This guest post was written by Tara Hornor.

All professional websites include a logo, and sometimes that logo is also a character. Yet, this logo character is not necessarily what we would label a “mascot.” With a graphic logo, you will find that graphic everywhere, including in designs for brochure and business card printing. However, website mascots may only land online, especially if the character is too detailed or large-scale to fit onto smaller print materials.

More and more we are seeing a trend in web design to include both a logo and a character or mascot. Sometimes, website mascots are used to help guide visitors through the website. Other times, the little guy, gal, or animal remains solely on the home page. No matter how often the mascot is incorporated into the site, it is always clear that this character is more than just a logo. Website mascots are there to help get you excited about or endear you to the company, just as a mascot for a sports team does.

In this collection, we found 30 sites with mascots – and couldn’t help but notice the monkey theme. As you check out these pages, ask yourself whether or not the website mascots distract from the brand or build upon it. In some cases, the character is a useful, personalizing agent that helps you connect with the brand better. In other cases, the mascot seems to be some 3rd entity injecting itself into the design.

Which of the website mascots below work to build and which distract? Do you think website mascots help improve brand recognition or not? Does it all depend on the brand in the end?

Inspire Monkey