A good mascot has to be memorable. If it's hard to identify...

A good mascot has to be memorable. If it's hard to identify or isn't recognizable as something specific, it's not going to do the job it's supposed to. A mascot needs to stand for something. It needs to be more than just cute - it has to have a personality. Pro sports mascots are very much symbols of competitiveness and team spirit. With the Olympics, the competitiveness is certainly less aggressive. So the mascots tend to be much more in the spirit of sportsmanship and world camaraderie.