The mascot cinematic universe is here
From masochistic marshmallows to a singing shark (plus a bonus that isn’t a mascot but should be)
I keep a folder of mascot examples that’s getting embarrassingly large. These four made the cut because they each nail something different about what makes character-driven branding work in 2026. No big framework today, just some really good work.
IKEA hired the Tiny Chef
The Tiny Chef, a 6.5-inch tall stop-motion creature that looks like a sentient pea in a chef hat, got cancelled by Nickelodeon in mid-2025 after winning a Children’s Emmy. The creators put out an SOS. Then IKEA showed up.
Three episodes follow Tiny Chef walking into an IKEA store looking for a spatula, finding a job application, and becoming an ambassador for their new falafel balls. It works because IKEA didn’t try to change what makes Tiny Chef special. They just gave him a new stage.
The character-brand fit is perfect. Tiny Chef is vegan, cooks plant-based meals, and radiates warmth. IKEA is pushing plant-rich eating. This isn’t a celebrity endorsement. It’s a brand adopting a character whose values already align with theirs.
The handmade stop-motion aesthetic stands out in a sea of slick AI content. Tiny Chef’s mumbling voice is instant sonic branding. Sometimes the most future-proof move is to go analogue.
Marcel says: “IKEA basically did a rescue adoption of a mascot. That’s not a campaign, that’s a brand universe crossover episode.”
Brita built an entire universe out of a water filter
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
A water filter brand has no business being this entertaining. Brita USA on TikTok has built a full brand universe: recurring characters, original songs, sonic branding, and a visual identity that’s hypnotizing.
The star is the Brita Shark, a green animated shark who sings hydration anthems like “At Least I’m Hydrated” (over a million likes on that one alone). But there’s also Brita Bot doing emo monologues about dehydration, a kawaii kitten, and a rotating cast that keeps the tone consistently weird.
The universe is complete. Visual consistency across characters and animations. Sonic branding with original songs people actually stream on Spotify. A tagline that became a lifestyle. And fan engagement where people draw fanart of a water filter mascot. 376K followers and 11.9M likes on TikTok. For a water filter.
Marcel says: “You don’t need to be a cool category to build a cool character. You just need to commit to being weird and never apologize for it.”
Jet-Puffed’s masochistic marshmallows
A marshmallow brand that hadn’t run a creative platform in almost 70 years just launched one. And it’s about marshmallows who love being tortured.
Kraft Heinz and GUT Miami created “Love ‘Em to Death” for Jet-Puffed, built around the insight that marshmallows exist to be stretched, squished, melted, and roasted alive. The characters are adorable and cheerful about their painful destiny. Unsettling and impossible to look away from.
They teased it with a Las Vegas Sphere takeover. But what interests me most is the collectibility angle. These characters have the kind of weird, sticky (pun intended) personality that makes you want a plushie on your desk. When more than half of people can’t name a marshmallow brand, you don’t need to be polished. You need friction.
Sweet characters meeting joyful demise. Dark humour in bright colours. Don’t give people what they expect. Give them something they can’t forget.
Marcel says: “Todd Kaplan moved from Pepsi to Kraft Heinz and immediately greenlit characters with a death wish. Respect.”
Shareman makes property tech feel human
This one’s quieter. Hymn, a Swiss design studio, created the identity for Shareman, a property tech platform by eeproperty that handles shared services like laundry rooms, EV charging, and solar energy.
The centrepiece is a simple hand character that acts as a “benevolent companion” through the digital experience. It guides users, turns instructions into conversations, and makes interactions feel warm instead of transactional. Three sub-brands (Wash, Charge, Shine) each feel distinct while unmistakably belonging to the same family.
No abstract building silhouettes. No cold minimalism. Just a character that’s calm, friendly, and works across every touchpoint, from smartphone screens to basement laundry room signage. Simple without being simplistic.
Hat tip to Jill Mathieu from Good Copy for flagging this one (and for all the other mascot gossip).
Marcel says: “This is proof that characters aren’t just for consumer brands going viral on TikTok. Even B2B property tech can feel human with the right mascot.”
Bonus: Marty Supreme is a brand building masterclass disguised as a movie campaign
This one isn’t a mascot. But the campaign A24 ran for Marty Supreme is the best case study in distinctive brand assets I’ve seen in years.
Marty Supreme: Josh Safdie’s ping pong drama starring Timothée Chalamet. An indie sports movie about a 1950s table tennis hustler. On paper, a nightmare to market. In reality, A24’s highest-grossing film ever at $149 million worldwide, nine Oscar nominations, and a cultural footprint most billion-dollar franchises would envy.
Distinctive codes, everywhere. They picked a corroded, rusted orange inspired by ping pong balls and committed completely. Chalamet pitched it in a fake leaked Zoom meeting, explicitly referencing how Barbie owned pink. Then they did it. Orange blimp over LA. The Sphere turned into a giant orange ping pong ball. Ping pong balls raining at Camp Flog Gnaw. Orange Wheaties boxes. One colour, relentlessly reinforced.
A character that owned it. Chalamet didn’t promote the movie. He became Marty. Talk show appearances flanked by suited men wearing giant ping pong balls as heads. Standing on top of the Sphere declaring “Marty Supreme, Christmas Day.” Cranking Soulja Boy in Brazil while volleying ping pong balls into the crowd. The character bled into real life so completely fans couldn’t tell where Chalamet ended and Marty began.
Viral fashion as brand asset. The $250 windbreaker became a cultural object. Seeded to Kendall Jenner, Kid Cudi, Tom Brady, Bill Nye, Ringo Starr. Pop-ups drew crowds so big the LAPD showed up. Merchandise as a distinctive code, not just revenue.
One message, repeated. “Marty Supreme. Christmas Day.” Every stunt, every appearance, every post. Byron Sharp 101: build mental availability through consistent, repeated codes. A24 did it for a movie better than most brands do it for products with unlimited shelf life.
The result? TikTok tributes still popping up (like this one from @kidondrej). Branded ping pong balls selling on eBay. The jacket is a collector’s item. A niche indie film about ping pong became inescapable.
If Chalamet ever gets tired of acting, he has a future in brand strategy.
Marcel says: “A24 turned an indie ping pong movie into the most distinctive brand launch of 2025. Meanwhile, most actual brands can’t even commit to a colour.”
Characters are everywhere if you’re paying attention
From sadistic marshmallows to a rescued puppet chef, from a singing shark to a helpful hand, and a ping pong movie that outbranded most actual brands, these are all very different executions. But they prove the same thing: characters and distinctive codes turn forgettable into unforgettable.
Whether you’re a 70-year-old marshmallow brand launching its first campaign, a furniture giant looking for the perfect ambassador, a water filter company that wants to be entertainment-first, or a property tech platform that wants to feel human, characters are your answer.
It’s a great time to be a mascot (builder).
Want to build your brand universe?
I help brands create character-driven engines powered by AI.
Book a 20-minute call | See examples
Subscribe to Marcel’s Lab - The only newsletter on building character-driven brands powered by AI. When content is infinite, characters are your moat.