Merli and Lio Series

The Brief
The client brieffed us that they wanted a series of original, fun, and highly recognizable cartoon characters inspired by Singapore landmarks and city culture. The characters should appeal to a broad audience including tourists, families, and young adults, while also resonating with locals. The characters will be used across a wide range of products, including: T-shirts and apparel, Fridge magnets, Keychains, Tote bags, Notebooks and stationery, Small accessories (e.g. pouches, purses).

Challenges
One of the main challenges was balancing tourist appeal with local authenticity. The characters needed to feel instantly recognisable to visitors, while still resonating with Singaporeans in a way that felt genuine rather than overly cliché.
Another challenge was simplifying complex landmarks into strong, iconic forms. Many Singapore landmarks have intricate architectural details, which required careful abstraction to ensure the characters remained clean, scalable, and effective across small merchandise formats like keychains and magnets.

Outcome
The final result was a distinctive and cohesive character series that transforms Singapore’s most iconic landmarks into playful, memorable mascots. Each character carries its own personality while maintaining a unified visual identity, making the collection both engaging and highly collectible.

WE CANNOT FULLY SHOWCASE THS PROJECT AT THE MOMENT AS THE CLIENT IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF COMMENCING THEIR BUSINESS AND ASKED US NOT TO SHOWCASE IT AT THE MOMENT!!!