Before I start to introduce K.R.T. Girls, I would like to introduce a concept call "virtual endorser". Endorser means the person who endorses a product. As the name suggests, a virtual endorser is an endorser that is not a real person. Recently, with the same reason of mascots, lots of companies start to create their virtual endorsers. Another reason that virtual endorsers gain those companies' good grace is that virtual endorsers are more easier to be sell in the Otaku Market(御宅族市場), a kind of nerd.
From the left, Xiaoqiong, Amelia, Nana, Ann. https://goo.gl/eNtpvb
In 2014, Simon(希萌) proposed Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation(KRTC,高雄捷運股份有限公司) created a full marketing strategies with virtual endorsers. Then K.R.T. Girls was created. There are four members in K.R.T. Girls, station attendant Xiaoqiong(小穹), driver Amelia(艾米莉亞), train maintenance engineer Ann(婕兒), and customer service Nana(耐耐).
Poster that ask people not to eat or drink inside the station. https://goo.gl/DlWWBE
With the marketing strategies make by Simon, K.R.T. Girls start to participant in lots of anime-related activities. K.R.T. Girls also published their light novels, computer games, and theme songs. With these virtual endorsers, lots of people stated to concern about Kaohsiung MRT. For example, KRTC once put a cardboard cut-out of Xiaoqiong, and that attracted about 11000 people only to take a look of the cardboard.
Painted cart. https://goo.gl/Lw4lTB
K.R.T. Girls have their computer game. https://goo.gl/PS8pG9
Open Chan(Open 小將) is the mascot of 7-11 Taiwan, a chain convenient store. Open Chan was created by Dentsu Inc.(電通), one of the biggest advertisement company in the world. Open Chan had a family and lots of friends also created by Dentsu Inc in 2005.
Open Chan and its friends and family. https://goo.gl/ndXjXS
Open Chan and his friends came from the Open Planet. At first, Open Chan had its crown red, green, and orange, represented the image color of 7-11. The color was changed to green, red, and blue when Open Chan was five years old. According to Open Chan's fan page, blue means dream, red means love, and green means courage.
Open Chan. https://goo.gl/RxZZ2S
Open Chan and its friends was really famous in Taiwan. President Chain Store Corporation, the company which owns 7-11, had held parades with Open Chan as the topic once a year from 2006 till 2013. 7-11 also sold a lot of merchandise of Open Chan. In 2015, Open Chan even had its movie "Open! Open!".
Tatung Man(大同寶寶) is the mascot of Tatung Company, a company makes electronic products especially electric stewing pot. Tatung is the first company who use a mascot as a marketing strategies in Taiwan. Tatung had its mascot since 1969. Over four decades, Tatung Man has already been connected tightly with Tatung Company.
Tatung Man. https://goo.gl/xIdRSC
The reason Tatung created Tatung Man was that in 1969, people started to replace monochrome television with color television. Almost at the same time, Tatung created "Tatung song" as the theme of their advertisement.
In the 70's, you got a Tatung Man only if you had spent over 10000 dollars buying Tatung's products. Therefore, Tatung Man was once considered as the symbol of one's purchasing power.
The number in front of Tatung Man's breast was considered representing the year this Tatung Man was made in Minguo calendar(民國紀元). But actually it represented the age of Tatung Company when the Tatung Man was made.
This Tatung Man was made in Minguo 80 (1991). https://goo.gl/xIdRSC
Wenlock and Mandeville are the mascots of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. Wenlock and Mandeville were created with the concept of iron and the impression of London.
Wenlock (right) and Mandeville (left). https://goo.gl/7KcECf
Wenlock was named after Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England. The place where held Much Wenlock Game which is considered as the inspiration of the Modern Olympic Games. And Mandeville was named after Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The one which Sir Ludwig Guttmann worked at. Sir Ludeig Guttmann was known as the person who established the Paralympic Games.
If you take a look at Wenlock carefully, you may find out that there are lots of details in Wenlock. For example, the eye of Wenlock was inspired from the headlight of London Taxi. The contour of Wenlock's head was actually the shape of the stadium. And those three peaks on its head represented the three medals that competitors may win in each event.
How they were created. https://goo.gl/ZTsLJe
You can see that Wenlock and Mandeville were actually mascots that was created with lots of ingenuity. Wenlock and Mandeville were still being criticized because of their terrible appearance. The Globe And Mail once said that Wenlock and Mandeville are "a drunken one-night stand between a Teletubby and a Dalek."[1]
