Meet Vee: Versado’s Robot Mascot
Every good company needs a public face, right? Not long ago, Versado decided a brand mascot might make our “custom training company specializing in the life science arena” a bit more relatable. But what type of mascot would be up to the task of representing the eclectic, brilliant, and focused group of people that drive our company? A mad scientist with a quirky grin? A superhero girl with strong muscles and a fierce look of determination? Our amazing designer, Helen Kellock (referred to internally as “The Wizard”), introduced us to several fabulous options. While we loved them all, none were quite the right fit… until we met Vee – our cuddly, smart, ever-so-slightly mischievous robot.
To introduce our new mascot, we held an afterhours virtual meeting entitled “Characters and Cocktails,” during which our hilarious and fun-loving Versado team came up with a name and began to build out Vee’s personality, catch phrases, props, and purpose. It was one of those meetings where we laughed so hard, it was easy to forget we were still at work. Nothing bonds a team together quite like making up new vocabulary words to be used by a robot!
Since then, Vee has become an integral part of the team, livening up our weekly meetings, adding a bit of fun to our internal communications, and increasing external engagement with regular cameos on our social media feeds.
Our mascot has even been “brought to life” in the three-dimensional sense. A large stuffed version of Vee now occupies the couch in our Durham, NC office, always ready for impromptu brainstorm sessions, appearances on the webcam, and, of course, hugs (celebratory or encouraging). Miniature stuffed Vees were also sent to each Versado team member’s home office to reinforce our connectedness as a mostly virtual team. These tiny Vees often join our team members for client meetings, family vacations, and even the occasional preschool show-and-tell. We love to see the “velfies” posted to our team Instagram account, keeping us updated on Vee’s adventures.
Vee has been a fun, successful experiment for Versado. We are excited to see where the future takes our cuddly robot – and our company. Follow us on social media to join our journey and see what Vee has been up to lately!
