JKR

Here’s Zakumi, the androgynous mascot for the 2010 World Cup. It prompted some questions in my mind: Why the green hair? To emulate the Jolly Green Giant’s sidekick, Sprout? To make it more lion like? And why did Germany in ‘06 use a lion? Didn’t they consider leaving that for Africa? I guess a teutonic eagle or wolf were out of the question, but why not a bear? I get France’s Footix from ‘98, but what the hell’s going on with Korea’s ‘02 characters?

Could the U.S.’s ‘94 mascot Striker the dog be any more generic and forgetable? Was it a homage to Hong Kong Fuey? And does Italy’s “Ciao” from 1990 prove it’s altogether better to stick to cute anthropomorphic animals rather than get a bit abstact and designer?

And finally what is the point of these mascots? Presumably to generate some lucrative licensing, to engage with young fans, and to present a friendly non-corporate face for the World Cup. So why, given the prestige of the event, do the mascots always look so second rate? Has nobody got Pixar’s number? Or any of the thousands of talented cartoonists out there? Javier Mariscal’s dog for the Barcelona Olympics proves an artist’s idiosyncratic style can deliver a more engaging mascot.