Sber decided to restyle its mascot, SberCat, and asked several studios to participate in making approaches on the new design. We are happy to present our vision.
According to the legend, the cat is not too mature but not a child either. A significant challenge was capturing this character. This influenced the body proportions and facial features.
Denis Pisarev, character designer:
The primary task was to seamlessly match Cat with the existing Sber characters while retaining the recognizability of the 2D cat that the bank had used before. We explored various design directions that provided us with the necessary guidance.
Character profile
Dear Diary
Sberbank has a wide audience, so we faced the challenging task of developing a mascot identity that would be relatable and interesting to all users.
Tail
Not very long and fluffy; Cat doesn’t use it much due to memory loss and is trying to overcome this.
Skills
Mind
Speech
Speaks quickly, but clearly and with emphasis. Alternates between short and long sentences. Rarely uses pauses as a speech tool. Frequently employs quotes from famous personalities but can’t remember whose quotes they are.
Physique
Can retract claws; has a keen sense of hearing; developed sense of smell and touch. Very agile and can move quickly on all fours, but does so rarely.
Social
Mischievous, overly confident, hasty, and persistent – Cat is still a teenager, albeit an intelligent one. He approaches Sber as his favorite job, even though he’s not employed — he’s just a cat, after all. In the office, he assists with advertising and communications. Employees have grown accustomed to the unusual and curious cat who wants to help everyone, and they love and appreciate him.
Character Design
Hello, kitty
The design of the cat went through several iterations, ranging from more caricatured and stylized to more classical and realistic. During the process, changes were made to its eyes, fur, and proportion.
I wanted the character’s emotions to strike a balance between cartoonishness and realism. The cat’s mouth and nose create an expressive, rounded shape more typical of 2D illustrations. However, the cat looks very realistic and interacts with real people.
Robert Kubus, 3D Character Artist:
The cat needed to have a distinctive appearance and character. Working on its emotions was particularly interesting: making the character expressive, stylish, and lively, finding the right forms and facial deformations.
