KL mall licenses Myers Briggs inspired cartoon characters

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English: https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/Wtdw9OcC/article/kl-mall-licenses-myers-briggs-inspired-cartoon-characters

繁體中文：https://hkmb.hktdc.com/tc/JTM1MSGB/article/貿發局撮合本地卡通品牌與馬來西亞購物中心ip授權合作

簡體中文：https://hkmb.hktdc.com/sc/JTM1MSGB/article/贸发局撮合本地卡通品牌与马来西亚购物中心ip授权合作

 

Home-grown IP from Hong Kong is catching the eye of companies overseas.

A major shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur has enlisted the help of 16 cartoon characters from Hong Kong – each representing a different personality type from the popular Myers Briggs psychological assessment tool – to forge closer bonds with visitors.

MyTOWN Shopping Centre has put the characters, called Tadamates, at the centre of a year-long marketing push to drive foot traffic and showcase the mall as a place where everyone feels welcome.

The mall attracts more than 27 million visitors each year.

MyTOWN licensed the Tadamates from Hong Kong studio Tadaland. Designers and educators at Tadaland developed the characters to help individuals better understand themselves and the society they live in.

Each Tadamate has its own Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) profile as well as a complementary image and backstory.

The Myers-Briggs personality test, which categorises people into 16 groups according to their psychological preferences, is widely used around the world to assess personal and working relationships.

Tadaland has also devised its own version of the questionnaire using its Tadamates IP.

“With our 16 characters, we aim to help individuals recognise their uniqueness, appreciate others’ qualities and strengthen communication through genuine communication,” says Tadaland’s Executive Director Liora Li.

Ms Li, an illustrator and graphic designer, launched Tadaland with Co-Founder Jack Wan, an entrepreneur and former secondary school physics teacher, in 2020. This was two years after the first Tadamate drawings, inspired by MBTI personality types, appeared in Ms Li’s sketchbook.

These designs were further refined in collaboration with MBTI experts for another two years after Tadaland was founded.

The company has already licenced its Tadamates IP to several companies in Hong Kong, while extending the property into multiple formats. These include merchandise and YouTube videos as well as workshops and a best-selling book exploring effective communication between different personality types.

The partnership with MyTOWN is Tadaland’s first deal outside Hong Kong. It is also the studio’s first year-long collaboration and first project with a mall.

As part of the MyTOWN campaign, which runs until November, Tadamate mascots are meeting and greeting shoppers during four major festivals: Christmas, Chinese New Year, Easter and Hari Raya.

Different characters also play a starring role in striking centrepieces, which are part of the mall’s festive celebrations.

Tadamate merchandise – including toys, keychains, calendars, stickers and other lifestyle items – are available for redemption by shoppers throughout the year. The characters are also prominent in the mall’s advertising and décor.

The depth of collaboration is also new for MyTOWN. The mall’s earlier licensing deals for third-party IP had been limited to standalone events or short-term activations that focused on specific groups.

The two partners first met at the Hong Kong International Licensing Show in 2023 after MyTOWN’s Deputy General Manager Chris Koh visited Tadaland’s booth. Within months, the collaboration was born.

The next Hong Kong International Licensing Show, which is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, will take place on 28-30 April.

Tadaland will also be present at this year’s show as part of the pavilion from the Design Licensing and Business (DLAB) Support Scheme, which focuses on emerging creators from Hong Kong. 

The Tadaland team plans to further expand its business this year by signing up more retailers as licensees.

The Hong Kong-based studio is also planning to establish a licensing presence in Mainland China, while exploring collaboration opportunities with the overseas branches of existing partners.