The Maharajah- Air India's character trademark

In keeping with the recent aeronautical theme, here is The Maharajah. Created in 1946 by Bobby Kooka & Umesh Rao at J Walter Thompson, The Maharajah serves as a character trademark for Air India. Even with one hand missing, he cuts a fine figure. For the life of me, I cant remember where I found him, but possibly it was up at The Stanley Dock in Liverpool, in the late Eighties.

You can see The Maharajah at his splendid best, over at Demonstrate, where theres a nice collection of assorted  Air India posters. Below is the sticker on the base of the 4" figurine.

J Otto Seibold Swatch watch

All the talk about mascots the other day reminded me that J Otto Seibold created a character Glüp for The Hanover expo in 2000, that the organising committee rejected. Mores the pity.

Seibold was the first artist that really exploited the possibilities of drawing on the computer.
When Space Monkey & Mr Lunch were first released, they were like a breath of fresh air, but unfortunately they spawned a 1000 poor imitations. In 1998, at the height of his success, Swatch released two watches by Seibold. I bought this one, while you can see the other design here.

Wenlock & Mandeville

Well that explains a lot!

I wondered why my World Cup Willie post was getting so may hits yesterday. Today Wenlock and Mandeville were unveiled to an unsuspecting public. The mascots for the 2012 Olympics! Ive got to say it made my heart sink. Perhaps over time Ill warm to them, but Im not convinced. Here was an opportunity to produce something special, but instead we get some shoddy, silver Gogos, or worse still, one eyed mobile phones? To be frank one even looks like hes soiled his pants.

I appreciate that the brief may have been difficult: to embrace multi cultured Britain, not to offend, and to produce something modern, but they just look cheap! They lack charisma, and look like theyll have a shelf life of two minutes. The result, no doubt, of design by committee!

Michael Morpugos story may have some substance behind it, as do the characters names, but will anyone delve beyond the childish facade?

We actively sought out Cobi, Mariscals mascot for the Barcelona Olympics. We were enchanted by the five Olympic figures from Bejing, but poor old Wenlock & Mandeville look in danger of being remembered for all the wrong reasons.

I suppose at least everyones talking about design today.

1966 World Cup Willie Mascot

Another great find, this time from the Stables at Camden Market, probably sometime in the early Nineties. To think I actually ummed and arrghed over paying the £8 price tag!

World Cup Willie was the mascot for the 1966 World Cup in England and what a handsome fellow he is too. There've been some good mascots over the years, but this soft toy version is my favourite. Sadly I cant find a makers mark, so I cant tell you much more about him.

Willie was the first World Cup mascot, and while he was emblazoned on all manner of items one of the strangest Ive found is this rollerball figure below by Marx Rolykins. The base has a lead ballbearing that makes Willie glide along.















To see all the mascots, since Englands finest hour head over to Wikipedia.