DJ Shott on Community • Jul 10, 2019
We announced Tardigrade.io earlier this year, and the Storj team has been hard at work preparing to launch our network Beta ever since. So what better way to gear up for launch than inviting a new friend along for the ride?
Why Tardigrade.io needs a mascot
We developed the Tardigrade.io logo to be a bold, geometric representation of the microscopic animal’s durable and distributed nature. We kept the logo simple using basic shapes, knowing we’d develop a charming, fun-loving companion to compliment the Tardigrade’s minimalistic brand mark, help tell our story, and hopefully spark a few smiles along the way.
What we’re looking for in a mascot
We want a mascot that embodies our decentralized cloud storage platform. Though tardigrades aren’t always the most photogenic animals, we think they’re pretty freakin’ adorable—in an eight-legged invincible elephant kind of way. Our mascot should capture the microscopic organism’s cute side, while simultaneously echoing our brand attributes of simplicity, security, resiliency, and decentralization.
How our brand attributes should relate to the mascot
Simplicity
We’re making distributed cloud storage easy to use and available to the masses. We think this concept is best visualized with simple, basic shapes, instead of overly detailed realism and anatomical accuracy.
Security
We take privacy very seriously and believe no one should have access to your data but you. While the Tardigrade mascot should be charismatic and charming, it should be equally robust and trustworthy.
Resiliency
Distributed networks are inherently more resilient and durable. We used this as the inspiration for choosing Tardigrade as our product and name. Tardigrades thrive in the absolute harshest of conditions. From volcanoes and arctic regions to the vacuum of space, this tiny creature can handle the most brutal environments, and our mascot should too!
Decentralization
We believe the internet shouldn’t be confined to server farms and single points of failure. The more distributed the network, the less risk of a network failure. This is the future of cloud technology, and it should be everywhere all the time. Ultimately, we’d love to see this idea come to life by showing our mascot in various outfits, costumes, and environments.
How we’re selecting our mascot
Keeping these attributes in mind, while reviewing over 100 mascot variations, we’ve narrowed things down to our top three favorites. However, we’re having trouble deciding which one we love the most, so we’re asking for your help. Over the years, our community has been right by our side. You’ve helped us build the Storj network, provided valuable feedback, and contributed to our open source project. Now we want you to help choose the Tardigrade mascot. Click below to cast your vote before July 15, 2019.
Click here to cast Your Vote
Voting ends July 15, 2019, at 12:00 p.m. EDT.