There were none, but then suddenly two. Why? And, crucially, who would win in a death match?<\/p>\n
\u2018Tis the season to scroll social media and be met with a flurry of red and blue, dead eyes and empty half smiles. Watch as these candidates travel the country and pose outside landmarks, perform viral TikTok trends and meet local kids. They might try to charm you with a slogan such as \u201cjoin the freevolution\u201d, or simply hand you a friendship bracelet in silence. For whatever reason, it is not a scandal that they are basically 100% naked all the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Such is the campaign life of Plussie and Threeadore, two friendly mascots representing our local streaming platforms TVNZ+ and ThreeNow who have been seen committing all manner of hijinks across TikTok, Instagram, billboards and broadcast ads over the last year or so. But who are these two grinning wide-eyed content enthusiasts really, and why have they both crashed into our pop culture sphere within mere months of each other?\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The first to emerge was Threeadore in March 2025, ThreeNow\u2019s grinning red \u201cfluffball\u201d who looks a bit like the Cookie Time monster got veneers and then got run over by a steamroller (I am told his shape is inspired by the ThreeNow logo). Originally launched in animated form as part of Three\u2019s \u201ctake a subscription vacation\u201d campaign, he has since crossed into the world of flesh and fuzz on his \u201cjoin the freevolution\u201d nationwide tour sponsored by Volkswagen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Described as \u201cfun-loving, curious and always up for a bit of mischief\u201d by Reuben Wiremu, Sky NZ\u2019s head of growth and acquisition, Threeadore has also spawned thousands of plush babies<\/a>, dressed up as a Traitor, cast love spells as cupid during MAFS Australia, and has even protested on the grounds of parliament<\/a> (too soon!). \u201cHe can be anything, go anywhere and do everything, so you never quite know where he\u2019ll pop up next,\u201d says Wiremu. Ominous!<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s Plussie, full name Plusian \u201cPlussie\u201d McPlusteron, who a spokesperson for TVNZ tells me \u201cwas born somewhere in the building many decades ago\u201d but only burst forth onto social media in June last year. With a bit more of an angular, yuppy vibe (wears shoes and gloves), Plussie has walked those big shoes everywhere from the beaches of Celebrity Treasure Island<\/a>, to the football with Chris Chang, to ping pong with John Campbell.<\/p>\n Bodo Lang, professor in marketing at Massey University, says that embracing the \u201clong-standing marketing strategy\u201d of the mascot is a wise move for both platforms, even if their arrivals clashed somewhat. \u201cIf you think about what a streaming service is, it\u2019s basically a digital gateway to a library of online content, which is boring,\u201d he says. \u201cSo what can you do to make that brand just a little more human? A mascot is one good way of doing it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n ThreeNow and TVNZ+ are far from the only digital brands stepping into the world of anthropomorphised spokespeople. As reported by the BBC in May this year<\/a>, big international tech brands have been embracing mascots as a way of appearing more \u201ccute and cuddly\u201d to consumers. These include Microsoft\u2019s new \u201cexpressive and warm\u201d character Mico, Apple\u2019s large-headed \u201clittle finder guy\u201d and Firefox changing its logo into a mascot named Kit.\u00a0<\/p>\n That said, none of the major streaming platforms have their own mascot equivalents. Where is Flicky for Netflix, or Maxie for HBO Max? \u201cThey have the heft of a very, very big chequebook behind them, and so they can outperform local brands on just the size of a catalogue,\u201d says Lang. \u201cAnd finding a mascot that would work well across the world becomes so much more complex \u2013 the smaller and the more targeted the market is, the easier it is to find that mascot.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n As for where our homegrown streaming mascots differ, Lang\u2019s guess is that Threeadore appeals to a younger audience with his \u201cdistinct broad face\u201d and fluffy exterior. \u201cResearch shows that cuteness adds another layer of relatability, and I think Threeadore is probably just a little bit cuter.\u201d By comparison, Plussie\u2019s viral TikTok interests intersect with an older demographic, and his angular body \u201cwould very much appeal to architects and people into abstract trades\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Just over the weekend, Threeadore raced a plethora of other beloved local mascots at the Warriors game, including Harold the Giraffe and a large sentient bottle of CeraVe (he did not place). It begs another thrilling question: which streaming mascot would win in a death match? Yes, Threeadore has at least three visible teeth, but he also has very small T-Rex arms and a lot of fur to pull. Plussie is toothless, but has the training<\/a>, along with gloves, shoes and those sharp right angles to wallop as needed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a no-brainer,\u201d says Lang. \u201cJust a little headbutt from Plussie would probably throw Threeadore back quite a bit.\u201d<\/p>\nThreeadore could be anywhere, anytime \u2013 even T\u012brau. (Photo: Supplied)<\/p>\n
Plussie makes TVNZ+ more human. (Photo: Supplied)<\/p>\n
Threeadore goes to Blenheim. (Photo: Supplied)<\/p>\n