The mascots of the 15th National Games and Paralympics — "Xi Yangyang" and "Le Rongrong," affectionately nicknamed "Greater Bay Chicken" — have become a cultural tourism sensation across the Greater Bay Area during the Spring Festival.
The mascots made their debut at singer Zhou Shen's New Year's Eve concert in Hong Kong and later appeared on CCTV's Spring Festival Gala and various New Year celebrations throughout the region.
At the "Greater Bay Chicken" Carnival in Guangzhou's Olympic Sports Center, the mascots drew large crowds, with themed entertainment zones, photo spots, and ice cream proving particularly popular. The carnival attracted over 5,000 visitors on its opening day, with daily souvenir sales reaching tens of thousands of yuan during the holiday period.
Industry insiders predict that licensed merchandise sales for the National Games could exceed RMB 1 billion during Spring Festival.
Beyond the immediate consumer, "Greater Bay Chicken" represents a broader cultural IP strategy. A theme park is planned in Guangzhou, with the development of stage plays and films underway. The mascots are also set to appear in public spaces such as subway stations and airports.
The IP's long-term success depends on leveraging Hong Kong's design expertise, Macao's tourism management experience, and Guangdong's manufacturing capabilities — a collaboration that could help "Greater Bay Chicken" achieve global recognition while supporting the Greater Bay Area's goal of becoming a world-class tourism destination.
(Source: Wen Wei Po)
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