Meet Safo - the first university mascot in Slovakia

How to make Gen Z interested in studying at a university? With the help of a mascot who speaks their language and understands the joys and troubles they are going through.
The Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Slovakia is the first one in the country to choose a mascot in its online communication. A young man called Safo - an abbreviation of the surname of the professor “Safarik” whom the university is named after - has become an online friend to students who often feel that universities are all about polite words and official meetings.

Safo guides students throughout the whole semester, gives them tips on mental health, eco-friendly solutions, events on and off the university campus and important dates.
Safo, however, is not only a face that appears on the university’s social media. He is a whole character with his own little quirks (always arrives late), loves (for saffron risotto) and hobbies (skateboarding), and even asks students for their tips and lets them choose his own pets, food or sports.