Lacoste sets its crocodile loose in a retro-anime summer series
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Lacoste has turned its famous crocodile into the animated hero of a 1980s-anime-style summer series, created by illustrator Rayan Takhedmit and studio Les Monstres and running as short Instagram films — the latest sign that mascots, not logos, are how heritage brands stay fresh.
What Lacoste made
Lacoste has released a new run of short animated films that give its crocodile emblem a starring role. Illustrated by Rayan Takhedmit and animated by the studio Les Monstres, the films borrow the look and pacing of 1980s anime, following the crocodile as it leaves the polo shirt and heads to the seaside for summer.
The scenarios are playful: the crocodile lounges on a deckchair, a red polo becomes a swimming flag, and a fin cuts through the waves before revealing the mascot clutching a tennis ball as two players look on. The work runs as short-form video on Instagram and is built for global distribution, launched in August 2026.
It is the second chapter of an ongoing animation series. The first leaned into Lacoste's sporting heritage in wintry settings; this instalment swaps the courts for the coast while keeping the same visual codes. 'The crocodile leaves its role as a simple emblem to become the main character of these stories,' the brand says.
Why heritage brands are animating their logos
There is a strategic pattern here. A static logo is a mark of ownership; a character is a storytelling engine. By turning the crocodile into a protagonist, Lacoste gains an asset that can travel across seasons, platforms and moods without a costly new concept every time.
Animation also solves a very modern problem. On a feed built for thumb-stopping motion, a moving, characterful mascot earns attention that a flat product shot rarely does. The 80s-anime styling adds a nostalgia hook that plays well with a fashion audience currently mining that era for aesthetics.
Crucially, it is ownable. Anyone can shoot a beach in summer; only Lacoste can send its crocodile there. The more distinctive and consistent the character, the more of that attention converts into brand memory rather than generic seasonal wallpaper.
The Marketing Minute read
For brands with a strong visual asset — a mascot, a shape, a colour, a character — Lacoste is a reminder that the asset is worth animating and serialising, not just stamping. Distinctive brand assets compound: the more consistently you use them, the cheaper attention becomes over time.
The trick is discipline. A series only works if each episode obviously belongs to the same world, which is why Lacoste keeps the visual codes fixed while changing the setting. Smaller brands can copy the model cheaply — a recurring character and a repeatable format beat a scattergun of one-off posts.
The warning is relevance. Nostalgia and cuteness age fast if they never connect to the product or a reason to buy. Lacoste keeps the tennis ball in shot for a reason: however far the crocodile wanders, it always finds its way back to what the brand actually sells.
Quick FAQ
Who created Lacoste's animated crocodile campaign?
The summer series was illustrated by Rayan Takhedmit and animated by the studio Les Monstres, running as short-form video on Instagram from August 2026. It is the second chapter of an ongoing animation series for the brand.
What is the idea behind the campaign?
Lacoste turns its crocodile logo into the main character of 1980s-anime-style short films, sending it to the seaside for summer. The aim is to make a heritage emblem feel fresh, distinctive and native to social feeds.
Why do brands turn logos into characters?
A character is a storytelling engine that can travel across seasons and platforms, earns attention on motion-first feeds, and is hard for rivals to copy — helping build long-term brand memory.
— Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
A logo marks ownership; a character earns attention — and heritage brands that animate their assets turn recognition into a story worth watching.
Does your brand have a distinctive asset you could turn into a character — and are you using it, or just stamping it?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: La Réclame and Creapills.
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Written by Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
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