How vital are mascots to a brand? Arguably, a mascot can be a significant element in bringing a brand to life if leveraged to its fullness.

With digitalization, Henkel launched a mascot to be the face of intelligent customer service, assisting end users in searching for the right adhesive solutions for their respective industries. His name is "Han Xiaozhi", Henkel's AI chatbot. In case you don't know, Henkel has a massive knowledge bank, from products to solutions to technologies, to help customers find the right answer to their needs.

For yaean, our initial step was to make slight modifications to the original design of Han Xiaozhi to make it flexible for use across various communication materials. We created a new 3D version, and from there, the mascot has become a key icon in creating harmonized content and style across the board.

Our strategy for consistent branding across the various WeChat content we created for Henkel was to use the Han Xiaozhi as a recognizable face, giving a welcoming yet knowledgeable face for a straightforward dialogue with the reader. Han Xiaozhi also makes the information easier to digest with the bitesize information it shares.

Further strengthening Han Xiaozhi's IP image, we have created a series of unique videos with Han Xiaozhi as the main star in combination with current hot trends or topics such as the World Cup and e-sports. Using Han Xiaozhi and making him endearing, we can subtly and naturally incorporate Henkel products into the storyline, delivering key product technologies and messaging without losing the viewer's attention.

The emoticons we developed for Han Xiaozhi revolve around everyday life to encourage constant use within WeChat. The series created increases not only engagement but also brand awareness. The sometimes striking, funny, and exaggerated expressions and actions have won a lot of attention, and we have seen increased sharing of these emoticons.

Check out our website for more about this project.