Overview
This style guide was cooked up with care (and a few campfire singes) for the fine folks over at the Assemblies of God HQ, U.S. Missions Department. The brief? Simple. Smush the Pug. Our mission: bring to life a friendly four-legged mascot with enough charm, quirks, and cool-kid energy to wag his way into every corner of their brand.
Client
Assemblies of God
Industry
Ministries
Service
Visual Identity
Character Style Guide
Duration
3 MONTHS
The Challenge
The challenge? Ditch the dusty clip-art look and dream up something real — a character that kids could actually connect with, not just glance past. Our pitch: build Smush into more than a doodle. Give him a full-blown style guide, a personality, and a wardrobe of quirks that makes him the face of their ministry.
The Solution
What started as a sketch of a wrinkly little pup turned into a full-blown mascot with legs (and paws). Smush went from clip-art cliché to a fully fleshed character with personality, expressions, and a style guide that ministries could actually build stories around. The illustrations leaned playful without talking down to kids, while still being flexible enough to work across coloring books, lesson plans, stickers, or a puppet show if someone felt ambitious. The end result wasn’t just a dog—it was a brand ambassador with bark and bite, ready to make children’s ministry feel fun, approachable, and totally original.
