Econimic Impact Catalyst

The Problem

The original mascot was highly detailed and difficult to use consistently. It didn’t translate well across digital platforms, nor did it match the updated look and feel of the brand or product interface.

Stakeholders wanted a solution that would:

• Modernize the mascot while keeping it recognizable

• Work seamlessly across both marketing and product environments

• Include predefined use cases to speed up future implementation

My Role

As the lead designer on this initiative, I was responsible for:

• Redesigning the mascot in a flexible, brand-aligned illustration style

• Creating a set of vector-based character states for different use cases

• Aligning illustration tone with product UI and web presence

• Collaborating with the brand team to ensure tone, style, and accessibility

Process

I started by analyzing the existing quokka and identifying visual elements to retain.

Key steps included:

• Sketching simplified poses and expressions that could scale digitally

• Building out a core illustration system using clean, vector shapes

• Designing specific mascot use cases (empty states, 404 pages, onboarding)

• Testing visual tone across product and web components for consistency

The Solution

The final mascot package features:

• A refreshed, friendly quokka in a simplified and scalable format

• Prebuilt poses for use in UI empty states, error pages, and onboarding

• A brand-consistent illustration style used across web and print

• Editable vector files optimized for product, marketing, and dev teams

• A visual element that brings warmth and playfulness to the SaaS brand

Results & Impact

• Strengthened brand consistency across EIC’s digital platforms

• Enabled teams to quickly deploy visuals without new asset requests

• Helped make the Startup Space product experience feel more engaging and human