# Raven Mascot Guide

**Character:** Violet (Vi for short)
**Species:** Raven (*Corvus corax*)
**Role:** Host UK's Digital Brand Ambassador

---

## The Origin Story

### Why a Raven?

Ravens have guarded the Tower of London for centuries. Legend holds that Britain itself falls if the ravens ever leave. They're clever, adaptable, and fiercely loyal—qualities we value at Host UK.

Our raven isn't the ominous bird of Gothic poetry. She's the one who'd befriend the tourists, nick a crisp from the Beefeater's pocket, and somehow end up with a PhD in computer science.

### The Royal Purple Connection

The Tower ravens wear coloured bands to identify them. Our Violet wears purple—the colour of royalty since antiquity, when Tyrian purple dye cost more than gold. It's also the colour of creativity, wisdom, and transformation.

Purple bridges the gap between the warm red of passion and the cool blue of intellect. That's Vi: heart and mind in equal measure.

---

## Character Profile

### Name
**Violet** (Vi)

- Full name rarely used; she goes by Vi
- Named after the flower, not the colour (though she loves both)
- Occasionally introduces herself as "Violet from Host UK" in formal settings

### The Essence

Vi is "that hippie chick who married a x100 programmer at a FAANG company."

She spent years listening to her partner explain distributed systems over herbal tea. She nodded along at dinner parties about container orchestration. She absorbed Kubernetes discussions whilst doing her morning yoga. And somehow, without trying, she became fluent in tech.

She's still the free spirit she always was. She just also understands why your database isn't scaling.

### Core Personality Traits

**The Chill Explainer**
Vi makes complex things simple without being condescending. She learned tech by osmosis, not formal education, so she remembers what it's like to not know. She explains CDNs using metaphors about farmer's markets. She compares DNS to the postal system. She makes it make sense.

**The Accidental Expert**
Vi didn't set out to understand cloud infrastructure. She just paid attention when her partner ranted about work. Now she can troubleshoot a Docker issue whilst discussing the healing properties of lavender. She wears her expertise lightly.

**The Community Builder**
Ravens are social birds. A group is called an "unkindness" but Vi prefers "murder of corvids" because it sounds more metal. She tends to her flock—other creators, small business owners, anyone building something online. She remembers names. She celebrates wins. She's genuinely pleased when your scheduled posts go out on time.

**The British Hippie**
Think: Glastonbury meets Greenwich. Crystal energy meets crystal-clear documentation. She's got the vibes of someone who'd offer you a homemade kombucha whilst debugging your CSS.

She uses British spellings without thinking about it. She says "lovely" and "brilliant" and "fancy a cuppa?" She's not posh, not common—just authentically, warmly British.

### Voice Characteristics

**How Vi Speaks:**

- Contractions always (she's, we'll, it's)
- Casual but never sloppy
- Genuine warmth without exclamation marks
- Technical accuracy wrapped in approachable language
- Occasional dry wit, never mean
- References to tea, weather, and the universal experiences of online life

**Vi Would Say:**
- "Right then, let's sort this out."
- "That's actually quite clever, what you've done there."
- "Pop that in your scheduled posts and you're golden."
- "Your analytics are telling you something interesting."
- "Have you tried clearing your cache? I know, I know, but it works more often than you'd think."

**Vi Would Never Say:**
- "AMAZING opportunity" (too salesy)
- "Let me leverage this synergy" (corporate speak is violence)
- "Revolutionary game-changer" (steady on)
- "You guys" (she's British)
- Anything with more than one exclamation mark

### Interests and Background

**Her Vibe:**
- Morning person (up with the birds, literally)
- Tea over coffee, always
- Grows herbs on her windowsill
- Has opinions about sourdough starters
- Reads actual physical books
- Knows all the best spots in the British countryside
- Has strong feelings about light pollution
- Believes in ethical tech

**Her Murder (The Corvid Crew):**
Vi tends to a small community of other corvids—representing the Host UK customer base:
- New creators just starting out
- Small businesses finding their digital feet
- Agencies managing multiple clients
- Anyone who needs their hosting to just work

**Tech Knowledge Areas:**
- Social media algorithms (from years of listening to engineering discussions)
- Web hosting fundamentals (it's what she does)
- Analytics and data (she can read a chart)
- Content strategy (she's lived it)
- GDPR and privacy (surprisingly strong opinions here)
- The reality of running an online business (the human side)

### What She Cares About

1. **People succeeding online** - Not vanity metrics, actual meaningful success
2. **Clear communication** - Jargon is a barrier; clarity is a gift
3. **Privacy and ethics** - Because tech should be humane
4. **The UK tech scene** - Underrated and full of talent
5. **Work-life balance** - The schedule posts so you can actually live
6. **Community over competition** - Rising tides, boats, you know the rest

---

## Visual Identity

### Base Design Concept

**Style:** Friendly cartoon, geometric simplification
**Inspiration:** Modern app mascots (Duolingo's owl energy, but British and less chaotic)
**Feel:** Approachable, clever, warm

### Colour Palette

**Primary - Royal Purple**
- Main: #663399 (Rebecca Purple)
- Light: #9370DB (Medium Purple)
- Dark: #4B0082 (Indigo)

**Secondary - Warm Accents**
- Eye highlight: #FFD700 (Gold)
- Beak/feet: #FF8C00 (Dark Orange)
- Cheek warmth: #FFA07A (Light Salmon)

**Neutrals**
- Outline: #2D2D2D (Near Black)
- Feather highlight: #E6E6FA (Lavender)

### Physical Characteristics

**Head**
- Large in proportion (cartoon style)
- Expressive eyes with visible warmth
- Subtle eyelashes (not overdone—she's not a cartoon princess)
- Small tuft of messy feathers on top (slightly wild, not perfectly groomed)
- Intelligent, kind expression

**Beak**
- Classic raven shape but slightly softened
- Warm orange-gold colour
- Often slightly open (approachable, about to speak)

**Body**
- Compact, friendly proportions
- Royal purple feathers with subtle iridescence
- Simplified wing shape
- Small, visible feet (can perch, gesture)

**Accessories (Optional, Situational)**
- Small flower tucked behind ear (violet, obviously)
- Vintage-style reading glasses (for "explaining" poses)
- Tiny cup of tea (held impossibly in wing)
- Miniature laptop (for tech content)
- Small plant or herb sprig

### Expression Sheet (Core Emotions)

1. **Default/Friendly** - Gentle smile, open posture, approachable
2. **Explaining** - Slight head tilt, one wing raised (teacher pose)
3. **Excited** - Eyes bright, feathers slightly ruffled, contained joy
4. **Thinking** - Head tilted, one eye slightly narrowed, contemplative
5. **Celebrating** - Wings spread slightly, genuine warmth
6. **Sympathetic** - Soft expression, understanding, "I've been there"
7. **Cheeky** - Slight smirk, knowing look, British wit moment

### Poses and Situations

**Standard Poses**
- Perched and waving (welcome/greeting)
- Standing with wing on hip (confident helper)
- Flying/hovering (dynamic, freedom)
- Typing on tiny laptop (tech content)
- Holding/presenting something (feature showcase)
- Reading (educational content)
- With tea cup (casual, friendly)

**Product-Specific Poses**
- **SocialHost**: Perched on a calendar, juggling platform icons
- **BioHost**: In front of a stylised bio page, pointing proudly
- **AnalyticsHost**: Wearing reading glasses, pointing at a chart
- **TrustHost**: Giving a wing-thumbs-up next to star reviews
- **NotifyHost**: With a tiny bell, gentle notification energy

---

## Voice and Content Style

### Social Media Persona

**Platform Presence:**
- Primary: Twitter/X (tech community, quick updates)
- Secondary: Instagram (visual tips, community features)
- Supporting: LinkedIn (business content, thought leadership)
- Emerging: TikTok (tutorials, trending moments)

**Posting Voice:**

Vi posts as herself—first person, conversational, helpful. She's not a faceless brand; she's a character with opinions and warmth.

**Example Posts:**

*Twitter/X:*
> Scheduled 47 posts this morning before my second cup of tea. There's something deeply satisfying about a full content calendar. What are you lot working on today?

*Instagram:*
> That feeling when your analytics show exactly what you hoped. Your hard work is working. Keep going, yeah?

*LinkedIn:*
> Small businesses often ask me whether they need a social media scheduler. Honest answer: depends on your time. If you're posting inconsistently because life gets in the way, a scheduler isn't cheating—it's survival. Here's how to think about it...

*TikTok:*
> POV: You're explaining DNS to someone who asked "why isn't my domain working" and you're trying not to use the phrase "propagation period" [proceeds to explain clearly with a postal metaphor]

### Content Themes Vi Owns

1. **Educational Content** - How things work, explained kindly
2. **Product Updates** - New features, through her lens
3. **Community Spotlights** - Celebrating customer wins
4. **Industry Commentary** - Thoughts on social media, hosting, tech
5. **Behind the Scenes** - What's happening at Host UK
6. **Tips and Tricks** - Practical advice, no fluff
7. **Seasonal/Timely** - Relevant moments, British holidays, tech events

### Things Vi Talks About

- The changing seasons (British weather chat, but make it content strategy)
- Tea recommendations (she has opinions)
- What's actually working in social media right now
- Privacy and ethical tech practices
- Supporting small businesses
- The satisfaction of good systems
- Work-life balance for creators
- The corvid crew (her community)

### Things Vi Doesn't Talk About

- Aggressive sales pitches
- Competitor bashing (she might compare, but never attack)
- Controversial politics (she has views but keeps them private)
- Get-rich-quick promises
- Anything that feels manipulative

---

## Usage Guidelines

### When to Use Vi

**Perfect For:**
- Social media content across all platforms
- Help documentation illustrations
- Error pages and empty states
- Onboarding flows
- Email headers and footers
- Blog post illustrations
- Feature announcements
- Community engagement

**Use With Caution:**
- Very formal business contexts
- Legal or compliance documents
- Situations requiring complete seriousness

**Never Use:**
- To misrepresent information
- In contexts that undermine her warmth
- Competing with serious messaging

### Brand Consistency

**Vi Must Always Be:**
- Helpful, never condescending
- Warm, never saccharine
- Knowledgeable, never showing off
- British, never stereotypical
- Purple, never off-brand

**Vi Must Never Be:**
- Mean or dismissive
- Overly excited (one exclamation mark maximum)
- Corporate or buzzword-heavy
- Inauthentic or "trying too hard"
- Americanised in spelling or slang

### Mascot vs Logo

Vi complements the Host UK logo; she doesn't replace it.

- **Logo**: Official brand identity, contracts, formal use
- **Vi**: Personality layer, community engagement, human touch

They can appear together, but Vi is never the primary identifier.

---

## Visual Asset Specifications

### Required Asset Sizes

**Profile Pictures (Circular Crop)**
- Twitter/X: 400x400px
- Instagram: 320x320px
- LinkedIn: 400x400px
- Facebook: 180x180px

**Social Media Posts**
- Instagram Square: 1080x1080px
- Instagram Story: 1080x1920px
- Twitter/X: 1200x675px
- LinkedIn: 1200x627px

**Website/App**
- Favicon variant: 32x32px
- App icon variant: 512x512px
- Hero illustration: 1200x800px
- Inline illustration: 400x400px

**Print (If Needed)**
- Vector SVG source file
- High-res PNG at 300dpi

### File Naming Convention

```
vi-[pose]-[emotion]-[size].png
vi-perched-friendly-400x400.png
vi-explaining-thinking-1080x1080.png
vi-flying-excited-hero.png
```

---

## AI Image Generation Prompts

### Base Character Prompt

```
Cute cartoon raven mascot character, friendly and approachable style.

Physical features:
- Royal purple feathers (#663399) with subtle iridescence
- Large expressive eyes with warm golden highlights
- Orange-gold beak, slightly open and friendly
- Soft, rounded cartoon proportions
- Small messy tuft of feathers on head
- Visible tiny feet for perching

Style:
- Modern vector illustration style
- Clean lines, soft gradients
- Kawaii influence but not overly childish
- Professional mascot quality (think Duolingo, Mailchimp)
- Warm, approachable expression
- British sensibility in design

Personality conveyed:
- Intelligent and kind
- Helpful and patient
- Slightly quirky, charmingly odd
- Warm without being saccharine

Background: transparent or simple, clean

Do not include: scary raven imagery, gothic aesthetic, overly realistic feathers, aggressive expressions
```

### Pose-Specific Prompts

**Waving/Greeting**
```
[Base prompt] +
Pose: standing upright, one wing raised in friendly wave
Expression: warm smile, welcoming eyes
Suitable for: welcome screens, greetings, friendly moments
```

**Explaining/Teaching**
```
[Base prompt] +
Pose: head tilted slightly, one wing gesturing as if explaining
Expression: patient, knowledgeable, encouraging
Props: optional tiny reading glasses
Suitable for: tutorials, help content, educational posts
```

**Celebrating Success**
```
[Base prompt] +
Pose: wings slightly spread, small hop or bounce implied
Expression: genuine joy, pride in others
Props: optional confetti, stars, sparkles (subtle)
Suitable for: achievement notifications, milestones, wins
```

**Working/Typing**
```
[Base prompt] +
Pose: seated or perched, wings on tiny laptop keyboard
Expression: focused but pleasant, slight smile
Props: small laptop, cup of tea nearby
Suitable for: productivity content, tech tutorials
```

**Thinking/Contemplating**
```
[Base prompt] +
Pose: one wing to chin, head tilted
Expression: thoughtful, considering, curious
Props: optional thought bubble
Suitable for: questions, prompts, consideration moments
```

**With Tea (Signature Pose)**
```
[Base prompt] +
Pose: perched comfortably, holding tiny teacup in wing
Expression: content, relaxed, inviting
Props: steaming cup of tea, possibly biscuit
Suitable for: casual content, community moments, British touches
```

### Product-Specific Prompts

**SocialHost Vi**
```
[Base prompt] +
Context: social media management theme
Props: calendar, scheduled posts flying out, multiple platform icons
Pose: confidently managing, in control
Colour accent: retain purple but add social platform colour hints
```

**BioHost Vi**
```
[Base prompt] +
Context: link-in-bio/personal branding theme
Props: stylised bio page, chain links, personal touches
Pose: presenting proudly, creative energy
Colour accent: purple with creative, vibrant touches
```

**AnalyticsHost Vi**
```
[Base prompt] +
Context: data and analytics theme
Props: charts, graphs, magnifying glass, reading glasses
Pose: analytical, examining data, satisfied with insights
Colour accent: purple with data visualisation blues and greens
```

**TrustHost Vi**
```
[Base prompt] +
Context: social proof and reviews theme
Props: star ratings, testimonial cards, thumbs up
Pose: endorsing, trustworthy, reassuring
Colour accent: purple with warm trust-building golds
```

**NotifyHost Vi**
```
[Base prompt] +
Context: notifications and engagement theme
Props: small bell, gentle notification symbols, return arrow
Pose: alerting gently, not alarming
Colour accent: purple with attention-getting but gentle accents
```

---

## Sticker and Emoji Set

### Core Expressions (12)
1. Waving hello
2. Thumbs up (wing up)
3. Heart eyes
4. Thinking face
5. Celebrating/party
6. Typing/working
7. Tea time
8. Mind blown
9. Tired but persisting
10. Proud
11. Apologetic/oops
12. Signing off/bye

### Reactions (6)
1. Love it
2. Great idea
3. On it
4. Noted
5. Same
6. Cheers

### Seasonal (Create as Needed)
- Winter: scarf and warm tea
- Spring: with flowers
- Summer: sunglasses, ice cream
- Autumn: cosy, falling leaves
- Christmas: Santa hat (tasteful)
- New Year: party horn (one)

---

## Implementation Checklist

### Phase 1: Core Assets
- [ ] Final character design approval
- [ ] Base illustration (all 7 expressions)
- [ ] Standard poses (6 core poses)
- [ ] Profile picture variants (all platforms)

### Phase 2: Platform Assets
- [ ] Social media post templates
- [ ] Story templates
- [ ] Email header/footer graphics
- [ ] Website illustrations

### Phase 3: Product Integration
- [ ] Product-specific Vi variants
- [ ] Onboarding illustrations
- [ ] Empty state illustrations
- [ ] Error page graphics

### Phase 4: Extended Assets
- [ ] Sticker/emoji set
- [ ] Animated variants (subtle)
- [ ] Seasonal variants
- [ ] Merchandise-ready versions

---

## Version History

| Version | Date | Changes |
|---------|------|---------|
| 1.0 | 2025-12-31 | Initial mascot guide created |

---

*"Right then. Let's help you build something brilliant."*
— Vi
