List of Olympic mascots
There are for promotional purposes since 1968 an official Olympic mascot, usually an animal native to the host region, more rarely, a human figure representing the cultural heritage. The first mascot that gained great notoriety, Mischa was at the Summer Games in Moscow in 1980. The bear played a central role in the opening and closing ceremonies and was imaged on numerous souvenirs; there was even a TV cartoon.
Today, there are many major sporting events own mascot, such as at football World Cups. In many promotional items that are intended for children, the focus is now on the mascot itself and less on the Olympic flag or the logos of the organizing committee.