This time, our team created a mascot squad for Emmas Mattress: "The Snuggle Squad". Each member is given a distinct trait, so that when facing different "sleep needs" and "bedding features", the characters bring out the mattress's performance more vividly. Matching totem elements were also incorporated into the character designs to make them more memorable.
The four members are a red kangaroo, a koala, an emu and an owl, all Australian animals.
Mascot Character Sheets
The team wanted each character's appearance and expression to closely match their profile, so that every Squad member shows full spirit when tackling mattress problems. Much thought also went into their look, such as the unique plush-toy style: plush toys are common bedside companions, giving the Squad a reassuring feel so people can confidently find the mattress that suits them best.
Although the red kangaroo is the Squad's captain, he is super lazy and considers laziness a virtue. He can sleep a lot, which in "The Snuggle Squad" is an extraordinary skill, so his teammates trust him completely.The kangaroo from different angles.Close-up of the kangaroo's outfit.The koala is the materials expert, extremely particular about details; no material escapes his eyes and curiosity. He detests ordinary materials, so if you want to get on his good side, remember to choose a high-quality pillow!The koala from different angles.Overview of the koala's gear and close-up of the backpack.The emu is the technical expert. He is always standing because it is hard for him to sit down, but he doesn't mind at all and has even made a name for himself in the field of posture, teaching everyone proper spine-care techniques. In others' eyes, however, he is actually an extremely strict posture disciplinarian.The emu from different angles.Overview of the emu's outfit and close-up of the totem pattern.The owl is the only Squad member who wears no clothes. He once said his partner doesn't like clothes, but the other members say they have never seen this partner, suggesting he has a second "partner" personality. Although it sounds a little odd, he has never posed a threat to his teammates; on the contrary, he is very quiet, so they don't dislike him.The owl from different angles.Close-up of the owl's feathers.
3D Modeling
After discussion, the team struck a balance between realism and cartoon: keeping the animals' basic features, adding anthropomorphic elements, and piling details onto fur and gear to transform the characters from simple shapes.
The kangaroo's fur density was increased with Emission, varying by body part; the refined overall texture plus the mouthless design make it look much like an IKEA plush toy.Because the emu's fur is complex to compute, it is displayed in simplified mode in Blender, with the feathers only appearing in the final render.The koala stands out for its abundance of gear, which meant more details to handle. For the fur, the team combined the techniques used for the emu and kangaroo, displaying only part of the fur and computing the rest at render time.For the owl's head, numerous patches were created first, then Emission was added to them, greatly increasing the overall fur volume. Once the mask comes off, the owl turns into a completely different creature.Totem references.
Opening Up More Possibilities
These characters will go on to take up their respective roles. The team is delighted to have created such iconic mascots for Emmas, and looks forward to more collaborations and possibilities in the future!
Final designs of the four members of The Snuggle Squad.
