Cultural Depictions of Penguins - Logos and Mascots

Logos and Mascots

The friendly, slightly comical image of the penguin has often been used by companies and organisations for logos and mascots.

• Theta Phi Alpha fraternity uses a penguin as their mascot.
• Penguins give their name to the Pittsburgh Penguins (mascot's name: "Iceburgh" former mascot: "Penguin Pete") of the National Hockey League, their farm team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the sports teams of Youngstown State University (mascot's name: "Pete").
• The school mascot of the New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, MA) is the Fighting Penguin.
• The penguin is an unofficial mascot of Carleton College and its library.
• The mascot of North Otago Rugby Football Union is Bluey the penguin, reflecting two penguin colonies located in Oamaru, one of which is of Blue penguins.
• Diego the penguin is the mascot of Diegos Tartan Army, based in Inverness. Named after soccer player Diego Maradona, he was adopted in Lithuania by members of the Tartan Army, who follow the Scottish football team abroad.
• The Penguin is the mascot of choice for the British-American Rock Band Fleetwood Mac, and was the name of the first of two albums from 1973. (see Penguin)
• Tux the penguin is used as a symbol of Linux. The original image of Tux was drawn by Larry Wing. Tux is often depicted, in a variety of different attire, in different Linux distributions and programs that feature him as a mascot. He also features in many video games, along with female counterparts Penny and Gown.
• Penguin Vic was a character created to promote tourism in Victoria, Australia, as part of a campaign initiated in 1997.
• Sir Nils Olav, a King Penguin living in Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, is also the mascot of the Royal Norwegian Guard and their titular Colonel-in-Chief.
• Penguin Books, a publisher of paperback novels, uses a penguin in its name and logo.