Grading Olympic Mascots

Which are the three best (and worst) mascots? The results of the study (yes, studying this question) are at the bottom of the post.See if you can guess!

A study of cognitive human factors in mascot design

Source: International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 23 (1999) 

Author(s): Rungtai Lin, P.C. Lin, K.J. Ko

If you’re a sports fan (or alternatively someone who likes to get drunk and argumentative in sports bars), you’ve probably had a debate about which team has the best mascot. Thankfully, for baseball at least, the debate has been settled correctly.

Nonetheless, cognitive ergonomists have found a way to empirically measure which Olympic mascot design is the most appealing to different audiences. 110 Taiwanese participants ranked random pairings of mascot designs in 14 categories (Subject-centered, Active, Attractive, Artistic, Unique, Cute, Striking, Creative, Regional, Energetic, Memorable, Merry, Symbolic, Modern). This data is then plotted endlessly. I highly recommend you download the PDF for the lulz.

But after all the charts, graphs, and statistical analysis, the stock closing gives us our one Memorable Quotation:

These results, based on a small sample, should be regarded only as a preliminary. Further studies involving more subjects and more mascots are necessary. Future works should examine the expression of mascot (Fig. 11), the design element of mascot (Fig. 12), and the motion of mascot (Fig. 13). (117)

Yes, further studies are necessary. Fingers crossed.  In the meantime, everyone joins in the parade!

ANSWERS:

Most popular: D, 7, 2

Least popular: 4, A, C, G

But the designers preferred 5 and 8, i.e. the drunk donkey and the schizoid cat. Well, go figger. 

Email me your favorite photoshopped...erm, favorite mascot at weirdresearch@gmail.com.