Mascots a wacky business

what a year it has been.

2006-12-21T09:58:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I wrote. We got back from Atlanta and wow the work came in so fast. We were swamped with requests for quotes and last minute stuff. Then Christmas was fast upon us. Today is our last day till the new year. We are sending out a unicorn mascot today.. What fun. This mascot is very unique.. We made it so it has removable main, tail, eyes, and horn. The client is going to be getting different color eyes, tail, main and horn to create totally different looks with the same mascot. Along with the fur body they also got a space suit. With helmet, and feet to match. This mascot is one of my favorites. It was so fun watching it being created and when I did the photo shoot wow. I fell in love… I can’t wait for them to see it. I am all ready for Christmas. I am putting my home up for sale in the new year and working hard at that in the evenings getting it ready to show. It will be nice to take next week off just to get everything done. I am not big on Christmas shopping and had mine done a month ago. So I am not stressed by that. We picked out new place to live yesterday and now I am so excited about moving. We are coming back in the new year with work… wow a difference from last year. We came back with nothing for a month. This year is so different. I am so grateful. Things we have accomplished this year.. We kicked off the new year in a new shop. Triple the old space. Bought out our old business partner Jen, joined IAAPA, got a great new staff in the back that is going to be our new production manager. Made some awesome mascots, got a new web site up and running, new business cards and brochures. We are fast building a solid reputation in the mascot industry for our quality and service. Some mascot companies are not pleased we are here as it will make them think about there own service and pricing as well as quality. So all in all I would say it has been a good year.. I am looking forward to 2007 thanks to everyone for the great comments and feedback.

were back..

2006-11-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Oh My gosh talk about busy.. We met lots of awesome people when we were away. Lots of people who own mascot companies who all had positive things to say. Most companies were very friendly and seam to like each other. We really only had one company that was not friendly to us.. So that was great. We came back with over 80 quotes and lots and lots of contacts. While we were gone we sold our Panda.. He was a great hit. I don’t have a lot of time to write but I wanted to let everyone know we did great and I will be more detailed in my next update.

no more sleeps...

2006-11-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh. The excitement grows. Matthew and I fly out at 12:20 in the morning and have to be at the airport at 10 tonight. We are leaving in snow and cold and arriving in sun and warm… That will be nice. I am so nervous that something will go wrong, the plane will miss connections, the stuff won’t arrive at the booth, then will there be any mix up at the hotel or anything. And will we be a success.. Charlie my partner tells me if I am not worried about something I would be worried I had nothing to worry about. I guess he is right. I have a lot of people who just believe I will do well. NO pressure.. I had a bad fall last week and thought I broke my leg, but it turns out I was just a strained muscle. Wow could have been much worse. How can something that feels so right not work? I love mascots and the excitement they bring to everyone around them. Some people just don’t understand this is not just a job it is a passion a dream. I have a lot of people counting on me as well as the expectations I put on myself. So I am going to try not to worry and just enjoy the energy and experience.

6 sleeps

2006-11-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it we fly out Monday night. Well actually we fly out Tuesday at 12:20 am we go to Toronto, then on to Atlanta. I am so excited. I have lists everywhere so I won’t forget anything.. But I can just see it I will forget something anyway. I got conformation our stuff has arrived at the warehouse in Atlanta. So now if the baggage doesn’t get lost I am all set.. The staff will be working in the back while we are gone, and that is all planned out, I am taking my computer so I can do my emails and blog. I have been doing lots of quotes but not a lot of sales just yet. We are busy but not enough to hire anyone else just yet. Corrine our new staff is super and fits right in.. She is going to make a great supervisor. My artwork is getting better and I should be ready by January to submit computer drawings to my clients by then. We are getting a lot of compliments on the web site. We wanted something fun and active and I believe we nailed it. I don’t like the stuffy corporate look some other companies have. Well six sleeps. I will be sure to add to the blog when I get back. I will keep a diary so I can share some great stories.

artwork

2006-10-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

I am trying to learn, how to do the mascot designs on the computer and get off the drafting table.. This is no easy task… I have trouble with a cell phone… I am using coral draw and it is getting a bit easier. I still am no where near able to provide the quality artwork we do now by hand. I did a dog and it had potential but not the flare, I give the designs.. I will keep working on it. I am hoping someone can provide me much needed advice on this.. My first design was a disaster.. But I am now to the point of being able have a character that looks good. I have seen so many mascot companies provide an awesome design to the client, but I know it will not look like the design. They don’t have vision in the right place, or actual dimensions that are realistic. I don’t want my artwork to be like that. I take pride in the fact that what the client sees is what they get. Our artwork matches the mascot to the letter… I just bought a drawing tablet and pen and I love it.. It is a bit hard to work with but practice will make it easier. I work all day, go home and spend about 3 hours on the computer learning the art program. But I can’t complain because I love to be creative. My dog needs to be walked and played with so I think I will start doing only 2 hours on it at night.. It is satisfying to see the steady improvement. I hope to be doing computer designs by January.. I am not much of a story teller but I will always be honest in my writings.

I guess you never know

2006-10-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

we had another glich we had not thought of.. we had the display posters made, now how are we going to display them. Problem, we need to ship them, have them visible at the show and free standing. Mathew came up with the idea of getting a styreen plastic sheet sew velvro around the stand and on the poster so we can change the picture when ever we want. Then came up with a great way to hold the stands in place. We now have a folding display stand with an interchangeable front. We also designed a carry bag, so the whole unit just rolls up when we are going to ship or store it... another product we will offer clients.. so if you want a display stand let us know we are selling them for $900 complete with carry bag.

pricing

2006-10-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

gosh I didn't add the pricing because this was not the form for sales but I have been asked what the prices are for our standard mascots.. so here goes.. sorry to anyone who finds this a sales pitch it was not my intentiion. Everything gets shipped tomorrow... we have two great display stands with our mascot friendly on them. we have our flyers, order forms, brochers, business cards, mascots, stands, and all booth stuff ready... I will be happy when it is gone and I can relax a bit.. There was so much to do. Thanks to everyone who helped me. Cal Dowie from Zeno Copy you are the best.. you really went above and beyond. Cheryl Ruterford you are also the best you have designed awsome web site, business card and brochers. We are so excited to go.. I am getting calls from all over the world from people who will stop by and check us out...

standard mascot custom quality.. best of both worlds

2006-10-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

After a lot of clients asking us to have a line where they can get the quality of a custom design without the extra expense we have created these mascots for just that.. These are standard mascots no choice in colors, design or anything but special attention was given to vision, comfort and quality. Just like our custom mascots. The client can still add a fan system, ice vest, carry bag or display stand with the mascot just like our custom mascots.. I know this will enable many people who could not afford a custom mascot yet were looking for quality, the joy of owning there own mascots... We hope to add more to our line if these are successful.

Mascot stands.. great idea..

2006-10-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well we looked everywhere to display our mascots in a safe fun way. We found that mannequins not adequate and our mascot feet need to be added to the costumes and the mannequins just are not in the positions we need. As well they are very hard to get the costumes on and off and very tipsy. So Matthew set out to design the perfect mascot stand and wow did he do a good job. We now have a display stand that you can pose, keeps the mascot looking great, is light to pack, and easy to assemble. We wanted a stand for the trade show. But I am always telling my clients to get a mannequin to stand the mascot on to air out when it is not in use. Now we have something to offer them as well. The benefit of a stand it is airs the mascot out when it is not being used. Looks great in the front office of a corporation, or in the display case of a school, or restaurant. Kind of having your mascot working for you when you are not inside him. We have friendly on a wooden stand right now in our front office, and everyone who comes into the office stops to pet him and always talks about the mascot. A great silent salesman.. Now we will be putting him on our new stands as well. So problem solved.. When a client wants to see the mascots details and craftsmanship it is easy to get the mascot off the stand. We can pose them in different positions, and pack them up easy at the end of the show.. Congratulations Matthew on a job well done. We now have a new product to sell and our mascots can be displayed in a super way at the show..

last working day of september and the stress builds

2006-09-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

We are getting calls daily now for quotes and designs. This is so good. It has been a hard two years to get the phone to start ringing. The trade show is coming up fast and I am getting a bit on edge. The mascots we are taking are looking good, The stands haven’t been done but I am confident they will be. The booth stuff is all done and ordered, The shipping arranged, and our company shirts ordered. But the stuff out of our control is not done.. The new brochures are not designed yet or even ordered. The new business cards are not ordered or designed. I am assured they will be soon. The signage stuff has not been done and I am again assured they will be.. But till I see it I feel a bit out of control. We need to ship everything on the 23 of next month and it is the last working day of September today. We got a second web site now up and working www.upfrontmascots.com and new email addresses to go with them. That was a big mess to. When we first started our web designer told us we needed to have our address www.mascotsupfront.com in order to get found on the internet and that was totally wrong. We now have a great girl Cheryl designing our site and maintaining it so that helps. We also have found a great supplier for stuffed animals. So we are able to offer stuffed animals now to match the mascots. Our plane tickets are bought, rooms booked, and all the little stuff working.. How stressful. But I am sure it will be all work out.

So many things to know.

2006-09-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

So many things to know. I had no idea going to a trade show was going to be so much work… wow.. We have insurance, brokers, booth rentals, carpet, no carpet, drapes, booth design, brochures, badges to get in, air fair, pass ports, hotels, shuttle services, oh my gosh.. I am over come with fear. Can we pull this off, I don’t want to come across like a small time company yet reality is we don’t have a huge experience in the trade show stuff. We can build circles round our competitors on the mascots but how do you show others that. I guess our product will just have to sell itself. We will have a few mascots to show people and with any luck I don’t screw up anything and the booth looks good. I took this in school but on a shoe string isn’t easy. Good news we just hired a new girl she starts full time on the 25, wow the experience she has is great and I believe she will grow with us and be a long time employee. Time seams to be passing so fast, It is September already and we fly out in just over two months.. Wow… Matthew still needs his pass port. I have mine from this spring when I flew to see a client in Kentucky. Sometimes I wonder if I am doing this right. I am almost 50 and want to retire at 55 can I do it? So many people are depending on me to make this company work and be a success. So many talented people and I want to show our work as being the best because in my heart I know we are..

A deep breath

2006-08-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

A deep breath I walked into the shop this morning at 7am.. Everything was quiet and I just took a breath.. I am so thankful for everything I have. 5 years ago my world was falling apart. Ken ( my husband ) was terminally ill. We were preparing for his passing, I had a business partner that was more interested in party life than working, I was living in a run down trailer, in a trailer park, and my world was in and out of hospitals, and sadness. I would have never believed it, had someone told me that today, I would have a wonderful new company. A new shop in a good area of town. Live in a beautiful home, have a wonderful man in my life who loves me and a great business partner. I am hopeful about the future and look forward to coming into work most days… Oh sure it is hard getting your name known again, and balancing incoming and outgoing funds. We are bidding on some large contracts and have found ourselves in the same circles as the larger, mascot companies. It took me 8 years to get to where I am now in business and it has only been 2 years. I believe in fate and people are put in our lives for reason. While I believe we are each responsible for our own success I also believe the tools are put before us to use or not. I just want to take the time to be thankful for what I have, remember the people in my life who have passed, my mom, my husband, my grandparents, friends Linda, Terry, Betty, Mike, Laurence, Brent and Kayla, and reflect on everything I have. I have truly been blessed. The traffic is now passing by and the activity in the shop creates an excitement. The next time I have bad times and I know there will be bad times I will remember this day and be thankful.

time never enough time

2006-08-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

Time We seam to go in spurts.. First we are so slow we are looking for stuff to do then bang. We are so busy we have to work weekends. Matthew is going on holidays next week. I am glad for him as he really needs a break. It has been 4 years since he took a break and I don’t care how busy we are you have to live. I don’t ever want a company that owns me.. I want to be able to have a life outside of work. When my husband died a few years ago. It made me think, Did all the over time and extra hours really matter. Or did the family time and fun matter. Well there is no contest for me. Family friends and life are more important. Yes It is important to meet your deadlines and occasionally over time is called or but life is to short to just work. I hear this is an odd way for a company owner to think. Maybe it is but I like to be well rounded and experience all aspects of life. I have just started quading and really enjoy getting out into nature, camping. And taking the quad into the bush. We see all kinds of wild life and I love photography so it is awesome. It relaxes me for the week of production, deadlines, bookkeeping and other things that go with business. Matthew lives in a log house on an acreage and has 4 dogs to walk in the forest everyday. He has his home to retreat to and gets city life when he wants to dance and do karaoke. Sometimes he stays at my place.. I have a room set up for him... My dog loves to see him, and the cats just think there is a new person to wait on them...

believe it and it will happen

2006-08-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

We are starting to get so busy. I was getting a bit concerned. While we want to grow Edmonton is experiancing a staffing shortage here. Well I have some good people in my life. Gale is now going to be on contract work for us. Matthew my business partner use to work with Gale and when she came in for coffee one day. I discoverd I did too! Gale and I were in school ( college ) together and we did a few projects like a mural and t-shirt silk screening. Gale and I lost contact like so many people you go to school with. I was so surprised when she came into the shop. Well we now have a super experianced contract worker and are so lucky. We also have two other contracters who have lots of Experiance..as they too worked with Matthew and were trained by him years ago. We are sitting in a good spot. We have very talented staff as well as contractors. Our company is looking so good right now. Thanks to our staff if it were not for all of them we would not be able to grow. It is important to treat your staff with respect, but still be firm. We are running a business not a daycare. We have deadlines and sometimes we need to have people re do things or change designs. There are some people who are not cut out for this type of job. If you can't take contructive comments, or be willing to ask for help. It won't work. We are a team and all learn from each other. Matthew and I take the attitude we will not expect anything from our staff that we ourselves are not willing to do. Team work... some companies say it we do it....

Where did the summer go?

2006-08-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

where did the summer go I can’t believe it, when I am doing quotes now I tell people we are booking for September, October and November delivery dates now… Where did the summer go!!! We had a good summer so far.. We made all kinds of fun designs. We made a costume for a TV commercial and were so happy to be a part of that. Then we made a mascot of a Shark for a company that sells pool tables, BBQ's and accessories. Called Sharkz Lagoon. He is super and will be our mascot of the month for August. see him in the photo. We have Ad Words on google. We are still working hard to get better ranking on the web in general.. That is no easy task. People are calling us now with our reputation growing, that we provide outstanding quality and service. It feels good watching our company grow. We are members of the Chamber of Commerce, members of IAAPA and will be attending our first trade show in November. There is a staff shortage here in Edmonton. People are hard to find in all industries. We like everyone else are hiring and looking for sales people, as well as production people. I have made a few trips to larger clients and that has been so fun. I find I love to travel and meet new people. We have a solid company now with a great foundation so we can grow upward at a nice steady pace. It was exciting doing a mascot for Mr. Lube Canada, they just changed the corporate colors and kicked off the new look with a new mascot. ( our last months mascot of the month. ) Special thanks to Maggie and the group at Mr. Lube.

BENEFITS OF A CUSTOM MASCOT-

2006-08-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

We had a client ask us to discribe the benefits of a custom mascot. This was our response.. I don't want it to sound like a marketing thing. But Matthew wrote this and it hits the nail on the head. So I put it in.. my blogg. He as a great way with words.. BENEFITS TO INVESTMENT- Mascots create excitement, and bring people together, especially when it comes to sports. The mascot is generating energy and excitement, by reving up the crowd. Mascots help to increase the team spirit, and give the crowd something to identify the team with. The mascot will personify what your team represents. BENEFITS OF A CUSTOM MASCOT- When using graphic imagery for a team, it is important to have continuity with that imagery. You will have printed materials with your mascot, as well as the potential to have his picture on merchandise, such as T-shirts, coffee mugs, hats, and banners. Having a custom mascot that actually looks like the graphic image being used, will assist the public in identifying that, yes, this is the mascot being represented. If you are using a shelf mascot, you have very limited choice. It would be impossible to have the exact design that you have on your materials. The colors as well would be different. The public would not identify your mascot as being the one depicted in your merchandise or graphic representations. Shelf mascots tend to use lower quality materials. The bodies tend to come apart at the seams when washed. The mascot heads tend to be heavier, with less ventilation. Shelf mascots are not available with fan ventilation systems, which help to exhaust hot air out of the head. Shelf mascots do not have body forms, which help give the body shape. Most shelf mascots do not have special foam sculpted feet, which complete the overall image. Shelf mascots will not address the needs of the performer for comfort and vision. Custom mascots made by Up Front Mascots are made with high quality materials. We use closed cell foam for the headshape, which is light weight, flexible, and does not retain odours. Our fabrics are very good quality, and construction of all components is very durable. We pay attention to detail of your design, as well as comfort and vision. We sell accessories to go with your mascot. A fan system helps exhaust hot air from the head. An ice vest has frozen gel packs, which helps to keep the body cool. A custom carry bag will keep your mascot parts together, so they will stay clean when transporting, and you won't lose parts. Up Front Mascots has a reputation for creating performer friendly mascots. We have many years of expertise, and have done extensive research and development for mascot construction over the years. If your mascot is uncomfortable, your performer's won't enjoy themselves when they are performing. We pay attention to detail, make the mascots comfortable, and provide good vision for the performer. We use excellent materials, design and construction techniques that make your mascot durable, so it will last for years. An Up Front Mascots costume will help you to put your best foot forward, and will create an image that your team and fans can be proud of.

IAAPA Attractions Expo

2006-08-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

IAAPA yes we will be there. November 15 to 18 IAAPA Attractions Expo, in Atlanta Georgia. We are so excited to be new members of IAAPA and to be exhibitors in this wonderful trade show expo. Booth number 4360 hall B. We have a lot of work to do to get ready, we are in the process of designing our booth, getting mascots made to take with us and having photos of our work on display. I love the energy at a trade show and can’t wait to be a part of the excitement that will be surrounding us. Gosh I hope some of you can be there. This Expo is for the amusement industry. We supply mascots for amusement parks and play centers so this is a great place to show what wonderful mascots we have. We have a lot of stuff to do from now till we fly out. The broachers are ordered, the business cards being printed and now the booth is being constructed. Can it get any better than this.. Yes we can be a total success at the show, and see you there. Be sure to tell us you saw us on line. See you in November....

The difference between a costume and a mascot.

2006-07-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

The difference between a costume and a mascot. The big difference is the performers face and body parts do not show on a mascot and they may on a costume. If you want your performers face to show so they can talk and interact with the audience that is a costume. If you want the total fantasy and not have the performer to be seen at all. That is a mascot. It is an illusion. Some poorly made mascots will allow you to see the performer inside the mascot through the eyes screens or mouth screens. They are still mascots but very poor samples of them. The idea of a mascot is fantasy. The character magically comes to life… with all the wonder and mystery of the illusion. With a costume there is no question there is a real person inside. We make both and depending on your needs one is not better than the other. Ask yourself will my character have there own personality? Do I want to create a fantasy? So what works for you? Mascot or Costume..

Here are two samples. One is a mascot the other a costume. Both work great for the clients we made them for. The mascot was made to look like an iguana, He is the mascot for Jim Boy's restaurants. The other is a fish and he is used in a commercial where the performer needs to interact with the camera.

We can meet what ever your requirements are.

I don't see it on your site. can you make it?

2006-07-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

I don’t see that kind of mascot on your site. Not all our mascots are on our web site. We work to change the photos around so you can see a cross section of our work. Our mascot gallery is so you can see the quality of our work, and a few of our latest mascot characters. We don’t have a catalogue as all our work is custom designed. If you can dream it we can make it. We have a solid reputation for bringing any design to life. Some of the odd things we have made are: a rolled up newspaper, garlic, tissue box, tomato, cookie man, runner, sun, hammer, gift cards, and of course there are the animals aardvark, camel, beavers and many many more. The photos you see are of the gift card, Her name is Ivana gift card.. and a hammer for home hardware. So if you don’t see it, don’t worry we can build it. We take pride in the fact that we do not mass produce mascots, we create personalities. Mascot characters. Now don’t get me wrong. If you need to have 10, 100, or 1000 we can duplicate any design. No order is to small or to large. We had a customer ask for a pair of gloves. That’s great too. Once we make a mascot for you we will not duplicate that mascot for anyone else. When you see a mascot on our photo gallery you like. We can design something similar but no the same. That is our guarantee to each client. That their mascot is an original. If you have a mascot that is in need of duplication replacement. We can do that. We cover it all, cleaning, repairs, duplication, small or large orders, mascot design and creation. Call us for any of your ideas.

rush orders you want it when????

2006-07-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

We have from time to time been asked to make a mascot in a week or two when it takes on average of 4 to 7 weeks. Current production has to be shuffled about and sometimes overtime is asked of staff. The shortest notice we had was one week for Green Peace. They had an event planned and need the mascot to be there to let people know of the melting artic. We all jumped into production, worked as a well oiled team and got it out and to the event on time. Then took a much needed day off. We work hard to accommodate every need our client has. We have to charge extra for a rush sometimes if we need to special order fabric and pay for overtime. Some clients don’t understand that, they are not the only client we have. Others are so grateful we are able to help. It isn’t easy managing production. We coordinate ship dates with clients events this is super important because you don‘t want a store opening with out your star performer. Or pay staff for a film shoot and the mascot hasn‘t arrived. Customs from time to times puts a screw in the mix with added paperwork or taking there time to clear a mascot. This can add some excitement in the office. (my office) That is frustrating. I guess not every company is as diligent of service as us. I don’t have a lot of patients for shipping companies who just don’t seam to care. So look about, pick a company who will work with you. Have some time to spend on the mascots creation. Give the manufacturer at least 4 weeks to make the mascot and allow shipping time. But if you are in a rush we are here to help.

how do I pick a mascot company

2006-07-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

How do I pick a mascot company. Some important questions you need to ask yourself are: 1) Did the person on the other end seam to know about mascots 2) Do I have any say in the design, or just pick a mascot from a cataloge 3) Did the sales person give me feedback on my requirements 4) Did the sales person listen to my needs 5) Do they offer a guarantee 6) Do they stand behind the product 7) How long did it take them to get my design and quote to me 8) Are they available to answer my questions 9) Is this a company or do they just build from there basement or home 10) Can they provide photos and contact information 11) Do they care about my needs and requirements 12) Are they honest about vision, comfort and care of the design I have picked There are a lot of mascot companies, it can be very hard to pick one to make such an important purchase. The mascot is not just a costume it is a character, a personality and you are putting your trust in a company to bring your mascot to life. If you are not comfortable with the service you get before you buy, what service will you get once your mascot is made. Pick a company that can back up what they say, and a company that listens to you. Look for quality, comfort, and make sure you can have say in the design. Ask questions and make sure you get all your answers. Pick a company who take the time to know you and your mascot. Make sure the company you pick will work with you on the creation of the mascot. It is a team effort and you are a part of that team.

2006-07-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

Design verses function…. I get requests from clients sometimes to make a mascot that I know will have vision or movement problems. I have found a lot of mascot companies just build it, and don’t tell the client the problems with the design, and work out a compromise or at least make the client aware of what the costumes limitations are. We work very hard to meet all our clients needs. We made a mascot for Workman’s Compensation Board. Photo one show the structure of the first mascot. photo two is the finished product of first mascot, photo three is the second design for movement. They requested it look very crisp, corners, cookie cutter look. The hands and feet were to look round. We had some design concerns. In order to accomplish the look they requested. The mascot would have very little movement. This was made very clear to the client. We got the go ahead to make three of them. They got them and found that other than parade floats or areas where the mascot was not required to move it was not going to work. We had advised them of this prior to making them. They now wanted a second designed mascot to be more flexable and it wasn't as important for it to be so crip looking. We worked with the client to have two style mascots. One as a body form style where the mascot would be able to run jump and move about very freely, and the second was the crisp animated look on there signage. Now they have two looks for one mascot and are very pleased. Communication is extremely important when you design a mascot. We watch for vision, comfort, flexibility, ease of care. If you have to send the darn thing out to be cleaned that is adding to your price. We spend up to an hour just getting the feel for where the mascot will be performing, who will be inside it. ( student, professional, or office staff) that makes a big difference when we make it. What is the personality of the mascot. We want to capture that too. It takes a lot of time and care to get it perfect and we are quickly developing the reputation for taking the time to care. We listen to our clients. It is unfortunate that many mascot companies are so busy on design they forget a very important ingredient comfort, safety and care.

standing behind our product

2006-07-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

We made a mascot his name is Waverly.. He is a wave for the City of Nanimo.. This design was very interesting. Their logo is a wave, and the city wanted a mascot to reflect that. So we designed a large blue wave with white waves as hair. The city loves him and the design works great. They have found the mascot is a bit top heavy and awkward to wear when they are wanting to be active. He matches the design perfectly, and looks awesome. They did originally not want a fan but have since asked for us to install one. Our solution to the problem.. First we will install the fan system for them. Then because the mascot has shoulder blocks, at the base of the head, at the moment. We are going to add a harness system to secure the head on the performers chest and back. With that and the shoulder blocks the problem will be solved. We are not charging for this as it is our firm belief to make all mascots performer friendly. We do test drive them here before we send them out, and we will have Waverly on to insure the problem is solved before he leaves here. We value our clients feedback and respect the performers view. All our mascots come with a one year warranty against manufacture defects. Waverly will arrive in a few days and when he gets here we have a team ready to work on him at once and get him out the door within 48 hours. This way he can be back home and performing again to the delight of all the children and adults alike. Waverly is used in parades, and community events and has a booked summer. So it is important we get him back as soon as possible.

who can use a mascot?

2006-07-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

Who can use a mascot? Well the answer is every company, sports team, organization, city, town, or event. That is a wide blanket. Mascots create excitement where ever they go. You can’t walk past a mascot waving at you with out a smile. They are a fun way for people to know who you are. Soon people will start to recognize your mascot by name. Who doesn’t know the A&W root bear, or Snap, Crackle and Pop. Smokey the bear teaches us about forest fires. Sutter Lakeside hospital has 5 mascots. Mr. Healthy Heart to teach heart care and promote activity, Mr. Healthy Sun to promote the use of sun screen and sun glasses, Mr. Healthy Tissue to promote using tissues when you have a cold, Mr. Healthy Spine to promote the proper way to wear a back pack. Both of these mascots are in the photo. And Mr. Bee the corporate mascot for corporate events, and awards. Can you imagine going to a football game and not seeing a mascot doing funny antics on the side lines. Or a parade with no mascots. Many Cities have mascot registration services so you can register your mascot to attend events in your community. Many of these events provide the performer with a staging area, and do not charge for the mascot to attend. Wow free advertising where else can you get that. But please if your mascot is falling apart know when to retire it and replace it. There are some real bad mascots out there just falling apart. The mascot represents you, always have them looking there best. Insure your performers are comfortable inside them. All our mascots are machine washable in your machine at home or easy to clean. I bet if you think about mascots you can come up with a few dozen names as well. The more you use your mascot the more he will work to promote you. Come on lets fill the world with mascots. What a fun way to market.

cooling systems

2006-07-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

Cooling system I get asked a lot, do I need a cool system? The answer depends on what style of mascot is it? Where will you be using it? If the mascot is a unibody style and has lots of vent screens in the top, eyes and mouth you may not need one. But if you have a mascot with a head and you are very active. I would get the fan system. We vent the fans out not in, that way the old air is replaced with fresh. We have worked with a number of performers to get the right formula for ventilation. We always add vent screens in every mascot as a standard design feature. Some performers have told us they don’t really care for fans because they are noisy. I do find them a bit noisy but to be honest I like them. There are pro’s and cons for and against fan systems. They are not heavy but the batteries can add extra weight on the heads. We make our mascots so the client can choose to not have one and then add it later if they so wish. If it is any help about 50% of the mascots that leave here with no fan system, the client contacts us to get one. Ice vests some clients swear by them as it can keep you body temperature down. But I don’t like the cold on my chest. My partner loves it. So again it is up to the performer. I would error on the side of caution. It is nice to have, especially if there are a number of performers inside the mascot. Each performer has there own likes and dislikes. Keep your performers comfortable and they will want to be inside the mascots, and be better performers for you. Fan systems and Ice vest are a good start and let the performer decide if they want to use it. Do you have a fan system and do you like it? Let us here from you.. Your comments also help us perfect our craft and provide you with a better quality mascot. We care about your comfort.

our company mascot

2006-06-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Friendly.. What is a mascot company, without a mascot. We have Friendly he is called that because our tag line is “ Performer friendly mascots“. We wanted a mascot to show fun, and friendship. Our logo has a dog in it and he was based on that. We use him at trade shows, parades, and community events. Matthew has to wear him or someone taller. I am only short 5’2 so he looks funny on me, more like a wrinkles dog. We have a fan system inside, and ice vest, so we are comfortable in the hot summers we get here. He stands in our entrance way on a stand, greeting people as they come in to the shop.

Karens view

2006-06-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Karen Dollmont I started out working in the foot department at a mascot company in 1991. How I was hired, I will never know. Matthew did the job interview. He handed me a chunk of foam, and a sculpted foot and said he wanted the chunk to look like the finished product, and walked away. I did it, but it looked no where as good as his. I asked him how he got it so smooth, and he just laughed, and said, "oh, you need a new blade and oil". I hit him and called him a bad word…. I really wanted the job and this guy was not helping me. I had no idea he was the one who decided if I was to get the job, or I wouldn’t have hit him… Well maybe I would have! I have never let him forget it to this day… He tells me to get over it sister!… We are like brother and sister fighting, but love each other at the same time… That is a great partnership. I was there for a few years, when a co-worker, Barb asked me to join with her in starting our own company. I jumped right in, then learned the business as I went. Not a smart way to get going, but it shortens the learning curve when you are under pressure to get a pay check. Long story short, we were in business for 12 years. My husband Ken got cancer, and after a two year battle with cancer, he passed away. I needed to get away and change my life. I sold my shares to the company to Barb, and became a beach bum for a year, doing a lot of meditation, yoga, and self discovery. I took a year off from work. In that time, Barb decided she didn’t want to continue on, so she closed the doors to our shop. I guess her shop. I was approached by my old staff to start up again, and after much debate, decided to do it again. I love mascots and the joy they bring people, as well as the self satisfaction of owning a business. I started out contacting old clients, making new contacts, and ran into my friend Matthew. We talked, and I filled him in on what I was doing. We used to work together in 1991, and after I started my other company we stayed in touch. He was excited for me. I asked him if he wanted to be a business partner. We compliment each other. I have dyslexia so spelling is a problem for me. He is skilled in every aspect of making a mascot, and I am skilled in the business end. Our staff are very lucky to have a talent like Matthew to teach them how to make mascots. We went from good mascots to great mascots when he came aboard. Now Matthew is in the office, as well as training staff, and some production. I stay in the front and work with the art department, sales, and marketing end. We have just moved into a new shop with over 4,000 sq. feet and front offices. We are growing at a steady rate as word spreads of our skill and service,which is much needed in this industry.

Matthews Point of view

2006-06-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Matthew AlexanderMarketing Director & Production Manager and Administration Manager & Production worker! I started making mascots in the summer of '85! Wow, I am old! I was looking for a summer job before I went back to school for my second year of a Graphic Design diploma from Grant MacEwan college. I finished school, and went back to making mascots fulltime for a local company. Over the next 20 years I worked doing mascots, and in between started a few different businesses, with varying degrees of success. I guess I have always been an entrepreneur at heart- you just keep on going, even when things don't work out as you would like. I had a company making props for stores, and I also had a company making soap. We actually sold soap in a few different countries, so that was pretty cool! I also did men's clothing design for a few years, and sold to local shops. I met my current business partner, Karen Dollmont (Dullmutt, her nickname!!) when I worked at the local mascot company back in 1991. I was in charge of training, and it was my job to give Karen a test to see if she would be a suitable employee. Apparently, (according to her) I gave her a dull knife to sculpt some foam. She said she was having some problems, and I said, "Oh, you probably need a new blade". Well, she wasn't too impressed, and hits me and calls me a jerk! I couldn't believe it!! It was pretty ballsy for someone looking for a job to say that! I guess I was impressed, because I told my boss to hire her! Anyway, we worked together for a couple of years, and kept in touch over the years. I hadn't talked to her for a couple of years after her husband passed away, and out of the blue she calls me up! I was pretty shocked to hear from her. She said she was starting another mascot company, and wanted me to be her business partner. It has been very interesting owning a mascot company. There are a lot of things I find rewarding about it. Making mascots is interesting, taking care of the administrative end is also satisfying. I love marketing as well. It's fun to talk to new clients. Working with Karen has been great. We are a lot alike, and also very different. We have our disagreements too!! We have been in business for almost 2 years, have moved into a great facility, and now have staff. We are looking forward to growing in the future.