Picture it: Tokyo, 2009. At a bumpin’ after party celebrating another successful WordCamp event, WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg asked guests for ideas to help promote WP in Japan – and Wapuu was born! The first Wapuu, from designer Kazuko Kaneuchi, was revealed at WordCamp Fukuoka in 2011.
Fifteen years and almost 500 iterations of the cutie-pie mascot later, we spoke with designer Deb Ciriaco on her inspiration for the latest trio of Wapuu characters, unveiled in advance of next month’s WordCamp US in Phoenix, Arizona.
Q: Since Wapuu was introduced to the world in 2011, nearly 500 versions have been created by the global WordPress community. Do you have any favorites, or was there anything in particular that you drew inspiration from in creating these new Wapuu characters?
A: One of my favorites is Wapuu Baggins because I’m a fan of The Lord of the Rings, and I love how a few recognizable details can give the character so much personality.
For the WCUS characters I looked at Route 66’s history and all the details that make Arizona unique. My goal was to create characters that felt like they truly belonged to this year’s event.
Q: What excited you about getting to create these new Wapuu characters? Are these the first Wapuus that you’ve had a hand in designing?
A: Last year I had the opportunity to design the official WordPress Campus Connect Wapuu, so I was really excited to bring new Wapuus to life for WordCamp US. What I enjoy most about the process is finding ways to represent a place or program through visual details, while still keeping each character recognizable as Wapuu.
Q: Are there any Easter eggs or other hidden details in your designs that folks might miss on first pass?
A: Yes! We left a few small Easter eggs hidden throughout the designs. I won’t reveal what they are, so you might have to look closely to spot them.
Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your history with the WordPress community.
A: I’ve always enjoyed creating, and at some point I started looking for a way to use my design skills outside of work and contribute to something that felt meaningful. That search led me to the WordPress community, where I was welcomed from the beginning and found opportunities to contribute through design.
Since then, I’ve helped develop the visual identity of several WordPress Education initiatives, and this year I became part of the WCUS 26 Design Team.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about WordCamp? Are there any specific experience(s) from past events that have been particularly meaningful to you? If this is your first one, what are you most excited to see or experience for yourself?
A: This will actually be my first WordCamp, so what I’m most excited about is seeing everything come to life. We’ve put so much heart into every little detail, and I can’t wait to see the final result.
Q: If you could give another WordCamp first-timer one piece of advice to make the most out of their experience, what would it be?
A: As this will be my first WordCamp, one thing I can already say is: don’t be afraid to participate. From my experience so far I’ve seen how supportive people are, and taking this first step can bring new experiences and a lot of fun along the way.
Q: Anything else you’d like people to know?
A: Throughout the process I received amazing feedback from the team, which helped me notice things I might not have seen on my own. That collaborative exchange made the final designs stronger, and I think it reflects the way WordPress itself is built: collaboratively.
See you in Phoenix!
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