In 2018, Singapore Tourism Board appointed my team at Big 3 Media to create a new brand mascot based on the mythical icon Merlion. The campaign aims to appeal to the kids and family segment, and the result is an endearing character, Merli - a young boy who loves helping people explore Singapore. Merli was deployed domestically and internationally as a tourism icon for the board's regional offices.

With the public warming up to Merli's image, I head the design of four new characters inspired by local wildlife and fruit: Marina the Otter, Chomp Chomp the Crocodile, Jewel the Hornbill, and D65 the Unidentified Flying Durian. Together they star in the animated series Merli and Friends featuring iconic tourist spots in Singapore. The series garnered 3.8 million views on all platforms to date.

The simplicity of Merli's iconic design maintained its recognisability and appeal. Since the 2020 Singapore National Day, we've witnessed the public embracing Merli as the ambassador of Singapore, with many celebrating and expressing their affection through fan art in different mediums, namely crochet craft, balloons, and pastries.