Given the enormous popularity of cartoon characters with children, beginning in the early 1980’s YMS has been involved with both creating them iconic characters from scratch (M&M Characters, for example), and maximizing them (Mickey Mouse, Garfield, the Nestle Quik Bunny and many, many more.) The creation of the M&M characters, for example,  assisted M&M Mars in talking the M&M brand from a 500M a year enterprise to a billion within a few years.  

The right character utilized correctly and responsibly can make a major impact. Kids and characters appear to be joined at the hip and heart. In 2005, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services division contracted YMS/The Character Lab to improve their Power Panther character as the original was not powerful or popular enough. Our improved version has been a huge success: 

On another recent project, Baylor University hired us to create a character program to help pre-school kids eat more fruits and vegetables. We created Judy Fruity and Reggie Veggie. They are being deployed via 30 second spots.

CHARACTER LAB TOOLS: Some of the tools utilized by Character lab personnel - both to create characters from scratch and to maximize existing characters - are provided by YMS/The Character lab here on this site for your use. To link to such tools as:

● Character Archetypes Model

● Character Power Quadrant

● Character Summary/Personality Worksheet

● Character Dynamic Example

                                    CLICK HERE

M&M CHARACTERS: We created first approaches

Maximized Power Panther Characters for USDA

Original and Maximized  with Sidekick      

Baylor U contracted us to create a character program to encourage kids to eat more fruits and veggies. We created Judy Fruity and Reggie Veggie

    For Kids TV            

Weather Program                         

                                  Splash Character

                                      for Dixie Cup