Mascot: Mascots in Contemporary Graphic Design by Jon Dowling is a visually striking design reference that celebrates the growing role of mascots in modern branding and graphic design. Published by Counter-Print, the book showcases how illustrated characters have become powerful brand assets for companies, cultural organizations, restaurants, festivals, publishers, technology firms, financial institutions, sports brands, and independent studios. Through an international selection of contemporary projects, the book demonstrates how mascots create emotional connections, strengthen brand identity, and make visual communication more memorable. From playful cartoon figures and retro-inspired icons to minimalist digital characters and sophisticated brand ambassadors, Mascot explores a wide variety of creative styles and design approaches. Each featured project includes high-quality visuals accompanied by commentary from the designers, offering insights into their creative process, conceptual thinking, and branding strategies. Richly illustrated with hundreds of full-colour examples, the book serves as both a source of inspiration and a practical reference for graphic designers, illustrators, branding professionals, creative agencies, students, and anyone interested in visual identity design. It is widely regarded as one of the best contemporary showcases of mascot-based branding and character design.