the mascot had a positive and significant effect on brand awareness, brand recall and intention to buy.
- An experimental study in Turkey (2021) concluded that an anthropomorphic mascot positively affects consumers' purchasing intention.
- A mixed-methods case study of a monkey mascot in Iran (254 quantitative respondents) linked the mascot to repeat purchase, loyalty and recall, and tied the effect to cultural fit.
Sources
- Asia University, Creating Connections Through Characters
- Journal of Sport Management, University of Tehran
- Ataturk University, anthropomorphic mascot experiment
- Yazd University, The Effect of Mascot on Consumer Behavior
How to read these results
All four studies come from single countries, mostly with convenience samples and cross-sectional designs. They show that mascot and outcomes vary together; they do not prove the mascot causes the outcome. We found no large multi-market field experiment, so we publish no average uplift percentage.
What this means for a brand that wants a mascot
The common thread across the studies is emotional connection and fit with the audience, not the mascot alone. A custom mascot made in the brand's colours, with its own logo and text, is built to carry that identity at events and in the street.
Frequently asked questions
Do brand mascots increase sales?
Published studies report a positive link with recall and purchase intention, but they are small single-country surveys. No large study gives a reliable average sales uplift.
What do the studies say matters most?
In the 2025 Thai study, emotional connection was the strongest predictor of purchase intention, and the Iranian case study stressed cultural fit.