Journal of Sport and Applied Science

Korean Sports Science Association (한국스포츠과학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Winter Olympics Mascots: Features and Attributes

  • Received : 2023.02.27
  • Accepted : 2023.03.17
  • Published : 2023.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: This paper analyzed the features of Winter Olympics mascots in chronological order by examining the evolution of mascots and presented the attributes of the Winter Olympics mascots from Innsbruck 1976 to Beijing 2022. Research design, data, and methodology: This paper conducted an exploratory study on the thinking to understand the characteristics of 13 Winter Olympics Mascots through literature review. Results: First, the mascot is a fictional character, usually an artificial character that represents the locality of the host city, including animals, human figures, and local inhabitants. Second, Schneemann, Innsbruck 1976 was known as the first official Winter Olympics mascot. Third, 19 mascots out of a total of 24 mascots were created using animals. Conclusions: The six attributes of the Winter Olympics mascots were identified: friendliness, symbolic meaning, originality, diversity, value, and identity of a special location. Above all, Winter Olympics has a locality that includes areas covered with ice and snow. From this point of view, the Olympics mascot highlights the image of snow and ice and the physical environment that includes it.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the research grant of the KODISA Scholarship Foundation in 2023.

References

  1. Chang, D. S., Kim, H, Y, & Lee, H. J. (2020). Sports and culture: Exploration for the thought of diversity and historical approach. Journal of Sport and Applied Science, 4(4), 7-17.  https://doi.org/10.13106/JSAS.2020.VOL4.NO4.7
  2. Choi, H. Y., & Lee, H. J. (2022). A study on the characteristics of the Summer Olympic Games. Journal of Sport and Applied Science 6(2), 1-7.  https://doi.org/10.13106/JSAS.2022.VOL6.NO2.01
  3. Clemence, M., & Chimininge, DR, V. (2015). Totem, taboos, and sacred places: An analysis of Karanga people's environmental conservation and management practices. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 4(11), 7-12. 
  4. Delbaere, M., McQuarrie, E. F., & Phillips, B. (2011). Personification in advertising. Journal of Advertising, 40(1), 121-30.  https://doi.org/10.2753/joa0091-3367400108
  5. Dong, W., Xiang, C., Kamaruddin, A. Y., & Ali S. K. S. (2022). The influence of humanistic elements in the mascot "Bing Dwen Dwen" of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on Chinese consuming behavior. Specialusis Ugdymas, 43, 4933-4949. 
  6. Garretson, J. A., & Burton, S. (2005). The role of spokes-characters as advertisement and package cues in integrated marketing communications. Journal of Marketing, 69(4), 118-132.  https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.2005.69.4.118
  7. Han, S. W. (2016a). A semiotic study on the morphological changes of the Olympic mascot design. A Journal of Brand Design Association of Korea, 14(3), 298-306.  https://doi.org/10.18852/bdak.2016.14.3.297
  8. Han, S. W. (2016b). A study on semiotic meaning of World Cup mascots. The Treatise on The Plastic Media, 19(4), 269-277. 
  9. Hayden, D., & Dills, B. (2015). Smokey the bear should come to the beach: Using mascot to promote marine conservation. Social Marketing Quarterly, 21(1), 3-13.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1524500414558126
  10. Horne, J. (2014). Leisure, culture, and the Olympic Games. London: Routledge. 
  11. Kim, H. Y., & Lee, H. J. (2020). Sports and geography: Exploration for spatial approach. Journal of Sport and Applied Science 4(2), 11-17.  https://doi.org/10.13106/jsas.2020.Vol4.no2.11
  12. Kim, S. B. (2020). A study on the regional characteristics and symbolic elements of the Soccer World Cup mascots. Journal of Region & Culture, 7(1), 183-208.  https://doi.org/10.26654/iagc.2020.7.1.183
  13. Lee, Y. H. (2018). A study of the visual components and characteristics of the integrated identity of Winter Olympics. Journal of the Korea Convergence Society, 9(6), 155-162.  https://doi.org/10.33645/cnc.2018.10.40.6.155
  14. Lury, C. (2004). Brands: The logos of the global economy. London: Routledge. 
  15. Mahatmi, N., & Satyagraha, A. (2020). Mascot design for the Indonesian pavilion at World Expo 2020. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 502, 1-6.  https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.201202.064
  16. Pop, C. (2013). The modern Olympic Games -A globalized cultural and sporting event-. Procedia, Social and Behavioral Sciences, 92, 728-734.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.08.746
  17. Rotkiewicz, M. (2013). Mascots and symbols of the Olympic Games. Warsaw: Polski Komitet Olimpijski. 
  18. The Olympic Studies Centre. (2019a). Olympic Summer Games mascots from Munich 1972 to Tokyo 2020. OSC Reference Collection. 
  19. The Olympic Studies Centre. (2019b). Olympic Winter Games mascots from Grenoble 1968 to Beijing 2022. OSC Reference Collection. 
  20. Yadav, P., Bisoyi, D., & Chakrabarti, D. (2017). Spokes characters of mascot and young consumers' perspective particular understanding. Research into Design for Communities, 1, 1-8.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3521-0_77
  21. Yang, W., & Kim, B. K. (2019). Expression of emotion through the body language of Summer Olympic mascots, Journal of Basic Design & Art, 20(4), 303-320.  https://doi.org/10.47294/KSBDA.20.4.22