Character Development for Sumo Logic | Tolleson
A New Stage for
a Company and Character
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Entertainment’s always been a part of branding—but it must register with something deeper than just entertainment for its own sake.
As Sumo Logic’s AI/ML-assisted platform gave them the ability to position themselves as an essential partner for enterprise software engineers, the time came to revamp their brand to match their level of service and support, but in a way that still captured the warmth and personality of their company culture.
Under new leadership, their team wanted to return to the roots of their beloved brand—named after their founder’s dog, Sumo—and see if they could leverage the Sumo name more effectively. It was an opportunity to address their beloved yet problematic tribute to sumo wrestlers. We developed some promising ideas around a mascot that steered clear of cultural appropriation to prove to Sumo Logic’s leadership that a mascot could be a viable, energizing, and tangible extension of their brand.
The team at Sumo had strong instincts about where they wanted to go, and it was our role to think beyond the obvious and explore possibilities that were initially amorphous but ultimately promising—and make it feel real. Using AI, we were able to quickly explore and develop a proof of concept—which we refined through more traditional character and model creation methods to ultimately produce a character that felt emotionally engaging while reinforcing their overall identity.
Branding often involves solving complex, serious challenges, but this project was a reminder that play can be a uniquely effective way to tell more technical stories.
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Project Information
Project
Character Development
Services
Visual Identity
Environments
Go-To-Market
Visual Identity
Environments
Go-To-Market
Deliverables
Illustration
3D & Motion
Brand Guidelines
Event Experience
Digital Content
Illustration
3D & Motion
Brand Guidelines
Event Experience
Digital Content
Industry
Technology
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Sumo Tryouts
Conceptual Development
Character Exploration
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“A mascot gives people something to connect to—a symbol that makes the brand feel more relatable, and more alive.”
Randy Yau, Creative Director, Tolleson
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Using AI allowed our team to rapidly iterate subtle differences and hone in on qualities that fit the character we were developing.
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The Chosen One
Character Development
Mobot
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Embodied traits
Along with making a good first impression, Mobot's functional details had to bridge the worlds of sumo and data security—while also keeping it free of gender or racial markers.
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Four Elements
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“There is no doubt that bringing this character to life delivers value to the business and the brand.”
Lindsey Selden, Creative Director, Sumo Logic
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Using the same iterative approach, we showed how Mobot could come to life through company merch, trade show activations, trading cards, stickers, and more.
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Four Elements
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Related
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