On Haunt Jaunts I wrote: “Wait. There have been alien and Sasquatch Olympic mascots?” after a CNN headline about “fun or frightening” mascots caught my eye. Then a certain sentence in the article sent me tumbling down the rabbit hole:
“Over the decades, the world has welcomed snowmen, sasquatches, cowboy-hat-wearing bears and aliens to the Olympic stage.”
Quatchi the Sasquatch and Miga the Sea Bear, both of which were inspired by local legends and lore, were the mascots for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. There hasn’t really been an “alien” mascot, but there have been two sort of alien-looking ones: Izzy from the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics and Wenlock from the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
While researching them, I came across some other interesting information that was news to me. What about you?
The “Disney” Olympic Mascot
Bob Moore, former creative director of marketing for Walt Disney Productions, designed Sam the Eagle for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Twofers
Hidy and Howdy from the Calgary 1988 Games marked the first time there was more than one Olympic mascot.
Magique
At first, the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games couldn’t find a name for the 1992 Albertville mascot. Then its creator, Philippe Mairesse, realized “magique” appeared several times in the brief. He suggested that name and it stuck.
The Allusion
The name Cobi for the 1992 Barcelona game came from an “allusion to ‘COOB’92,’ an abbreviation of the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Organising Committee.” While it was an animal mascot, it was humanized in a Cubist style.
First Non-Animals
Haakon and Kristin represented the Lillehammer 1994 games and were “the first mascots in human form.” While they’re modeled as children, their names reflect two people important to Norway and the Lillehammer region: “Håkon IV Håkonson, who was King of Norway from 1217 to 1263, and Princess Kristin, his aunt.”
Worst Olympic Mascots
Izzy’s name was shortened from the more appropriate “Whatizit,” which was the first mascot that was neither animal nor human. The Olympics describes the blob as “a product of information technology.” But most regard it as the worst Olympic mascot ever. Well, tied with Wenlock. Until 2024’s Phyrge came along. Now many critics are saying it’s a contender for the worst Olympic mascot ever.
The Snowlets
Nagano 1998’s Sukki, Nokkie, Lekki, and Tsukki weren’t the first multiple mascots, but they may be the first brimming with symbolism. Each of the “snowlets” (a combo of “snow” to signify the season of the games and “owlets,” or young owls) represents an element: Sukki- fire, Nokki – air, Lekki – earth, and Tsukki – water. Their number is also “a nod to the four years that make up an Olympiad.”
Two Olympic Gods and a Doll
Athens 2004’s Phevos and Athena are named after two of the gods of Olympus, but a “daidala,” a 7th-century bell-shaped terracotta sculpture/doll, inspired their shape.
Nameless
Sochi 2014’s mascots had no names apart from the animals they represented: the Hare, the polar bear, and the Leopard.
Mixed Breed
Vinicius from the Rio 2016 games was named in honor of the Brazilian poet and lyricist Vinicius de Moraes, but it wasn’t one animal in particular. Rather, he was a mix of Brazilian animals.
Anime
Some wondered if Miraitowa from Tokyo 2020 was meant to look like an anime character. Fair question, and it would’ve been fitting, considering Tokyo is an anime mecca. It was meant to embody the old and the new. Mission accomplished?
Hats Off
France’s traditional Phrygian caps inspired the Olympic Phyrge for Paris 2024, which I believe is the first mascot inspired by clothing.
Learn more about all of the Olympic mascots here: https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/olympic-mascots.
Do you have a favorite Olympic mascot?