https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/nation-world/ole-miss-unveils-its-new-landshark-mascot/507-583641504The first step was to assemble a Landshark launch committee made up of leaders from the student body, spirit squad, sports administration and marketing team.
“The idea of, ‘Look through the catalog, oh let’s pick that shark,’ that wasn’t going to work,†Michah Ginn said. “We wanted this to be a landshark that had never been seen before, a character who had never been seen before, and put a whole lot of detail and thought and intentionality into the design of the Landshark.â€
An Ole Miss spokesperson told the Clarion Ledger the whole venture, including branding, a new website, costume design and multiple costumes, cost somewhere between $50,000 to 75,000.
Ginn described Clarkson tinkering with the number of teeth in the mask—too few and it looked goofy, too many and it was terrifying—and studying pictures of Santa Clause to determine what wrinkle patterns around the eyes would make it look the right amount of friendly.
One of the first things the Landshark launch committee decided on was the Landshark's personality. O’Connor has worked, and will continue to work, with the mascot performers on implementing that demeanor and walk.
“We have to have a walk that showcases him as kind of an athletic jock,†O’Connor said. “There’s a way that athletes walk through campus, so we kind of played off that kind of walk.â€
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