Hartson Creative was commissioned by Middlesbrough Football Club to create a series of bespoke mascot illustrations based on the club’s existing lion and lioness mascots.

The project involved developing a distinctive illustration style that complemented the club’s branding while remaining clean, friendly and instantly recognisable. Once the style was established, a collection of illustrations was created featuring a range of poses and actions, including waving, celebrating, shooting a football and the mascots together.

These illustrations provide the club with a versatile set of original visual assets for use across print, social media, merchandise, marketing materials and promotional campaigns. By creating custom illustrations rather than relying on stock graphics, the club now has a consistent and unique visual style that can be used across a wide range of applications.

This project demonstrates how bespoke illustration can strengthen a brand’s identity, creating memorable characters that engage supporters and add personality to its communications.