Meet the 2010 Mascots: Miga, Quatchi, Sumi, Mumuk

[mr.x]

What will the mascot(s) be? an orca? the spirit bear? grizzly? raccooon?




Schoolchildren to be the first to meet the Vancouver 2010 mascots
Children’s launch celebration planned for November 27 in Surrey, British Columbia

November 6, 2007
VANOC Release

Vancouver, BC – Who are the mascots for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games? More than 800 schoolchildren will be the first to find out at a fun-filled event to be held in Surrey, BC, at the Bell Performing Arts Centre, on November 27. The rest of Canada and the world will also meet the mascots the same day through an interactive online mascot program launch at vancouver2010.com as well as /EDU, the site’s educational portal ( vancouver2010.com/edu).

“The mascot launch is a much-anticipated celebration leading up to the Games. The mascots will become cherished icons – especially for children – and symbols of our Games, our country and our moment on the world stage,” said John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). “They are a playful way to engage a young audience and increase their understanding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we hope they will spark excitement, laughter and cheers from children and adults alike.”

Attending this special event will be more than 800 children from grades three to five, representing eight schools in the 2010 Winter Games host region. Participating schools were selected with assistance from regional school trustees.

The introduction of the mascots is a major milestone on the road to the 2010 Winter Games. The mascots are a key component of any Games identity, always highly sought after for photos by children and Games enthusiasts. As ambassadors of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the mascots will make appearances across Canada immediately following their introduction, bringing fun and goodwill to events leading up to the start of the Games. At Games time, these captivating characters will offer a warm welcome to Olympians, Paralympians and visitors from around the world as they arrive in Vancouver and Whistler.

“The city of Surrey is proud to host the first-ever meeting with the Vancouver 2010 mascots,” said Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “We want to extend a warm welcome to everyone who will be here for this historic event. Surrey is pleased to support the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and we are delighted to share in this moment.”

While children are meeting the mascots in person for the first time, the mascots will be simultaneously introduced to the rest of Canada and the world via an online mascot program at vancouver2010.com. The program is projected to reach millions of children and adults before the 2010 Winter Games begin – both in Canada and around the world. vancouver2010.com will engage visitors through interactive web features including games, video, and stories about the mascot characters that will draw children of all ages into the excitement of the Games experience.

vancouver2010.com/edu, a portal dedicated to connecting teachers, students and schools across Canada while celebrating the spirit of the 2010 Winter Games, will also feature the mascots in its December e-magazine issue.

Since the first official mascot debuted at the Munich 1972 Summer Games, mascots have become popular and memorable symbols of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They help to educate by telling the unique story of the Games and are often a reflection of the history, land and culture of the host region and country. They also embody the ideals of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements, bringing to life the spirit of friendship, fair play and participation. Previous Games mascots can be viewed in the photo gallery at vancouver2010.com/mascot, where additional information about the search for the mascot artist can also be found.

Media will be invited to attend the launch of the mascots and a media advisory will be issued in the near future.

[Canadian Mind]

I'd think it would be cool if it were an orca and either a beaver, grizzle bear, or polar bear(in keeping with the northern theme). But we must have the orca, that is too west coast to be left out.

[hollywoodnorth]

I think it should be a homw=eless person addicted to heroin......that would be a cool mascot!

[MistyMountainHop]

Fin!

http://nhl.speedera.net/intheslot/read/mascots/images/fin226x295.jpg

[cornholio]

a beaver is probably going to be one of them because of Bells huge record sponsorship and their Beaver marketing campaign which kicked of right after they beat out Telus. I actualy wouldn't be surprised one bit if the mascots were two beavers. How ever a spirit bear is always a very strong possibility, and a orca is also possible though that would get a little to close to a Vancouver Canuck mascot so I kind of doubt VANOC would go for that because it would be a bad marketing move.

So I guess im going to say two Beavers.

[SFUVancouver]

My money is on the Spirit Bear. It's unique to BC and easy to anthropomorphize, certainly easier than a fish or whale. However most of the world will undoubtedly think its a polar bear, which would still be okay.

[mr.x]

a beaver is probably going to be one of them because of Bells huge record sponsorship and their Beaver marketing campaign which kicked of right after they beat out Telus. I actualy wouldn't be surprised one bit if the mascots were two beavers. How ever a spirit bear is always a very strong possibility, and a orca is also possible though that would get a little to close to a Vancouver Canuck mascot so I kind of doubt VANOC would go for that because it would be a bad marketing move.

So I guess im going to say two Beavers.

It won't be a beaver, that was the mascot for Montreal '76. And the mascot for Victoria '94 was the orca.

i'd have to go with SFU Vancouver, it'll probably include the spirit bear....think about it, the spirit bear is of B.C. origin and is an endangered species...it'd go well with VANOC's environmental promises.

[raggedy13]

Sea otters might do the trick. They're lovable and cuddly...

http://www.ridersofjustice.com/gallery/2003-04/2003-04-29/106-0631_IMG.jpg

[SFUVancouver]

Whatever it will be we must sell t-shirts proclaiming it to be The BEST MASCOT ON EARTH!

[Fairbanks]

I think they should be invisible...they'd be easy and cheap to make and then we could sell them for alot of money. They could be the "Super Natural BC" Mascots.

[mr.x]

Hyper-hush surrounds 2010 Games mascots 'til Tuesday

Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Published: Saturday, November 24, 2007

On Tuesday, the biggest Olympic secret since Vanoc's unveiling of its Inukshuk logo two years ago will be revealed when the mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are made public.

The drama has been building. Websites and blogs have been speculating on what inevitably cuddly, cute creatures the Vancouver Organizing Committee has come up with.

What's at stake is an indelible image Vanoc wants recognized around the world, representative of British Columbia and Canada. They want mascots that will tie children and youth into the Olympic movement and to the Winter Games.

They also expect the mascots to drive their marketing and licence revenues.

On Wednesday morning licensees will stock stores with every manner of mascot-branded toy, clothing and trinket.

There has already been a frenzy among memorabilia collectors who have tried to get tickets to the unveiling at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey. Some have gone so far as to ask reporters if they can work as their assistants.

In response, hyper-secrecy has been the order of the day; Vanoc has kept details off Internet-enabled computers and hidden them from search engines that scour patent and trademark databases around the world.

Vanoc has kept most of its staff in the dark. Only slightly more than a dozen employees and executives, the design team and a few close-mouthed sponsors who needed to develop pin designs know the details. Even people working with the design team who don't need access to the images haven't been shown them.

Vanoc is even reluctant to take reporters' calls about the design and process. The launch, as Dave Cobb, Vanoc's executive vice-president of marketing and communications, says, is one of the signature events in the run-up to the Games, and the principle of "loose lips sink ships" has been practised to high art form.

In one unintended hint, Vanoc CEO John Furlong once referred to the mascots in a speech as "critters." We also know that the winning submission came from a pair of graphic designers, location unknown, whose bid was among 178 submissions professional designers made to Vanoc last September.

So, with all that in mind, what else is known about the mascots?

Well, there are at least two -- one for the Olympics and one for the Paralympics. There might possibly be more, but Vanoc won't say if it is following in the steps of other Games committees that have chosen multiple mascots.

They will also have two legs. They have to, in order for humans to operate them. Even if they are, speculatively speaking, four-legged sea otters or Vancouver Island marmots, two-finned beluga whales or a first nations-inspired thunderbird with wings.

Will they be uniquely identifiable as British Columbian? After all, even Premier Gordon Campbell has weighed in, suggesting the white kermode bear of B.C.'s central coast would be appropriate.

Vanoc is keeping mum. But Ali Gardiner, Vanoc's director of brand and creative services, does say the winning designs are ones that Canadians will adopt as their own and yet have regional characteristics that people in any province can accept.

"A good mascot can help reveal a side of your country and tell a story of the Games that will really appeal to children, and also to adults and youth."

Most importantly they will have character. Vanoc has spent a lot of time developing the back story for each mascot, testing them with groups of children around North America. It was fairly easy to find what Gardiner called "the magic factor."

"There were a lot of concepts that were popular, but there were a few we could tell really just captured peoples' imaginations," she said. "You would hear them talking about them as if they were a family member or friend."

Vanoc winnowed through more than 20 concepts. The names and images were also screened for unintended meanings in all the world's languages and cultures.

It's a task Fraser Bullock, the former CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake Games, says is critical if the committee wants to avoid a cultural disaster.

"You have to run all the traps so that you don't offend a culture or a country with a name you didn't realize had a different meaning," he said.

Bullock, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee's Vancouver Coordination Commission, said he hasn't seen Vanoc's designs.

Mascots are supposed to be something that "ties to the culture, to the land, something about your community, province or state," said Bullock. For example, Salt Lake created three mascots, Powder (a hare), Copper (coyote), and Coal (a bear) that represented the Olympic motto of Citius, Altius, Fortius, or Faster, Higher, Stronger, as well as snow and the two primary resources of Utah.

"What we were trying to accomplish was to create greater affiliation with the Games, and at the same time tie it to our local identity," he said. Vanoc is not giving any hints about the form or type, other than to say that they won't be fantastic creations of the mind that have no connection to animals, minerals or elements.

In the history of the Olympics and Paralympics, only the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games ventured into the realm of the fantastic, creating a mascot out of nothing, an amorphous blue blob that even its creators had trouble defining. They even settled on a name, "Whatizit," which became shortened to "Izzy," while wags wanted to call it "Whoneedzit" and "Getridofit."

Gardiner smiled ruefully when asked if she's prepared for the inevitable satirization of the mascots. Satire will only get people talking about the mascots, and that's not a bad idea, she said.

"Oh, we kind of expect that to happen. We try to not make that too easy," she said. "But I don't expect it will be more than five minutes before something is on the Internet."

jefflee@png.canwest.com

OLYMPIC MASCOTS -- FRIENDLY, POPULAR, OR NOT

Ask a dozen people which Olympic mascots they like, and risk getting a dozen different answers. But there are some images that have gone down in history as either the most favoured, or the most disliked.

- The 1992 Barcelona Summer Games may not rank as the most memorable, but it seems its mascot, Cobi the dog, is.

Cobi is repeatedly cited by designers, organizing committees and creative directors as hitting the "sweet spot" with people. With its Picassoesque face and cheeky attitude, it became such a beloved character that on the 10th anniversary of the Games it was still revered as an idol, according to Ali Gardiner, Vanoc's director of brand and creative services.

- At the other end of the spectrum is Izzy, the blue mythic creature picked by the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games organizers. Although it sold well in stores, it didn't garner much respect. Even Simpsons creator Matt Groening described Izzy to Sports Illustrated as a "bad marriage of the Pillsbury Doughboy and the ugliest California Raisin."

- The first official Olympic mascot was Waldi the dachshund of the 1972 Munich Summer Games. But the first unofficial one was "Schuss," a man on skis, which debuted at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games.

- Canada weighed in with the second official mascot, Amik the beaver, in 1976 in Montreal. Twelve years later, Calgary broke new ground with the introduction of Hidy and Howdy, a pair of polar bears, the first multiple mascots, and gender-specific at that.

- The 2008 Beijing Games have moved to a new level with the creation of five Olympic ring-coloured mascots. Called the Friendlies, they represent four animals (fish, panda bear, Tibetan antelope, swallow) and the Olympic flame.

- In 2006, Turin, Italy, was the first Olympic Games to use mascots that weren't animals or human beings. Neve was a snowball and Gliz an ice cube. Their Paralympic partner was Aster, the one-legged snowflake.

In the history of mascots, parody is a matter of fact. Turin's mascots were turned into political and risque objects by artists around the world. And Australians poked fun of their three Sydney 2000 mascots, Olly, Syd and Millie (a kookaburra, platypus and echidna) with the creation of Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat, an unofficial mascot that quickly became more popular.


© The Vancouver Sun 2007

[raggedy13]

Not long to wait now. Wonder how these mascots will go down in Olympic history.

[zivan56]

Well they already ruined the official logo...I hope they don't do the same with this again.

[mr.x]

Well they already ruined the official logo...I hope they don't do the same with this again.

it's not that bad, it just takes time to get used to and it's pretty unique - in a good way....it certainly is nothing like the monstrosity that is the London 2012 logo.

i think we will be pleased with these mascots.

[mr.x]

Today's the day!


They will be unveiled at 10:30 AM PST, and it will likely be live on CTV Newsnet, CBC Newsworld, and possibly Sportsnet and TSN.

This is going to be a busy day for VANOC, as later that day they will also be unveiling their plans for the Cultural Olympiad.




No laughing matter
By BOB MACKIN, 24 HOURS

Will it be the raven, the creator and trickster according to aboriginal legends? Could it be the hoary marmot, the rodent that put the whistle in Whistler? Should it be the spirit bear, the province's official mammal?

We will find out this morning if Vancouver 2010 chose all, some or none of the above as mascots of the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Whichever critters VANOC unveils before schoolchildren and the media at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey, they will symbolize not only the 2010 Games but Vancouver to the world. VANOC is banking on mascot pins, hats, T-shirts and dolls to help it fetch $46 million in souvenir sales.

The search for designers and designs began last fall. VANOC has worked covertly to avoid the embarrassing leak that pre-empted the April 2005 launch of the controversial Ilanaaq the inukshuk logo.

"We do take some precautions and are careful," said VANOC executive vice-president of revenue, marketing and communication Dave Cobb. "Our focus isn't so much on keeping it secret as it is making sure we have a good show, good launch event and people see who the mascots are."

Grenoble 1968's skier Schuss and Munich 1972's Waldi the dachshund were the Olympics' first mascots. Montreal 1976 followed with Amik the beaver. Moscow 1980's Misha the bear was the first life-sized, walking mascot. Lake Placid 1980's real raccoon Rocky died and was replaced with the fake Roni. The Disney-designed Sam the Eagle was a symbol of the Olympics' new era at Los Angeles 1984.

"The pattern of commercialization of the mascots parallels that of the Olympics and this really took place in the post-1976 era," said Prof. Kevin Wamsley of the University of Western Ontario's International Centre for Olympic Studies.

Whatever Vancouver's mascots are, they must be simple to succeed, said Ted Giannoulas, the San Diego Chicken. He called Atlanta 1996's blue fantasy figure Izzy one of the "great faux pas" in mascot history.

"Don't put a mean face, maybe have an edge to it, but nothing grinning its teeth," Giannoulas said. "Leave the game face to the players."

The new critters on the block will automatically take top spot on the podium of Vancouver mascots until their scheduled spring 2010 retirement. They'll join the Canucks' Fin the orca, fraternal twin of the Whitecaps' "aquabird" Winger and cousin of Klee Wyck, the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games' whale. Unlike Fin and Winger, Leo the Lion and Jack the Giant are docile. All four of them combined couldn't match the energy of long-gone Super Grizz. The Vancouver Grizzlies' flying, slam-dunking mascot was like a bear on steroids. Van Raven, of pro lacrosse's dormant Vancouver Ravens, was equally pumped. Robot Expo Ernie briefly emerged from storage last year for the 20th anniversary of Expo 86. But there's a reason why most mascots are animals, not things.

"It's something you can animate easily," said Simon Fraser University marketing professor Lindsay Meredith. "It's something that you can make effective advertising, it's something that will catch kids' eyes as well as adults."

[Hed Kandi]

/

[Delirium]

i doubt it would be the spirit bear because calgary had two polar bears for their mascot back in '88. it's too similar.

the sea otter is a good one. they tend to always be in "pairs" and given their incredible success on Youtube (that video from the aquarium), people love them. Plus they already look like a mascot and children adore them.
my vote for goes for the otter!

[Canadian Mind]

lol, someone would think it's a ferret on steroids. XD

[deasine]

http://members.shaw.ca/clauf/001.JPG

[deasine]

i completely ignored focus, sorry for blury pic... and it doesn't look bad... i think they're cute

[Nutterbug]

I thought it was going to be a living, moving Inukshuk with a face on it.

[mr.x]

Here they are!
http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20071127/450_mascots_0711273.jpg

Watch the mascot animation video: http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/en/meet.php



Meet Miga the Sea Bear, Quatchi the Sasquatch, and Sumi, the Thunderbird

Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Meet Miga the Sea Bear, Quatchi the Sasquatch, and Sumi, the Thunderbird.

Along with a virtual sidekick, Mukmuk the Vancouver Island Marmot, who will never make an appearance in the flesh, these are mascots the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizers hope will be adopted and adored by thousands of children around the world.

Vanoc unveiled a combination of British Columbia animals, an aboriginal mythic creature and a long sought-after half-man Tuesday as the flagbearers for its Olympic program, and in doing so joined a long list of organizing committees that have used cute and cuddly as the benchmarks for successful mascots.

None of the three mascots actually exist in real life: Miga the Sea Bear is a combination of an orca and a bear. Sumi, the Paralympic mascot, is a Thunderbird but looks more like a bear with wings.

And Quatchi is the first Sasquatch in history to actually make an appearance before human beings.

As for Mukmuk, it's actually the only real animal. But Vanoc says it isn't really a mascot and will only make appearances on its website.

The mascots are the creation of Vancouver graphic designers Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy, who own Meomi Design. Vanoc says that although the two provided more than 20 different concepts, it was Quatchi, Miga and Sumi that they first proposed and which were selected as winning designs.

Vanoc's much-anticipated mascots made their first appearances in Surrey at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in front of 800 school children, starting with a cartoon showing how Quatchi and Miga meet in the forests of British Columbia and then encounter Sumi at Whistler.

Vanoc says Miga is a sea bear "inspired by the legends of the Pacific Northwest First Nations, tales of orca whales that transform into bears when they first arrive on land."

Quatchi, according to Vanoc spokeswoman Renee Smith-Valade, became the instant hit with boys, while Miga resonates more with girls. Quatchi "reminds us of the mystery and wonder that exist in the natural world," Vanoc said.

And Sumi is an animal spirit whose name comes from the Salish word "Sumesh", meaning 'guardian spirit."

[Bigtime]

I want to pound a case of Kokanee with the Sasquatch, anybody else?

[Canadian Mind]

Wouldn't mind, you know Kokanee is going to try to market the Sasquatch character.

[Mike K.]

I'm glad pokemon inspired something.

[bils]

http://www.bilsproductions.com/mascots.jpg

a brown guy, a white dude, and an asian chick

[mr.x]

i have to say i quite like them....don't forget that they were aimed at children, so the toys coming out today should be a seller this Christmas.

[SpongeG]

lol the people are revolting at the ctv news story

they hate them

awww

they are cute

bizarre and odd and stupid perhaps but cute

from tsn.ca

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20071127/mascots_49464.jpg


from cbc.ca

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourview/bc/images/all.jpg
Sumi, Quatchi, and Miga are the official mascots for the 2010 Olympic Games. (Image courtesy of VANOC)

[zivan56]

it's not that bad, it just takes time to get used to and it's pretty unique - in a good way....it certainly is nothing like the monstrosity that is the London 2012 logo.

i think we will be pleased with these mascots.

As I predicted, they butchered it again.
These drawings look like they are for the Pyeongchang 2010 bid as I mentioned on SSC.

[mr.x]

http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/images/desk_flags_1024x768.jpg

http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/images/desk_group_1024x768.jpg

http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/images/desk_sports_1024x768.jpg

[SpongeG]

omg there is gonna be a riot

lol

people are pissed

why? its just a mascot

haha

over 128 haters at cbc.ca and global is reading emails on the noon news and they are all negative and ctv.ca comments are pretty much all hating

[zivan56]

^^ Because it represent nothing in BC. Neither does the official logo.
The Paraolympic logo is the only one that comes close...

[HomeInMyShoes]

So, from top to bottom Miga, Sumi, Quatchi. Mythical First Nations sea bear, an animal gauardian spirit, and a sasquatch. Cool. Sasquatch. Anyone including bigfoot/sasquatch/yeti gets a thumbs up from me.

They get a merchandiseable cute vote from me.

[Canadian Mind]

anyone else find it rather disturbing that a bear and a whale had to do it in order to produce Miga?

[SpongeG]

i don't get the obsession with spirit bears - have i been missing out?

lol

almost all the bad comments are whining that it should have been a spirit bear

[Bigtime]

I'm down with their sidekick Mukmuk, he seems pretty chill. :cool:

[mr.x]

omg there is gonna be a riot

lol

people are pissed

why? its just a mascot

haha

over 128 haters at cbc.ca and global is reading emails on the noon news and they are all negative and ctv.ca comments are pretty much all hating

those people are just losers...

what's not to love? and how do they not represent BC??? they're all BC animals.

[LeftCoaster]

I dont mind them... although I think they should have just gone with the sasquatch as the main guy and the other little guys as his sidekicks. I like the asian influence, as this city's culture and success are strongly asian influenced. I still would have liked to see a spirit bear too though, it would have been a fantastic oppertunity to showcase the plight of the spirit bear, and help raise funds for its protection.

[mr.x]

What the hell are they??

a thunderbird, a sasquatch, a orca, and a vancouver island marmot.

[zivan56]

those people are just losers...

what's not to love? and how do they not represent BC??? they're all BC animals.

Two of the animals are not even real! I would argue who the losers are, considering all the negative feedback.

The fact is 99% of people who see these characters will either thing it's for Beijing 2008 or that it's something unrelated to the Olympics that local stores are selling.
Why on earth would someone visiting here during the Olympics actually buy this as a souvenir? It has nothing to even imply BC, much less Vancouver. Nobody will even know what the whale mutant creature is, or the thunderbird; leaving the Sasquatch as the only thing remotely identifiable to Joe Blow (the marmot will probably be identified as a beaver or something by people)
Overall, a huge blunder...

[crazyjoeda]

I like them, but they are kinda dumb.

Lets see we have a mutated whale-bear, a retarded sasquatch and I don't even know, is the third one some kind of bear that can fly of something? It looks like they went with a world first Asian meets Native design. They made an interesting choice to have one of the mascots be a paralympic athlete.

As far as the over all design goes I think that they did a good job. Anyone who knows anything about design knows that you can not design something that will have universal approval. A designer needs to design for the context. In this case the context is a stuffed animal for children that show cases the diversity of Canada and the Olympic and Paralympic games. I think that it would be a difficult design challenge. They could have just done what everyone was expecting and created a white spirit bear, but that would not have been unique. I am sure that these mascots will go over well with children and that is the target audience.

[bils]

dudes.

they're mascots. they're for kids. they represent vancouver. what's all the fuss about! :shrug:

[mr.x]

Two of the animals are not even real! I would argue who the losers are, considering all the negative feedback.

The fact is 99% of people who see these characters will either thing it's for Beijing 2008 or that it's something unrelated to the Olympics that local stores are selling.
Why on earth would someone visiting here during the Olympics actually buy this as a souvenir? It has nothing to even imply BC, much less Vancouver. Nobody will even know what the whale mutant creature is, or the thunderbird; leaving the Sasquatch as the only thing remotely identifiable to Joe Blow (the marmot will probably be identified as a beaver or something by people)
Overall, a huge blunder...

You're suppose to use your imagination...and that's what VANOC has done. They appease to children, and that's what really matters...which should mean big sales for the merchandise for Christmas. The main targets of Olympic mascots are the kids...not for people like you and me.

I'd hold that thought if you look at what past host cities did:



Beijing
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image0.jpg


Torino
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image1.jpg


Athens
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image2.jpg


Salt Lake
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image3.jpg


Sydney
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image4.jpg


Nagano
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image5.jpg


Atlanta
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image6.jpg


Albertville
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image8.jpg

[crazyjoeda]

Two of the animals are not even real! I would argue who the losers are, considering all the negative feedback.

The fact is 99% of people who see these characters will either thing it's for Beijing 2008 or that it's something unrelated to the Olympics that local stores are selling.
Why on earth would someone visiting here during the Olympics actually buy this as a souvenir? It has nothing to even imply BC, much less Vancouver. Nobody will even know what the whale mutant creature is, or the thunderbird; leaving the Sasquatch as the only thing remotely identifiable to Joe Blow (the marmot will probably be identified as a beaver or something by people)
Overall, a huge blunder...

So what would you do??

[bils]

Why on earth would someone visiting here during the Olympics actually buy this as a souvenir? It has nothing to even imply BC, much less Vancouver. Nobody will even know what the whale mutant creature is, or the thunderbird; leaving the Sasquatch as the only thing remotely identifiable to Joe Blow (the marmot will probably be identified as a beaver or something by people)
Overall, a huge blunder...

i don't think any kid gives a fuck whether a toy represents BC, or whether whale mutant creature is real. in fact when they ask their parents what it is, and they realize it's a whale mutant creature they'll think it's all the more cool.

thumbs up to the mascots! :banana:

[zivan56]

So what would you do??

A bear, racoon, harbour seal, sea gull..anything easily recognizable and common to lower mainland and Vancouver. As someone commented on the news, a can of Kokanee beer would better represent us than the current ones. Just because it's not pretty, doesn't mean it's not a candidate.
All the previous ones mr.x2 listed look better than this, except the Beijing ones, due to so many characters.

[mr.x]

i don't think any kid gives a fuck whether a toy represents BC, or whether whale mutant creature is real. in fact when they ask their parents what it is, and they realize it's a whale mutant creature they'll think it's all the more cool.

thumbs up to the mascots! :banana:

....i should also point out the unveiling was filled with 800 cheering school children....that's who their target is.

[mr.x]

A bear, racoon, harbour seal, sea gull..anything easily recognizable and common to lower mainland and Vancouver. As someone commented on the news, a can of Kokanee beer would better represent us than the current ones. Just because it's not pretty, doesn't mean it's not a candidate.
All the previous ones mr.x2 listed look better than this, except the Beijing ones, due to so many characters.

really??? millions of VANOC's revenues rely on merchandise sales, and i can say HBC's clothing line isn't doing so well right now. however, these mascot merchandise will sell very well as they appease to kids - and that's what matters.
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image1.jpg
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image2.jpg
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image5.jpg
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image6.jpg
http://images.ctv.ca/gallery/photo/olympic_mascots_20071127/image8.jpg

[zivan56]

^^ IMHO yes.

i don't think any kid gives a fuck whether a toy represents BC, or whether whale mutant creature is real. in fact when they ask their parents what it is, and they realize it's a whale mutant creature they'll think it's all the more cool.

thumbs up to the mascots! :banana:

The majority of people that buy these keep them as a souvenir of the games. Sure some will but it for their kids, but most people that come to Olympic games actually buy it to show that they went to the games and to have a souvenir.
What will they be buying if not this? Pins? The only thing I have from the 1984 Winter Olympics is 2 mascots and a book..what else would I have bought as a reminder?

[bils]

zivan, by stating that any of the previous mascots are better than ours.... you have officially disqualified yourself from further debate :haha:

[mr.x]

zivan, by stating that any of the previous mascots are better than ours.... you have officially disqualified yourself from further debate :haha:

i second that too.:koko: :haha: :cheers:

[crazyjoeda]

A bear, racoon, harbour seal, sea gull..anything easily recognizable and common to lower mainland and Vancouver. As someone commented on the news, a can of Kokanee beer would better represent us than the current ones. Just because it's not pretty, doesn't mean it's not a candidate.
All the previous ones mr.x2 listed look better than this, except the Beijing ones, due to so many characters.


So more like anything unoriginal or that could represent anything.
I would have been extremely disappointed if our mascot was a raccoon or a sea gull!

I think are mascots rock! Maybe a can of beer would represent the Olympics if they were being held in a trailer park. Our mascots are defiantly the best ones on the list Mr.X posted.

[zivan56]

Oh no, just because 2 of them are not proper anti-aliased and are bad image file quality they surely can't be as good as out glossy, rendered critters. :rolleyes:
In terms of representing something, ours is at the bottom. I would rather take Izzy and a childs drawing than what we got today...
As for unoriginal, I'd rather have than any day compared to sci-fi stuff.

[Bigtime]

So more like anything unoriginal or that could represent anything.
I would have been extremely disappointed if our mascot was a raccoon or a sea gull!

I think are mascots rock! Maybe a can of beer would represent the Olympics if they were being held in a trailer park. Our mascots are defiantly the best ones on the list Mr.X posted.

Did Mr.X leave out Calgary's Hidy & Howdy on purpose then? :D

Once again I'm down with Mukmuk, I think some sort of Facebook Mukmuk fan club needs to be started ASAP. He is just the epitome of chill :cool:

[bils]

zivan, explain to me how ***any*** of the previous mascots represent their host cities to any greater extent than ours does?

i mean, frigg, our mascots look like one brown guy, one white dude, and an asian chick. it doesn't get more representative than that my friend.

[\/^~<0(_)\/{9]

With the exception of the thunderbird one, I'm maybe not a huge fan of the presenation of them, but I think the idea behind them all is an excellent choice to represent BC. Way better than the logo.


a sea gull? gimme a break....

[Canadian Mind]

lol, who doesn't like a shithawk?

maybe a golden or bald eagle would have been a better bird representation.

anyways, I see sasquatch has boots. should outfit him with a flannel doe-skin and a chainsaw; now thats west coast!

[zivan56]

Mythical creatures? Give me a break...or pass the joint then I may agree with you.

zivan, explain to me how ***any*** of the previous mascots represent their host cities to any greater extent than ours does?

i mean, frigg, our mascots look like one brown guy, one white dude, and an asian chick. it doesn't get more representative than that my friend.

Well most of them represented something well known: people. I would be ok with it if it was "one brown guy, one white dude, and an asian chick" at least it would represent Vancouver.

[cjohnny4]

Which mascot is most like you? Take the quiz!

Turns out that Quatchie and I are homeys! YAY!!!!

http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/en/game_mascotquiz.php

[mr.x]

^ Sumi.

[Canadian Mind]

Which mascot is most like you? Take the quiz!

Turns out that Quatchie and I are homeys! YAY!!!!

http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/en/game_mascotquiz.php

miga, wtf? lol

[vitc]

I like them - in terms of marketability they are dead on. And yes, most people will buy them for kids - the kids love them. The point of the mascots is to be a revenue generator. They appeal to kids and adult kids. The asians will buy them like crazy and frankly any tourist will most likely think they are cute. They did a great job. And Zivan - chill out dude - they are toys. Loosen up a bit.

[Bigtime]

Which mascot is most like you? Take the quiz!

Turns out that Quatchie and I are homeys! YAY!!!!

http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/en/game_mascotquiz.php

I got Quatchie, I'm pissed that Mukmuk isn't an option! DAMN YOU VANCOUVER 2010!! :P

[Distill3d]

I'd think it would be cool if it were an orca...But we must have the orca, that is too west coast to be left out.

i think the canucks logo is too much orca for me thanks. its over doing it.

i like the idea of a sasquatch, a spirit, and a sea bear. i cant wait to get myself a stuffed Quatchi doll.

[zivan56]

They did a great job. And Zivan - chill out dude - they are toys. Loosen up a bit.

I have no problem with them being "cutened" up for a toy model. However, they aren't meant to be toys...rather, a symbol to represent the Olympic games in Vancouver.
From Wikipedia:

Since the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France the Olympic Games have had a mascot, usually an animal native to the area or occasionally human figures representing the cultural heritage. The first major mascot in the Olympic Games was Misha in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Misha was used extensively during the opening and closing ceremonies, had a TV animated cartoon and appeared on several merchandise products. Nowadays, most of the merchandise aimed at young people focuses on the mascots, rather than the Olympic flag or organization logos.


Sadly, commercialism has taken over even the most ancient of traditions.

[SpongeG]

those people are just losers...

what's not to love? and how do they not represent BC??? they're all BC animals.

i know

but reading the comments and hearing them on TV my gawds people relax and enjoy :cheers:

and people complaing about them not being real :koko: torino and a snowball and an ice cube - like thats more real? :shrug:

[MistyMountainHop]

The marmot is the coolest one. The sasquatch is pretty awesome too. I guess they chose a sea bear instead of an orca so they wouldn't get sued by the Canucks.

[SpongeG]

lol, who doesn't like a shithawk?

maybe a golden or bald eagle would have been a better bird representation.

anyways, I see sasquatch has boots. should outfit him with a flannel doe-skin and a chainsaw; now thats west coast!

bald eagles represent America or USA in most people heads i think though

[SpongeG]

i ended up being sumi

[mr.x]

Visit Meomi's website, the creators of the mascots. You can see it's clearly their style of work.
http://www.meomi.com/

[SpongeG]

the more hate i read the more i love them

[raggedy13]

i cant wait to get myself a stuffed Quatchi doll.

I second that. I think they turned out way better than I originally expected.

Zivan56, I don't know how you can say they don't represent BC. A Sasquatch or a thunderbird is way more unique to BC than something like a seagull, which exist all over the world. And why does a mascot have to represent an actual animal? Mixing native animals with folklore and Native legend is way more unique and representational of more aspects of BC than just native fauna.

As for the style I think they're great. The Asian influence is once again representational of Vancouver as well. It seems to me that you would prefer mascots that perpetuate more internationally stereotypic Vancouver/Canadian views, zivan56. These mascots provide an opportunity for the world to learn things about us that they didn't previously know. Of course you don't have to like them but I just don't understand the logic behind your reasoning.

Another reason I'm glad they weren't just regular animals is that they have way more personality and character this way. Look at the mascots for Sydney, they're just normal animals standing up like humans. What about them is supposed to attract me to them or want to learn about Australia? Our mascots have charisma. And their style is quite pleasant to the eye, warm, and friendly. There's something for everyone. They'll be both a cultural and marketing success no matter what local opposition there is to them.

[bbeliko]

quatchi is the cutest

[mezzanine]

The Sanrio twist is kawaii - I think they have a merchandising hit.

who will win in a cute contest - quatchi or mukmuk?

[giallo]

Wow! They really killed it. These are awesome mascots. I've just showed them to some of my coworkers (the women) here in Shanghai and they love them...I mean they're really crazy over them. Actually, they think they are way better than Beijing's mascots, and they want me to pick some up for them when I go back to Vancouver this summer.
What's not to like? They're cute, clean and internationally appealing. I thought it was going to be a typical Vancouver decision ie. likeable, but bland.

These will be huge sellers.

[cjohnny4]

My friend was asking me why I thought they chose three mascots. If you watch the video ( http://mash.zincroe.com/mascot/en/meet.php ) along with the audio and listen carefully to the mascots' voices you will notice that Miga clearly sounds female, Quatchi clearly sounds male, and Sumi is ambiguous. Wow...the creators even made the mascots diverse: male, female, and androgynous! Someone should start a poll thread: Sumi--male, female or both? Haha... :banana:

[nikw]

theyre better than i thought they would be...not so bad...but they definately arent amazing.

[mr.x]

YouTube video of the mascot promotion video:
OB5dDE_PD34

[Jarrod]

I think they're great! Perfect for children, which they're meant for. Hell of a lot better than that stupid Atlanta one... These ones are awesome

[clooless]

The Sasquatch is cool, but would it have killed them make the Thunderbird/bear/whatever the hell actually identifiable as a bird and the Orca, well, actually an Orca? The mascots have all the hallmarks of design by committee.

On the bright side I think our mascots are better in comparison to those from previous Olympics, but the competition is weak. What fark is up with the mascots from Nagano and Athens? Even Salt Lake's mascots, generic as they are, give me a weird Happy Tree Friends vibe.

[Rusty Gull]

Is it me, or does Miga have a strong resemblance to the Qoo character from Japan (the cute but mischief-making mascot for the Japanese soft drink).

http://bbnews.jp/archives/img/qoo_pic.gif

[clooless]

Opposition Leader not totally opposed

Nov, 27 2007 - 11:50 PM

VICTORIA/CKNW(AM980) - NDP Leader Carole James isn't sure yet if she likes the new Olympic mascots, "Well, I'm not sure. I wonder if they'll grow on people. Certainly they're there for kids and so I'll be interested in hearing children's opinions. But, like many people, I wanna take a look at them. Right now I'm not feeling warm and fuzzy about them. But I'll wanna take a look, I'll wanna take some time."

Source: CKNW.com

Ha! Carole James just can't come out and say she likes the mascots. What a joke. Anything to criticize the Olympics, and by extension, Gordon Campbell and the Liberals.

I freaking hate that bitch. God help us is she ever becomes premier...

[cornholio]

great choice and im sure they will sell. im glad that the choice didn't become a political one like in many other past Olympics where dumbass politicians force through stuff that is unmarketable and unsellable.

too those that are complaining, come on get a grip. these things are aimed at children and it would look like they did a great job, in fact there was absolutely no market research for adults and all the market research was for children of various ages. so if you don't like them, tough, no one cares, and certainly VANOC doesn't care about your opinion, but when your kid, or grand kid or whatever asks for you to buy them one then think back to when you were fuming over them.

[cornholio]

The Sasquatch is cool, but would it have killed them make the Thunderbird/bear/whatever the hell actually identifiable as a bird and the Orca, well, actually an Orca? The mascots have all the hallmarks of design by committee.

On the bright side I think our mascots are better in comparison to those from previous Olympics, but the competition is weak. What fark is up with the mascots from Nagano and Athens? Even Salt Lake's mascots, generic as they are, give me a weird Happy Tree Friends vibe.

the sea bear has fins instead of hands and a fin on its head. the thunderbird has wings in stead of hands. i think its close enough, though i hear what yuor saying, but then again anymore tinkering would have taken away from their appeal. After all fish forms and bird forms are not usually the big sellers, though anything that resembles a human form usually is as it has a advantage of using our subconscious/instincts to bond with it, and obviously kids are more susceptible to this and they are aimed at them. just look at stuffed animals for kids and see which ones are the hot sellers. or better yet take a kid to a aisle with a bunch of stuffed animals and ask them to choose one, i guarantee i could predict every time which ones wont be picked.

[Bigtime]

who will win in a cute contest - quatchi or mukmuk?

Mukmuk, hands down. He's got the freaking "#1" Foam glove man! :tup:

[twoNeurons]

They're super cool. (And looks like they use Apple computers).
http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot/images/desk_group_1024x768.jpg

[Rusty Gull]

Yeah, it looks like they're using a MacBook Pro. At any rate, it's a nice image to set as a background. I always wanted cute anime characters on my desktop background, but now I have an excuse in the name of "civic pride"!

[SpongeG]

i put the one background on at work :)

they went on sale today at the Bay and Zellers seems to be selling pretty well already according to noon news (seemed quatchi was the big seller looking at what people were buying anyway)

the Bay as an exclusivity deal until the end of December 2007 after that any stores can ask to sell them or use them

[mr.x]

i was at the Bay at around noon, a whole shelf of Miga toys had already gone and quite a few Quatchi and Sumi toys were also gone. I was surprised by the good quality....Quatchi was awesome, and huge....but expensive, $40. The other two go at $30.

There were a lot of people checking out the stuff and the new mascot clothes. Quite a bit of media presence and HBC staff presence as well...Channel M and Global were there.

[mr.x]

Quatchi mascot the runaway fave
The Bay orders more toys; reports sales brisk on first day of sales

Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, November 28, 2007

VANCOUVER - Quatchi the sasquatch is the runaway favourite, as far as adults who lined up today to buy the new 2010 Olympic and Paralympic mascots are concerned.

With virtually no children in sight, adults were the curious ones who headed to The Bay store in Vancouver to get their Olympic Christmas shopping done. What they found was 800 toys, along with countless pieces of clothing and books, stacked in displays just inside the store's doors.

When faced with the multiple choice question of which fuzzy toy to buy - Quatchi, Miga the black sea-bear, or Sumi, the helmeted thunderbird - most shoppers went for the sasquatch.

They also didn't seem to be put off by the relatively high price of the toys, although many said they didn't like the idea it would cost them nearly $100 just for the three smallest mascots and an accompanying book.

By noon, all sizes of Quatchi were outselling Miga two-to-one. Sumi, the Paralympic mascot, trailed far behind.

But sales of all were so brisk that Bill Stanbury, the store's director, had to order another 1,000 toys at noon. And he had offers on the three large display mascots, leading the manufacturer to consider developing a new line in time for Christmas.

"I'm a little nervous that we won't have enough," Stanbury said. "This is the Games. It's the first big sort of retail piece of the Games, and if you look at any of Games over the last 15 or 20 years, the mascots have done very well."

The toys, produced by Burnaby-based Northern Gifts, are priced at $25 to $40, with a set including the $15 mascot storybook, running customers $95 to $115 plus tax.

Repeating a trend that developed Tuesday when the mascots were unveiled in Surrey, adults were divided over the choice of designs.

Christine Phillips loved them. She came into the store at noon to pick up some for her children, who she said haven't seen the designs yet.

"I think they're great," she said. "I have two children and there are three [mascots]. I might have to put one on my desk. I love them. I think they are great, they were a good choice, even though we were expecting more of a whale or the spirit bear."

But Jacqui Kipping said: "I think they're hideous. I wouldn't know what to do with them if somebody gave me one."

Jony Li said she was buying some for a friend's children. But she said she liked them so much she'd want to curl up on a couch with one of them and her kittens.

"I know there is a different response from adults. Some say they look like Japanese cultural characters," Li said, adding that the price wasn't too high for what she considered a unique souvenir. "It is once in a lifetime. There will not be a second chance to hold the Olympics in Vancouver."

The Bay, one of the Vancouver Olympics' premier sponsors, will be the exclusive retailer until Dec. 31.

[Fairbanks]

This link shows you a pic of the Beijing Mascots for 2008

http://www.geckoandfly.com/wp-conten...ascot_2008.jpg

Three of these bear striking similarities to our own 2010 Mascots.

It's truly disappointing that our 2010 Logo is based on someone else's sculpture from the Yukon Pavilion at Expo 86. Now it seems our mascots and the idea of multiple mascots has been ripped off from the Chinese Olympics.

So much for actual creativity.

Anyway at what point do we begin to see representation of the heritage of Vancouver and British Columbia.

At this point we might as well assume that our Olympic theme song will be a rip off of some obscure Karaoke number discovered in a bar somewhere in Japan.

[mr.x]

it's -1c in Vancouver right now at 11 pm....if only we had percipitation right now, which would equate to snow!!!!

[MistyMountainHop]

it's -1c in Vancouver right now at 11 pm....if only we had percipitation right now, which would equate to snow!!!!

It's supposed to snow this weekend — and I'm going to Whistler! :tup:

[twoNeurons]

Beijing Mascots:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2008/2006-08/29/xin_4411031616391521020167.jpg

Vancouver 2010:
http://www.miss604.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/160_mascots2_071127.jpg

I don't they share the same idea... other than being drawn in the anime style, which is currently popular. They are also mythical creatures, which I believe is a first. Calgary had bears, Albertville had icecubes... how many mascots do you remember?

[mr.x]

Plush Quatchis and Migas were long gone by mid-afternoon. Only a few sad Sumis were left on the shelves and two clerks were madly unpacking boxes of mascot T-shirts, which were also in short supply.

With the favourites sold out, some Vancouverites got on the phone to the Bay in Toronto where Olympic fever isn't as pitched. Sales associate Lori Wong -- a transplanted Vancouverite -- says Torontonians share the West Coast esthetic (if you can have such a thing in plush animals). Quatchi the sasquatch is the best-seller on Yonge Street, followed by Miga and then poor old Sumi.

[ozonemania]

First time I saw the new mascots, my reaction was more shock or disbelief than anything else. I think it was because it was not at all what I was expecting.

After looking at them a few more times, and especially after watching the promo video, I have to say that I really like them. I really do.

Above all, I think they are cute, and adorable. They are fresh, modern, and sophisticated characters. The creators have a story to tell about them which ties into many Canadian themes. I like how these mascots can work on different levels.

I've read alot of the negative comments online (i.e. cbc.ca) and that surprised me more... The more flaming I read, the more I liked the mascots!

[Canadian Mind]

agreed, I love the damned things.

[giallo]

For me, it was instant attraction. They really are well thought out.
I was watching the unveiling video in Surrey on youtube and the poor creator was so nervous when she was being interviewed. She probably knew that there would be some serious backlash.
Some Vancouverites need to take a long walk.

[Fairbanks]

pay closer attention..look at the size, colour, check out far right beijing mascott....what is there about chinese culture that has anything to do with north american aboriginal imagry????

[Fairbanks]

Please Spare Me The Anonymous Sympathetic Notes...nice Try...you Ripped These Ideas Off And It Is Gonna Come Back To Bite Us All In The Ass And Be An International Embarrassment