Beebipeace’s Creative Director Siy Tak Yin is an artist and a designer. She balances art and commercial design in her tumbler series.

Beebipeace has benefitted from the Hong Kong International Licensing Show twice.

“The Rose Tumblers” were more artistic, and the design always made an impression.

Scandinavian animals such as deer and owls became new friends of the original characters.

Taiwan has long been renowned for its plethora of character brands, but the market also has a love for Hong Kong’s original characters. A Taiwanese licensing agent was attracted by a Hong Kong-made tumbler collection for its cute design and the characters’ indomitable spirit, and introduced the tumblers to Taiwan.

“To convince the market to accept your work, you must first love your own creations,” said Beebipeace’s Creative Director Siy Tak Yin about her key to success.

Inspired by antique dolls

The name Beebipeace sounds similar to “BB Peace”, which means “baby loves peace”. The Rose Tumbler was the company’s first product. It conveys a positive, encouraging message.

Siy said: “I was a toy designer and I like collecting toys. One time in Beijing, I saw a cute antique doll that I instantly fell in love with. But the price was too high and I left empty handed. After I returned to Hong Kong, I designed a tumbler for myself. I adorned its head with a rosette. At the time, I was studying women’s studies and I chose the rose to represent and pay homage to the beauty of women of previous generations. Life was not easy for them. But through perseverance and an indomitable spirit, like the tumbler, they too lived a fulfilling life. I also encourage myself with this tumbler spirit, especially since I have started my own brand and the entrepreneurial path is full of challenges. If I give up easily myself, how can I convince others not to?”

Siy has long been traversing the fields of art and design. She struck a balance between art and design in the Rose Tumbler. “When I was designing the Rose Tumbler, I was not thinking about commercial opportunities. The Rose Tumbler I created in 2013 was an art installation. I only started illustration in 2014. As many overseas artists create peripheral products for their artworks, I also tried to develop products for my artworks, with the intention of bringing the artistic messages and ideas into daily life. The products were well-received, and it encouraged me to combine art and design to bring out a positive energy.”

Parent-child image projects kindness

At the Hong Kong International Licensing Show held earlier this year, Beebipeace’s Rose Tumblers and QQ Tumblers attracted the attention of a Taiwanese agent, who subsequently licensed Beebipeace’s characters for the Taiwanese market. “This Taiwanese agent not only sources local brands, it also seeks cooperation opportunities with character brands from Japan, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong to diversify and refresh its product lines. Our Taiwanese agent found the design of the character’s eyes to be very special and consider the character’s image right for the parent-child market. Products derived from the characters are also suitable for students from kindergarteners to high school students.”

In fact, Beebipeace had not only scored success at this year’s Licensing Show, it also achieved good results after exhibiting at last year’s Licensing Show, when it joined for the first time. “Although we did not take any orders on-site, our presence accomplished a promotional effect. Many visitors were impressed by our brand and contacted us after the fair. We later cooperated with a food manufacturer and released licensed chocolates snacks.”

Closely following market trends for sustained development

Siy often reviews her strategy after a fair to look for room for improvement. After two Licensing Shows, she finds that as long as she is addressing the market’s demand, there will be a higher chance of orders. “When I first exhibited, I got many good ideas from the visitors. Some of them asked me ‘if the Rose Tumbler had friends’ and ‘if there was a cuter version to appeal to young boys and girls’. The QQ Tumbler, which appeals to young boys and girls, was a result of those discussions. At my second exhibition, we featured a new character in the centre of our display board and brought more samples of new products to show our commitment to the future of the brand.”

Siy stressed that continually giving the characters new friends is a way to sustain the brand. For that reason, after her trip to Scandinavia, Siy took inspiration from local animals such as deer and owls and created several new animal tumbler characters. She added that joining exhibitions allows her to understand the market’s various scenarios and prompts her to overcome different challenges and accumulate experience. “During the fair, we treated every visitor as a friend and offered information generously and sincerely. After the fair, we would follow up by email to find out the buyer’s intentions. Frequent communication is key to showing goodwill for cooperation.”