In 2018, Singapore Tourism Board appointed my team at Big 3 Media to create a new tourism mascot based on the Merlion, with a brief to appeal to the kids and family segment. The result was Merli, a young boy who helps people explore Singapore, later deployed domestically and internationally across STB's regional offices.

As Merli gained traction with the public, I led the design of four supporting characters drawn from local wildlife and fruit: Marina the Otter, Chomp Chomp the Crocodile, Jewel the Hornbill, and D65 the Unidentified Flying Durian. They star alongside Merli in the animated series Merli and Friends, set across Singapore's tourist spots, which has been viewed 3.8 million times across platforms to date.

Merli's simple, recognisable design has helped it endure. Since National Day 2020, the public has embraced Merli as an ambassador for Singapore, producing fan art in crochet, balloon art, and pastry.

Merli has since gone on to collaborate with Baby Shark, Tom and Jerry, and appear at Osaka Expo 2025.