Every campaign has a star. Sometimes you know who it is from the beginning. Sometimes they show up wearing purple glasses, a lab coat, and enough enthusiasm to fill a stadium.
Meet Squibby.
We sat down with Siegel+Gale’s creative leads behind Bristol Myers Squibb‘s Won’t Lose World Cup campaign, Sam Houle, Creative Director, and Pat Attenasio, Brand Communication Director, to talk about how an idea became a character, a character became a mascot and a mascot became one of the most beloved parts of the program.
How was Squibby born?
Sam: Squibby was born the same way many of the best ideas on this project came to life: organically.
That’s what happens when our team rallies around a powerful idea. For Bristol Myers Squibb, that idea was Won’t Lose. A celebration of the resilience shared by scientists, patients, and athletes alike. The belief that progress belongs to people who keep showing up, learning from setbacks, and refusing to quit.
My design colleague Liz and I were exploring giveaway concepts for a community activation when we asked each other. What if the plush toy was a soccer ball? What if it had arms and legs? What if it had a face? What if it had a huge heart?
With each question, the idea became a little more real. Soon, we weren’t talking about a giveaway anymore. We were talking about a character.
Pat: What I love most about the Squibby story is that they have many parents. Our amazing design team took a loose collection of ideas and transformed them into a character full of warmth, optimism, and personality. Every detail mattered. The shape. The expression. The glasses. The gloves. The lab coat.
Then came the name. Like so many good ideas in this story, it came from outside the conference room.
Sam’s wife, Kerrie, suggested “Squibby.” The second we heard it, we knew.
It was playful. Memorable. A little quirky. It felt exactly like the character we had been building. The name stuck. Everything else followed.
Once Squibby existed, what was his job?
Pat: Every great character needs a purpose. For us, the answer was obvious. The beating heart of Won’t Lose has always been Bristol Myers Squibb’s people. Their commitment. Their resilience. Their determination to keep pushing science forward on behalf of patients. We wanted Squibby to embody that same spirit.
My contribution came once Squibby had a look and a name. I started thinking about who he was. Where he came from. What he believed in. Why he cared so much about science and helping people. And because every good character needs an honest audience, I ran the whole thing past my nine-year-old son Teddy.
Squibby’s job became making science feel approachable, exciting, and full of possibility. Celebrating curiosity. Encouraging questions. Inspiring the next generation of scientists. In many ways, he became the campaign’s biggest believer. The official hype machine for bold science.
How did Squibby make the leap from concept to mascot?
Sam: The FIFA Fan Hub gave Squibby a chance to leave the sketchbook. Bristol Myers Squibb’s activation is designed to bring the company’s mission to life through immersive experiences, hands-on activities, and stories that showcase the persistence behind scientific progress. But first, people have to walk through the door. The World Cup is one of the biggest stages on Earth. The energy is nonstop. Everywhere you look, something is competing for attention. We needed a character who could match that energy.
What does Squibby represent?
Sam: Curiosity.
Pat: Resilience.
Sam: Optimism.
Pat: And a belief that progress belongs to people who refuse to give up.
One last question. What’s Squibby’s favorite thing to do?
Pat: Easy. Meeting future scientists.
Sam: And reminding them that the ideas that change the world often start with a simple question: What if?
The post Meet Squibby: The official hype machine for bold science appeared first on Siegel+Gale.
