Minnesota Vikings Finally Have Team-Owned Mascot: Viktor the Viking

In a Sept. 20 press release, Creative Consumer Concepts (C3) announced their design of the Minnesota Viking's first and only team-owned mascot. Viktor the Viking made his grand entrance debut just before the Vikings' kickoff in their 2007 pre-season home opener.

Before Viktor the Viking joined the team, Ragnar was the Vikings' mascot. Ragnar was played by a man who wore fur pelts and a horned helmet. Although he certainly portrayed himself in the likeness of a real viking, he was the NFL's only human mascot. Further, the Minnesota Vikings did not own the rights to him. Enter C3 and their creation, Viktor the Viking. Unlike Ragnar, he is dressed in a Vikings' #1 jersey and helmet with protruding horns. As a muscle-bound, blonde-haired and mustachioed strongman, Viktor the Viking is said to bear some resemblance to Hulk Hogan.

In coming up with Viktor the Viking, Minnesota Vikings' Marketing Manager Bryan Harper said the team wanted "a mascot that appeals primarily to our young fans, yet appeals to our traditional fan base as well. C3 inspired us to create more than a costume, but to create a branded character that has life outside the stadium."

Bob Cutler is the CEO of C3. He said there's a big difference between a costumed character and a branded character. He explained that "costumed mascots have marketing limitations, while branded characters have the ability to translate across any industry, age or product category. By presenting a character congruent with an integrated, brand-marketing strategy, we presented the Vikings brand in a way they had never seen before."

There has been some fan resistance to Viktor the Viking, as is usually the case with any change. Afterall, Ragnor has been around awhile, and fans everywhere are familiar with him.

According to postings in the PurplePride.org forum, one fan said Viktor the Viking reminded them of "Mayor McCheese or a trip to Chuckie Cheese or Disney land." Another said Viktor "looked 'childish' and out of place for a team that is suppose to project manliness, fighting, and blood and gore. He's a joke!" Another suggested that maybe Viktor would "get run over by Ragnar."

But not all fans expressed such negative sentiment. One individual wrote: "He is growing on me. He is a more traditional mascot, and does bring some advantage to the side lines. The reasons mascots are larger than life like that are so they can be easily seen by the crowd. And the actor inside does a pretty good job, especially in the face of quite a bit of resistance. He is very animated, and a pretty physical guy. My kids love him. I took my picture with him at the home opener, and my daughter thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I know, I know, we don't want to market to 5 year olds, but bringing kids into the fan base is a good way to ensure future ticket sales. I like having him with the Vikings, as long as he does not replace Ragnar."

Regardless of the voices for and against him, Viktor the Viking, with his long yellow braids and small nose guard, appeals to the Vikings' management and will no doubt grow on those who are skeptical. In the meantime, the Minnesota Vikings and Viktor the Viking will be in Kansas City on Sept. 23 to play the Chiefs. It's unlikely anyone will be booing Viktor then. Afterall, Viktor's creator, Creative Consumer Concepts, is based in Overland Park, Kansas.

Sources:

Press release, Viktor the Viking Invades NFL: Minnesota Vikings Draft Kids' Marketing Agency to Create NFL Icon; http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/09/prweb554327.htm

PurplePride.org; http://www.purplepride.org/forums/index.php?topic=38060.msg640823;topicseen