UM’s Mascott Design for Supporting Brand Identity

Abstract The competition between universities in Malang has become increasingly tight, due to the rising number of universities allowing people to become more selective. Therefore, the Universitas Negeri Malang has sought to redefine itself and strengthen its brand identity. In line with this strategy, a figure is needed to improve community recoognition. This requires a mascot. The mascot was chosen because of the character and attractive appearance that can interact directly with the community. So the process to design the mascot of the Universitas Negeri Malang as an endorser of brand identity has begun.


Introduction
Competition between universities in Malang is getting tougher now, due to the addition of new universities so that people are more selective in choosing universities. In handling this competition, a brand identity is needed in the effort to reintroduce the university to the public. Brand identity is a way for a company to build and introduce a brand that represents the company's identity to consumers so as to shape consumer perceptions of the brand. The benefit of using brand identity is to strengthen the existence of the brand so that the relationship between the brand and consumers is maintained [1]. The type of visual brand identity commonly used by companies is logos, slogans, and application media.
Universitas Negeri Malang as a corporate academy also needs a brand identity.
Universitas Negeri Malang's brand identity currently has a circle UM symbol with a symbol of the Kalpataru tree and the UM logo brand with the slogan 'THE LEARNING UNIVERSITY' [2]. The brand identity of the Universitas Negeri Malang has been applied to print and digital forms of promotional media and merchandise. One of the activities carried out by Universitas Negeri Malang is to release UM branding through Lustrum and Dies Natalis activities.

ICADECS
In an effort to strengthen the existing UM brand identity, a figure is needed that can help recognize better and more clearly to the community. Which requires a mascot.
Mascot is a promotional media in the form of visualization in the form of characters that represent the identity of something or company and give a strong impression to the community. The use of the mascot can enliven an event that is held and get back information about a company. Each mascot made with a nickname that matches the character of the mascot itself.
The emergence of the mascot as an identity and provide memory to the public with its charm, is one of the right strategies to promote brand identity creatively and communicatively for Universitas Negeri Malang, which until now has not had a mascot.
As happened in the new city of Malang, a mascot design named 'Osi' and 'Ji' [3] in the form of a lion and a lotar bird has been inaugurated, enabling the public to better recognize Malang through the promotion of the mascot. The existence of the mascot as a form of creative representation by highlighting the visual character that can give a strong impression on people's memories and strengthen the brand identity of the Universitas Negeri Malang.

Designing
Designing is the process of creating a form for a specific purpose. In contrast to paintings and sculptures which embody the views and fantasies of artists, design works are manifested based on practical needs [4]. As with message delivery, functions that are flexible and easy to understand with visual language.
To design a work must consider the basic concepts of art and design. According to Sadjiman, that the elements of art and design as designing include: shape, expression, size, direction, texture, color, value, and space. Every element of art and design is interconnected with each other so that it is a unity [5].

Brand Identity
Brand identity is real and arises from all aspects of the senses that can be seen, felt, touched, heard and driven [6]. The way for a company to build and introduce a brand that represents the identity of the product or company to consumers so as to shape consumer perceptions of the brand. Brand identity is also a merger of all brand elements DOI 10.18502/kss.v4i12.7639 Page 652 ICADECS of a company into an appropriate description so that it can be recognized directly by consumers. According Keller [7] with a brand identity, consumers can associate brand identity with the company's goods or services, establish connections between a company and consumers, and be a determinant of consumer perceptions of company brands.
In creating a brand identity, it takes several important elements needed according to Zack Onisko [8] is 1) knowing the target audience, 2) staying consistent in the brand, and 3) making the brand memorable. Important in aligning the views between consumers and the company. Brand identity is determined by the superiority of the product compared to other products, and the company's goals in describing a product to consumers.
The benefit of brand identity is that it can strengthen the existence of a brand in the market so that the relationship between the brand and the customer can be maintained. The appearance of imitator products that are deliberately made often deceives customers [9]. Through a strong identity, customers are not easily fooled by various imitating brands [10].

Mascot
Based on Aline Wheeler's statement, that the character or so-called mascot is one part of a brand identity, which can quickly attract the attention of children and consumers in advertising the brand openly. So that the mascot is one of the identities of a group in addition to the symbol and logo, a strong visual character design can be useful in enlivening an event so that it supports a brand promotion to the community [6], [20].
Kent Wertime states that the mascot serves to evoke memories and also connect consumers with a group of unconscious associations that have been implanted in their souls. [12].   [13].
Here are the steps to design a mascot according to Papang Jakfar as follows: • Conduct research or background studies through observing the main data of a company or institution.
• After observations are made, then find keywords that are characteristic of a company. Of the several keywords found, it was translated into a mascot design.
• Make several mascot alternatives with color variations. Of the many designs made, a mascot design was chosen that best represented the concepts created previously.
• The design that has been selected will be carried out further refinement with various considerations.   The UM symbol has a round shape with a margin that reads UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MALANG is black and in the middle there is a kalpataru tree and arches that resemble feet given green, and on flower buds, stars and UM letters are yellow.

b))Logo Universitas Negeri Malang
Malang State University has a logo which is a verbal symbol of UM's identity to inspire the spirit and image of UM and to mark the spirit of UM's independence. The logo has a modern and simple style with colors that are analogous from blue to yellow.

Methodology
Model used for the design of the mascot of Universitas Negeri Malang is a procedural design model. The design model for Universitas Negeri Malang mascot design refers to the design model of Alina Wheeler [6].

ICADECS
In designing the UM mascot using the design method by Alina Wheeler which contains conducting research, clarifying strategy, designing identity, creating touchpoints, and Managing assets.

Conducting Research
The background is in the effort to strengthen the existing UM brand identity, a figure is needed that can help recognize better and more clearly to the community. Which requires a mascot. The existence of a mascot as a form of creative representation by highlighting the visual character that can give a strong impression on people's memories and strengthen the brand identity of the Universitas Negeri Malang. Therefore, the designer raised the topic of the problem by presenting the Universitas Negeri Malang mascot as a figure who can enhance brand identity [8], [14], [15].
Based on the background that has been discussed, then the main problem can be formulated namely, how to design a mascot design in accordance with the character identity of the Universitas Negeri Malang.

Clarifying Strategy
The interviews and documentation explained that UM did not have an official mascot, so in 2019 a UM mascot contest will be open to the public and the results will be taken from the first prize. Like what has been done by the UM symbol contest and UM logo.
The UM mascot was created by the UM creative team which was later canceled because it did not constitute observations and documentation that represented the MW itself.
The meaning of the writing 'The Learning University' explains that UM has an identity with two meanings, namely as a learning organization and as a learning resource. The contribution to global, national, regional and local developments. As well as the meaning ICADECS of the interlocking circle has the meaning of a continuous learning process taking place at UM and implies a close and positive relationship between the Academic Community and the community. The colors on the UM logo are written as follows; the blue color has the meaning of a young soul who continues to learn to progress, the green color has a campus meaning which is a place for academicians to live and grow, and the golden yellow color has the meaning of glory and energy. So that the two UM symbols are identical to the shape of a circle, curved lines, and three colors.

Designing Identity a))Concept of Shape
Shaped human who looks friendly and active. Humans in the form of simple and rounded in order to look attractive and adorable to be visited [16]. The following sketches [18] the concept of form comprehensively. • Dark blue symbolizes stability and depth. Two things are essential in the administration of education in a tertiary institution.
• Green symbolizes growth and life. And symbolizes the campus which is a place for academicians to live and grow.
• The golden yellow symbolizes glory and energy. Excellence is the main thing that will be achieved with a burning passion.
In addition to the above three also include other colors namely white as a unifying three colors. White on the brand means something that is clean, simple and becomes something of quality. So that the resulting mascot [19], [21] becomes a clean and neat mascot.
The chosen color concept is combined with the shape concept as follows. UM has a characteristic that is a curved line so the selected font is a rounded serif font. To match the mascot that has an Indonesian cultural accent, the font also has an accent that is similar to the decoration on the mascot later.The selected font is Fox Grotesque Font with the modified one.

Creating Touchpoint
Explain about perfecting designs and developing designs further so as to produce creative briefs and application designs.

Managing Assets
The last stage in the release of the latest brand products. This stage is carried out if the work has been approved and used by Universitas Negeri malang.

Design Result
Based on the result of the synthesis produces a mascot using 3 concepts, namely: Here are the kinds of look and feel in the design of the mascot as follows: The mascot application uses media branding that serves as introducing a new brand and as a medium of promotion in the long run.

Conclusions
Universitas Negeri Malang has a brand identity in the form of symbols, brand logos, and slogans. However, Universitas Negeri Malang does not yet have an official mascot.
Designing the mascot design of Universitas Negeri Malang using the Alina Wheeler DOI  There was an obstacle in determining the shape of the visual design of the mascot between humans and animals, which represented that identity. Because in the UM symbol there are no animal symbols, but rather plant symbols. While the logo is only written. And also in determining animals as a form of visual design mascot because UM is not only located in Malang, but also located in Blitar City. So that if forced to be incompatible with the existing brand identity.