Singapore, 27 June 2018 – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) unveiled today Merli, a heart-warming and whimsical illustration of the Republic's mythical national icon. Merli, short for Merlion, is a character that STB hopes will appeal to families with young children, one of STB's key target consumer segments. Hence, moving forward, STB will be featuring Merli in its global marketing efforts where appropriate.
"We came up with this endearing character, based on our beloved Merlion, to build a stronger emotional connection with families and to entrench Singapore's brand awareness among them," said Ms Lim Shoo Ling, Director, Brand, STB. "Armed with a can-do attitude and a great enthusiasm for discovering more about Singapore, Merli embodies the Passion Made Possible brand."
Getting to know Merli
Merli is energetic and outgoing, and has many friends from Singapore and around the world. Whenever his friends visit, Merli takes the opportunity to show them the best and most interesting parts of Singapore.
In addition to showcasing Singapore, Merli makes it a point to treat his friends to his favourite food – kaya toast – which he loves for its unique taste. In short, Merli is passionate about wanting visitors to love Singapore as much as he does.
In his free time, Merli also often embarks on adventures around the country, making new friends wherever he goes. He believes that he will always learn something new and interesting by exploring Singapore.
Introducing Merli: Sticker Giveaway and Social Media GIFs
To introduce Merli to Singapore, Merli stickers will be given away free at the Orchardgateway Singapore Visitor Centre (SVC)[1] from 27th June 2018 to 3rd July 2018.
The stickers come in a set of six on a single sheet, featuring Merli in six different poses. All locals and visitors are welcome to collect these stickers, limited to one sheet per person, and while stocks last.
Merli will also appear on social media platforms around the world in the form of GIF comments and GIF stickers. More details of these will be shared on the VisitSingapore social media pages at a later stage.
[1] Address: 216 Orchard Road (Next to orchardgateway@emerald)
Operating hours: Daily 8.30am to 9.30pm
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Download images here
Merlion GIFs here: Download For Media_STB Merli GIFs.zip
Merlion Illustrations here: Download For Media_STB Merli Poses.zip
Merlion Sticker here: Download For Media_STB Merli A5 Sticker.png
About the Singapore Tourism Board
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore's key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions. For more information, visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com