A vision of London in the twenty-first century or just terrifying monsters: a semiotic analysis of the official mascots for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Almost every Olympic city has some form of legacy and while most commonly the types of legacies discussed concern physical facilities and their continuing utility, many of the most valuable legacies are 'psychological or social in nature'. As part of the enduring legacy of any Olympic Games, the importance of the mascot as a live symbol of such an event must not be underestimated. In designing an effective mascot, the difficulty lies in creating a character that effectively represents a brand that resonates with both the Olympics and the image the host city wishes to convey to the global audience. The effectiveness of Olympic mascots has been analysed using a framework of semiotic metafunctions and through this lens, this paper examines the mascots for the Summer Olympic Games to be held in London in 2012.