Last week, a giant purple egg mysteriously appeared outside of the Chase Center in San Francisco, the home of the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries. With the unmistakable scent of a buzzy brand activation wafting through the air, a wildlife expert was called in to inspect the egg, but they were unable to identify the species of the bird within.
The Valkyries then delicately transported the egg inside the arena on a dolly, where it was deposited onto a nest under the watchful eye of a “Nest Cam.” Valkyries faithful were able to tune into the Nest Cam to monitor the egg, and were then encouraged to attend the Valkyries’ game against the Connecticut Sun on August 11 for “Birdwatchers Night,” in which they received binoculars upon arrival.
After a four-day incubation period, with the mounting egg-anticipation reaching its zenith, the egg finally hatched to reveal the Valkyries’ new mascot: a bespectacled purple raven named Violet.
Violet was officially unveiled at halftime of the Valkyries’ game against the Sun, in which she pranced out onto the court to a packed Ballhalla— what the team’s fanbase affectionately calls the Chase Center. Her costume is composed of a custom Valkyries jersey dress, purple sneakers, and oversized gold glasses. You see, Violet is near-sighted, so she needs these glasses to achieve the acute eyesight ravens are known for.
Ravens are Valkyries’ companions in Norse mythology. They are are considered guardians of good fortune, and shape-shift to outsmart their foes. Violet will help the Valkyries beat their opponents on the court by using her innate skills as a raven to collect information on her daily flights. She is also a songbird, a collector of shiny things, and leaves fans small gifts.
Anyone paying any attention to the world at all, knows that Violet the raven is the direct result of the Ellie Effect. Ellie, of course, is the New York Liberty’s mascot and a bonafide cultural sensation. Ellie has transcended the world of sports mascots, breaking into the mainstream with impeccable characterization and Brooklyn authenticity, always-going-viral halftime performances, and brilliant brand know-how from the Liberty franchise.
So it’s not surprising that the WNBA’s newest team would take a page out of the Liberty’s book, opting for an unexpected animal choice with quirky details as their mascot, and revealing her in splashy fashion. Naturally, the internet is already stirring the pot, pitting the two against each other (all in good-natured fun).
Ellie herself has obviously already weighed in on her new viral rival, with her signature Ellie sass. Ellie had recently pulled her own stunt at a Liberty game in which she emerged from an egg in homage to Lady Gaga. To show she’d originated what Violet then did weeks later, Ellie posted a video of her own egg reveal with a period as a caption.
So what are we to make of all of this? It’s goofy, it’s dumb, it’s campy as hell, and I love it all. The world is dark and filled with terrors, and frankly, I do need nonsensical, over-the-top mascot reveals and beefing WNBA mascots to bring me joy. I’m here for a bit that’s taken to an extreme, and the Valkyries have done just that with Violet’s unveiling. The image of a giant purple egg in the middle of a field behind purple velvet ropes is all I needed to buy in to the ridiculousness. What can I say, silly sells!
The post The Golden State Valkyries Reveal Their New Mascot with a Campy Stunt that Soars appeared first on PRINT Magazine.