The mascot makeover: How rebranding characters can breathe new life into a brand

The mascot of a popular brand or organization holds a significant role in portraying its image and connecting with its audience. Over the years, many iconic mascots have become synonymous with their respective brands. However, as time progresses, sometimes companies choose to change their mascots to better align with their evolving goals and target demographics. One such example is the transition from Mickey Mouse to a new mascot. Mickey Mouse, the beloved character created by Walt Disney, has been an iconic symbol of the company for decades. With his cheerful personality and whimsical adventures, Mickey Mouse has captured the hearts of millions around the world.

With his cheerful personality and whimsical adventures, Mickey Mouse has captured the hearts of millions around the world. He has been central to the brand's identity, representing its commitment to family-friendly entertainment and its enduring legacy. However, as Disney expanded its scope and ventured into different markets, it became necessary to reconsider the suitability of Mickey Mouse as the sole mascot.

What do The Wizard of Oz and our hypnotherapy group sessions have in common?

What do The Wizard of Oz and our hypnotherapy group sessions have in common? 2021-05-07 2021-05-27 https://brainstrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/brainstrust-logo.jpg Brainstrust, brain tumour charity https://brainstrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/glinda.jpg 200px 200px

“You had the power all along, my dear” – Glinda, the good witch

We all know this classic story from the 1930s.

Dorothy and her dog Toto are transported by a cyclone to the magical land of Oz, where they journey via the yellow brick road through a process of discovery towards courage (the lion), wisdom (the scarecrow) and love (the tin man).

When Dorothy realises that she is able to click her heels and transport herself back home, Glinda, the good witch, observes that, “You had the power all along, my dear”. In a sense, we are all like Dorothy in that we all already have the inner resources to find our own solutions, it’s just that sometimes we need the support and gentle guidance of others to help us recognise this and develop our own strategies so that we can thrive.

Follow your own yellow brick road

At brainstrust, our support service is built on the belief that everyone is expert in their own experience, and as such we are all fully capable of finding our own solutions to life’s challenges.

Quite simply, although we can’t necessarily fix a problem for you, we can work with you to help you figure out what it is that you need, and then what steps you might take to achieve it.

Source: The Irish Times

We can support you in this process, journeying down your own yellow brick road, through the provision of coaching, resources, education, information and unconditional support.

One such support offer from brainstrust is the provision of regular group hypnotherapy sessions, run by our wonderful hypnotherapist Louise.

Meet Louise

We are so fortunate at brainstrust to have the wonderful Louise Baker (MSc Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health) as our own consultant hypnotherapist.

Louise has run successful private hypnotherapy practices for over 20 years, including Harley Street and The Wren Clinic, helping hundreds of people during this time using a variety of approaches. Recently retired from 1:1 work, Louise is now focused on bringing the power of this work to groups for brainstrust.

Despite Louise’s impressive career and educational credentials, she’s a lovely normal person too! She lives in Cornwall with her husband and her poodles and enjoys walking on the beaches and clifftops near where she lives. Most importantly for us, Louise cares passionately about supporting people living with a brain tumour diagnosis to live the best life that they can, free from anxieties that make life challenging.

Will you make me cluck like a chicken?

Thanks to the popularity of stage hypnotism, there can be a misconception that hypnotherapy will make us act in strange ways, acting involuntarily as if under a spell.

We’d like to reassure you that this is absolutely not the case! In fact, during your first session Louise will share with you some of the secrets of stage hypnotists and how they are able to achieve these results – having some people clucking like a chicken, or convinced that they are wearing X-ray glasses!

I was very anxious beforehand, but was put at ease straight away by Louise – hpynotherapy webinar attendee, March 2021

Creating calm spaces: towards self-management of anxiety

Your first session with us will take you through some of the theory behind hypnotherapy, covering: some neuroscience of hypnosis, an evidence-based way of understanding neuroplasticity at work; and you will gain an understanding of how hypnotherapy enhances the way we learn new ideas.

These key ideas and concepts form a foundation of knowledge from which you will practice your new skills, allowing you to have an understanding and practical experience of creating and maintaining your own unique spaces and places within.

The aim of these sessions is to support you to practice hypnosis to the point of being able to self-manage in anxiety-inducing situations and settings, such as hospitals or waiting for an MRI scan.

Once you’ve attended the introductory theory session, we encourage you to keep coming back to our ongoing follow-up group hypnotherapy sessions, as much as you need, for your own support and growth.

Reminded me of the strategies I can use when I’m feeling stresses and anxious. Gave me an opportunity for complete relaxation, much appreciated! – hypnotherapy webinar attendee, March 2021

The Wizard of Oz as a metaphor for hypnotherapy

Let’s think again about Dorothy. She falls asleep and is transported to a wonderful land where she travels along the yellow brick road, supported by new friends in her journey towards self-discovery. She had the power to get home all along, she just didn’t realise it.

Dorothy travelled on her journey and faced challenges and fears along the way. With the support of others and a bit of hard work from herself, she was able to discover her inner resources and make positive changes.

This feels like a beautiful metaphor for our group hypnotherapy sessions: “You had the power all along, my dear”.

Join us for the next sessions

It was really good to learn techniques for managing scanxiety and for Louise to share her wealth of knowledge on the functions of the brain. I really liked the practice elements too in the session, to help remember and embed the techniques.

I used the techniques before and during my most recent MRI and it really helped me. Thank you so much for providing these sessions. I look forward to the next one – hypnotherapy webinar attendee, September 2020

Book your free place at a brainstrust group hypnotherapy session today: find these events and more, here.

Our vision is for everyone with a brain tumour to feel less afraid, less alone and more in control.

Last year your support helped:

2,339 people contacted our team of support specialists for help

825 new people accessed our support

404 people receive a Brain Box

We hosted 134 support events

110,928 people access our online information and support

3200 people in our online community to help each other to feel less alone.

Registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales as Charity No. 1114634 and with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator as Charity No. SC044642

Introduction

The Brain Tumour Data Dashboard lets you explore up -to-date, population level data about the brain tumours diagnosed in England between 2013 and 2015. Using the drop down menus on the left you can select different groups of patients to view in the charts below. In these charts the number of patients for every 100 diagnoses is displayed as images of people. Patients have been grouped by date of diagnosis, type of tumour, age, gender, and region in England.

For each group of patients you can explore the different routes to diagnosis, the proportion of those who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy, as well as the survival of the patients within each group. For more information about what these metrics mean please see the glossary.

How to use

1. Select the year of diagnosis using the drop down menu.
2. Select your patient group of interest from the four drop down menus in the following order:
   1. Tumour group
   2. Age at diagnosis
   3. Region of England
   4. Gender of patient

   *Note that the tool is best used on a laptop or tablet rather than a mobile phone*

   Unavailable data

   Some of the data in these charts is not available.There are two main reasons for this:

   If you cannot select a patient group from the drop down menus, the data is unavailable because of how the data has been organised.

   Public Health England has grouped the data like a branching tree. The bottom of the tree contains all the patients with brain tumours, and then each branch divides the data by a certain characteristics, like age, or location of tumour. But the data is divided in an order, starting with location of the tumour (endocrine or brain), then by age, region, and gender. Age is at the start because it makes a bigger difference to survival rates and treatment rates than gender or region. Sometimes, after the data has been split by type of tumour and age, there is not enough data to be split again. This is because to protect patient confidentiality groups cannot contain less than 100 patients. Because some groups cannot be split further, you cannot create ‘totals’ for everyone by region or gender. For example, you cannot see results for all ages by region, or all brain tumours by gender. If these totals were calculated and released, it might be possible to identify patients, which is why Public Health England cannot release this data.

   1. Statistical reasons and data availability

   If you can select a patient group from the chart menus, but the chart does not display, the data is unavailable for one of several reasons:

   1. Data is not yet available for the selected year from Public Health England.
   2. Data is not available because the data quality is too poor to release this statistic.
   3. Data is not available as the statistic is not appropriate for this group.
   4. Data is not available because the standard error of the estimate was greater than 20% and so the estimate has been supressed.
   

   The company recognized that in order to effectively engage with a diverse range of audiences, it needed a mascot that could resonate with people from various cultural backgrounds. Thus, the decision was made to introduce a new mascot. The introduction of a new mascot can be a challenging task, as it requires careful consideration of the brand's values and objectives. The new mascot should not only attract attention but also reflect the brand's culture, values, and identity. Additionally, it should be able to communicate with and relate to the target demographic, ensuring a strong connection with the audience. In the case of Disney, the transition from Mickey Mouse to a new mascot involved extensive market research and conceptualization. The company aimed to create a character that would resonate with the younger generation and effectively represent the brand's mission of spreading joy and happiness. After several design iterations and focus group sessions, a new mascot was introduced. The new mascot symbolized Disney's commitment to embracing diversity and inclusivity. This character resonated with the younger audience, enabling the company to forge deeper connections with the next generation of Disney fans. While Mickey Mouse still remains an integral part of Disney's brand identity, the introduction of a new mascot allowed the company to expand its reach and cater to a wider demographic. In conclusion, the decision to change a mascot, such as transitioning from Mickey Mouse, is a strategic move undertaken by companies to adapt to evolving market demands and connect with a broader audience. While the iconic mascot may have served its purpose for a significant period, embracing change and introducing a new character enables the brand to remain relevant and engage with new generations of consumers..

   Reviews for "The science behind mascots: How they trigger emotional responses in audiences"

   1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed when I heard that the mascot at the theme park had changed from Mickey Mouse. I grew up watching Mickey Mouse and he holds a special place in my heart. The new mascot just doesn't have the same charm and nostalgia. It feels like a cheap imitation and it's just not the same magical experience anymore. Bring back Mickey!

   2. John - 1 star - The new mascot at the theme park is a complete letdown. I have been visiting this park for years and it was always a highlight to see Mickey Mouse walking around and interacting with the guests. The new mascot lacks character and doesn't have the same appeal. It feels like a corporate decision to rebrand and it takes away from the authenticity and charm of the park. I hope they reconsider and bring back the beloved Mickey Mouse.

   3. Emily - 2 stars - The change in mascot at the theme park was a huge disappointment for me. Mickey Mouse is an iconic character that has brought joy to millions of people. The new mascot just doesn't have the same level of recognition and nostalgia. It feels like a missed opportunity to keep the magic alive. I understand that changes are sometimes necessary, but in this case, it was definitely a step in the wrong direction. I hope they reconsider and bring back the classic mascot.

   4. David - 1 star - Changing the mascot from Mickey Mouse was a terrible decision. The park has lost its identity and uniqueness. Mickey Mouse has been the face of that theme park for decades, and now they've replaced him with some generic and forgettable character. It feels like a betrayal to the loyal fans who have grown up with Mickey Mouse. I'm extremely disappointed and I have no desire to visit the park anymore. Bring back the magic, bring back Mickey!

   From the big screen to the sidelines: How mascots are making their mark in sports