The Scoop: The Paris Olympics mascot was once hated. Now, it’s beloved.

Few stars at this years’ Paris Olympics have experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat like Phryge, the games’ official mascot.

When first unveiled last year, the design of Phryge (pronounced freej) the French people had at best a lukewarm response to the red plush of a character designed to represent the Phrygian cap, a prominent symbol of liberty during the French Revolution. 

However, that design didn’t initially resonate with locals. A national poll in France last year found that only 46% understood what the 2024 mascot represents and “childish” was one of its most common descriptors.

Despite those early expectations, Phryge’s popularity has grown as the games have progressed since the opening ceremony on July 26.

“A lot of people don’t know exactly what it is,” Edouard Bardon, the licensing and retail director of the Paris Games, told the New York Times. “What they do know is that it’s an Olympic symbol, and they’re buying Phryge merchandise for their relatives or themselves to show they were at the Games.”

Why it matters: It’s amazing what a few billion eyeballs and some positive energy can do for a brand.

Despite its lackluster rollout, Phryge has become a consistent and ever-present fixture during the games.

The Paris Olympic Committee stuck with the concept. It didn’t let some underwhelming feedback deter it. They believed that travelers and participants would eventually become overwhelmed by Olympic fever and want to take home a quirky souvenir..

Organizers expect global sales of licensed mascot toys to reach €2 billion, according to the New York Times article.

As the NYT reported:

As a live mascot, Phryge beckons to fans eager for selfies, animated by trained dancers and students in an inflatable costume that is wobbly enough to require escorts. Phryge’s greeting, streamed to nearly a billion households worldwide watching the Olympics, has cemented its celebrity.

Certainly, the success of Phryge and the Olympics are unique; not every brand can benefit from multibillion-dollar marketing campaigns and TV exposure. But it’s a sign that just because you may not get the initial feedback you wanted, that doesn’t mean you have to throw it out and start over.

Phryge may never resemble a representation of French freedom to most people. But the red blob has become an endearing symbol of a once-every-two-years experience.

What more can you want for a mascot?

Editor’s Top Reads:

• A third person has died after eating Boar’s Head deli meat tainted with listeria. Since July, at least 43 people have been hospitalized because of the nationwide food poisoning outbreak linked to more than 70 Boar’s Head products. The Virginia company’s initial recall began July 25. “No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for the families that have suffered losses and others who endured illness,” the Virginia company wrote on its website as part of a lengthy, fact-heavy post July 30, the day the recall expanded. Boar’s Head posted similar messaging across social media the same day, noting “the health and safety of its customers” as its top concern. Since then, the company has remained silent on the topic – likely due in part to the fact it’s facing at least three lawsuits related to the matter. While there might be a tendency to lean in and respond to every comment and headline, the stark truth is, right now, there’s not a lot the company can do to defend its brand reputation right now. Instead, the company is using its social channels to provide information updates and public health messaging focused on public wellness – as it should.
• After days of “will they, won’t they” back and forth on social media, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have finally agreed to terms for a formal debate – Sept. 10 on ABC. Trump voiced Thursday a willingness to take part in two other debates, however, nothing is set in stone. Harris went to X to voice excitement that Trump had “finally” committed to debating her. The debate will provide would-be, could-be voters with their first real opportunity to hear both candidates address questions on foreign policy, the economy and a range of social issues in real-time. Having seen President Joe Biden struggle in his debate with Trump earlier this summer, both candidates know just how powerful a debate can be in changing the trajectory of the election.Perhaps, just as importantly, the face-to-face encounter will allow the country to see how Harris and Trump engage one another in person. The two have exchanged no shortage of barbs online and through the media since Harris accepted the Democratic nomination. Harris has been touting her record as a prosecutor going against Trump, now a convicted felon. How her courtroom style compares with Trump’s brash, off-the-cuff style will make for a study in contrasts that will surely help voters make their final decisions.
• Apple has announced a newly revised compliance plan to address the European Union’s Digital Markets Act and not everyone is happy about it. Both Spotify and Epic Games voiced concerns – if not outright anger – over Apple’s revised plans, which loosen restrictions and add additional fees for iOS developers in Europe, according to TechCrunch. “In the European Union where the new DMA law opens up app store competition, Apple continues its malicious compliance by imposing an illegal new 15% junk fee on users migrating to competing stores and monitor commerce on these competing stores,” Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney wrote on X. Spotify called the policy “deliberately confusing” in a company statement acquired by TechCrunch. Is Apple trying to intentionally muddy the waters? Or is it being extremely careful to put forth a new deal that complies with the exact letter of the law while preserving as much value for shareholders as possible? That’s in the eye of the beholder. The real audience in this case isn’t the general public – it’s the regulators and lawmakers in the EU who recently have shown little patience for Big Tech shenanigans.They’ll be the true arbiters of how this gambit plays out.

Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.