Bringing the classic Ollie’s mascot back to life
For Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, this series of animated spots revived the brand’s original cartoon character with a fresh, modern approach. The goal was to preserve the spirit of the classic Ollie’s mascot while updating the animation style, pacing, and humor for a new generation of ads.
Each spot was designed to feel like a miniature cartoon, combining expressive character animation with bold visuals that matched the playful personality of the brand.
Turning retail ads into short cartoons
Across multiple spots — including a standout holiday campaign — the animations leaned into exaggerated motion, character voiceovers, and whacky sound effects to create energetic, memorable pieces. Rather than feeling like traditional retail commercials, the spots played more like short animated cartoons.
The refreshed character design resonated strongly with the brand, ultimately leading to the illustrator behind the updated look being hired by Ollie’s on a continuing basis to create new character artwork for the company each month.
