Project Brief

The Mascot Restoration Project was a full-scale creative and production initiative focused on replacing an aging mascot costume with a new, performance-ready character that better reflected the school’s brand identity, spirit, and long-term usability. This project combined creative design leadership, fundraising strategy, vendor coordination, and stakeholder collaboration into a single cohesive production pipeline.

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Rather than treating the mascot as a costume, the project approached it as a living brand asset—one that needed to balance visual impact, performer comfort, durability, and storytelling.

​Project Goals

• Restore and modernize the school mascot’s visual identity

• Improve performer mobility, comfort, and visibility

• Ensure long-term durability for frequent public appearances

• Maintain consistency with institutional branding and character values

• Deliver a professional, stage-ready asset through a real-world production workflow

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​Fundraising & Budgeting

A tiered sponsorship campaign was developed as the financial foundation of the project, raising over $6,500 in less than two months through the support of 34 individual sponsors. The campaign was structured to encourage participation by offering increasing recognition and benefits at each contribution level, which helped motivate donors while maintaining transparency and professionalism.

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This phase required:

• Financial planning

• Sponsorship outreach

• Proposal design

• Progress reporting

• Budget oversight

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​Vendor Coordination

The costume was fabricated in collaboration with Grey Seal Puppets, a professional mascot production company. This phase required translating creative vision into technical specifications that could be physically constructed. Communication focused on design accuracy, material selection, durability, and performer functionality. Timelines were coordinated to align with funding availability and stakeholder expectations, and design checkpoints ensured that the final product reflected the original intent. Working with a professional vendor provided experience in managing external partnerships, balancing creative ambition with production realities, and maintaining quality control throughout fabrication. This process mirrored industry-standard workflows used in themed entertainment and live production environments.

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​Stakeholder Collaboration

The project was developed in coordination with:

• School administration

• Athletic directors

• Coaching staff

These stakeholders provided insight into branding, event usage, and logistical expectations, helping guide both creative and functional decisions. Regular communication ensured transparency, alignment, and shared ownership of the project’s direction and outcome. This collaboration emphasized the importance of cross-department coordination in creative production, where multiple perspectives must be integrated to deliver a successful and widely supported result.

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​Outcome

The Mascot Restoration Project concluded with the successful delivery of a new, fully funded, performance-ready mascot costume that aligned with branding standards and improved usability for performers. Beyond the physical asset, the project established a replicable model for student-led creative production, demonstrating how fundraising, design leadership, vendor management, and stakeholder coordination can function together in a professional workflow. The finished costume became both a visual centerpiece and a functional tool for school spirit, reinforcing the mascot’s role as a living, interactive element of the institution’s identity.

* Any references to vendors, including Grey Seal Puppets, are for informational and portfolio purposes only and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or partnership beyond the scope of this project. Visual materials are shared to demonstrate project coordination, creative development, and production workflow experience. No proprietary construction methods, confidential pricing structures, or restricted design assets are disclosed.