# Photography App Toys This Instagram Mascot Brings the Picture-Sharing Platform to Life By Amelia Roblin | Published 2013-02-07 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-mascot References: [beautifullife.info](http://www.beautifullife.info/graphic-design/instagram-logo-mascot-toy-design-concept/) & [shinbonecreative](http://www.shinbonecreative.com/category/toys/) If your favorite [photo-sharing app](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hipstamatic) was a cartoon character, what would it look like? Certainly it would take on the [adorable anthropomorphic appearance](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mastodon-mascot) that designer JC Rivera and 3D sculptor Scott Wetterschneider have given it. The [Instagram](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-teen-icons) Mascot has its icon-like squarish body with gently rounded corners, but here it stands with a pair of black arms and two short legs. The symbol's lens became the nose of the little figure as soon as a cheeky grin was modeling into the material beneath it. It's suggested that the viewfinder functions as the plaything's left eye while the familiar rainbow accent acts as a patch over the other. Existing only digitally, the endearing Instagram Mascot will soon have a manufacturer, thanks to Shinbone Creative. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.3/10 - Popularity: 38% | Activity: 53% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Character Merchandising Toys:** The Instagram Mascot toy shows the potential for popular apps to expand into physical merchandise sales. - **Augmented Reality Toys:** Creating an augmented reality experience with popular apps could be the next step for toy manufacturers looking to tap into app-driven audiences. - **Social Media-inspired Toy Design:** The Instagram Mascot toy highlights the potential for designers to turn popular social media platforms into tangible objects through creative design processes. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Toy Manufacturing:** Shinbone Creative's production of the Instagram Mascot toy presents opportunities for toy manufacturers to tap into digital app audiences. - **Social Media Marketing:** The Instagram Mascot toy shows opportunities for social media platforms to expand their marketing efforts into physical merchandise sales. - **App Development and Design:** The Instagram Mascot toy demonstrates the potential for app designers to explore creative ways to bring digital experiences into physical products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Expressive App Icons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-teen-icons.md) - [Dedicated Content Creator Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instapocket.md) - [AI-Powered Icon Creators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sketchmeapp.md) - [Color-In Photo Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toy-camera-concept.md) - [Selfie-Centric Action Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfie-series.md) - [Adorable Mini Instant Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retro-digital-toy-camera.md) - [AI-Powered Digital Avatars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-8.md) - [Sticker-Creating Social Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instagram-7.md) - [Selfie-Based Action Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/formlabs.md)