This mascot concept was developed in response to the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation’s 25th Anniversary brief, which called for a public-facing character that represents hope, connection, and community impact across a broad audience, from funders and councils to charities and the public.
Connecting the Design to the Brief
1. Purpose: a bridge between the public and social impact
Brief says:
The mascot should be public-facing and act as a bridge between the public and the organisations BLCF supports.
Design response:
The bee was chosen as a symbol of connection, shared effort, and collective contribution. Bees are widely understood, non-threatening, and culturally neutral, making the character approachable for audiences unfamiliar with BLCF, while still carrying deeper meaning around collaboration and impact.
2. Tone: light, hopeful, and uplifting
Brief says:
Although BLCF supports vulnerable communities and challenging issues, the mascot should bring light and energy, symbolising hope and uplift.
Design response:
The character uses rounded shapes, a warm expression, and an open posture to convey friendliness and optimism. The tone avoids seriousness or heaviness, allowing the mascot to represent difficult work without visually burdening the audience.
3. Branding: character, not logo
Brief says:
A mascot is not a logo. It represents the character and personality of the brand, similar to recognisable mascots like Pudsey Bear
Design response:
Rather than focusing on literal symbolism or institutional imagery, the design prioritises personality. The mascot is expressive, flexible, and capable of appearing in different emotional states, allowing it to support storytelling across video, campaigns, and events.
4. Visual simplicity and silhouette
Brief says:
Design should be simple and bold, based on clear shapes, recognisable in silhouette, and readable even at a distance
Design response:
The character is built around a soft, rounded bean shape. Beans are a familiar staple in British everyday life, making the form instantly recognisable and approachable. The bean shape also plays subtly on the word “being”, reinforcing the idea that BLCF’s work is fundamentally about people. This choice allows the mascot to feel human without being literal, grounding the character in the lived experience of Bedfordshire’s communities while maintaining warmth, optimism, and approachability.
5. Colour and production constraints
Brief says:
Use a maximum of four colours, block colours only, no gradients, and consider reproducibility
Design response:
The colour palette was intentionally limited based on the BCLF logo and high-contrast, supporting accessibility, print efficiency, and consistent reproduction. This allows the mascot to be used across merchandise, signage, animation, and social media without loss of clarity.
6. Animation readiness
Brief says:
The mascot should feel like a living character and be suitable for animation in the anniversary video and beyond.
Design response:
Clear limbs, readable facial features, and a balanced body proportion were prioritised to support natural movement. The simplified construction allows animators to quickly interpret motion, emotion, and personality without over-engineering the character.
Outcome
Although the concept was not selected as the final mascot, this project demonstrates my approach to interpreting brand values, translating abstract missions into character design, and creating production-ready visuals for community-focused organisations.
Illustration was created in Procreate.
