Do you have a company doughboy on your desk? Or maybe a brightly coloured plastic clown? While most companies are content to let smart graphics and a logo provide their public face, many go one step further and give themselves a mascot – a character that embodies the brand and its values.

Churchill, the UK insurance company, is known for its eponymous dog, a hound who utters “Oh yes” in a trustworthy Yorkshire accent, originally voiced by comedian Bob Mortimer. The bulldog was chosen after a competition was held to find a character to differentiate the company from Winston Churchill.