Can dumpling plushies get Gen Z into heritage shops?

For this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, Imaginary Ones is turning blind box plushies into more than just collectibles. Through its new “Dumpling darlings - 宝宝粽子” rice dumpling keychain blind box plushie series, the Web3 IP entertainment company is using playful design as a way to drive younger consumers into Singapore’s heritage rice dumpling stores.

The campaign is built around the idea of reconnecting younger audiences with cultural traditions through a format they already understand: blind box collectibles. But rather than selling the plushies purely online, Imaginary Ones is making them available through participating heritage retailers, including Kim Choo Kueh Chang, Hoo Kee Bak Chang and Eastern Rice Dumpling.

At its core, the initiative is about using the appeal of collectibles to create real-world cultural participation during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Don't miss: HKTB connects dragon boat races with citywide summer offers 

“If the goal was purely commercial, selling online would have been the most efficient route. But this initiative is not just about distribution, it is about driving real-world cultural engagement,” said Gregory Poon, founding partner and chief marketing officer of Imaginary Ones,

“By placing the plushies exclusively in heritage stores, we are intentionally creating a reason for younger consumers to step into these spaces. It bridges the gap between digital interest and physical experience, which is where culture is truly felt," he explained. 

That physical experience is central to the campaign. Imaginary Ones hopes that consumers who visit a store for the plushie may also discover the rice dumplings, family businesses and cultural stories behind the festival. For Poon, the objective is not only to preserve these traditions, but to help sustain the businesses that keep them alive.

“Most importantly, our goal was to also bring awareness to these legacy businesses within Singapore that has been going on for generations. Our intent is not just on preserving legacies, but in its continuity as well. So it was important for us to ensure that our blind box plushies were made available in these heritage retailers," he said. 

The "Dumpling darlings" series is the first release under Imaginary Ones’ broader heritage series, anchored by the motto “Not just collecting, but connecting.” The product itself is designed to reflect the Dragon Boat Festival through one of its most recognisable symbols: the rice dumpling.

Each plushie can be displayed in three formats. In its wrapped form, it resembles a traditional rice dumpling. In its partially unwrapped form, the outer leaf layers can be folded down to reveal the character inside. In its fully separated form, the inner dumpling character can be removed and displayed independently.

By turning the act of unwrapping a rice dumpling into an interactive plushie feature, Imaginary Ones is translating a familiar festive ritual into a tactile, collectible experience. 

The campaign taps into blind box culture not as the end goal, but as the entry point. Poon said younger audiences are already drawn to the curiosity, surprise and collectibility of blind boxes, making the format an effective way to lead them towards cultural discovery.

Instead of asking younger generations to go out of their way to appreciate tradition, we bring tradition into a format they already love by speaking their same language. It’s a subtle shift from passive cultural preservation to active cultural participation.

To bring the campaign to life, Imaginary Ones selected partners that were deeply rooted in Singapore’s rice dumpling heritage. The participating retailers include Kim Choo Kueh Chang, a Peranakan heritage brand located at 111 East Coast Road; Hoo Kee Bak Chang, with participating locations at 161 Bukit Merah Central #01-3735 and Amoy Street Food Centre #01-18; and Eastern Rice Dumpling, which is participating through six outlets.

According to Poon, the team was intentional in choosing partners rooted in tradition, craftsmanship and legacy. Each selected business, he said, represented more than a product — it carried a legacy built on craftsmanship, consistency and cultural significance within its community.

The right partners also needed to be open to exploring new ways of engaging consumers as collectible culture differs from traditional food retail. 

“We shared the intention that this was not about gimmicks, but about creating relevance and sustaining their legacy and they saw it as an opportunity to reach audiences that may not have otherwise walked through their doors," said Poon. That balance between cultural respect and contemporary appeal guided the product design as well.

While "Dumpling darlings" is intended to feel fun and collectible, Poon said the team was careful to root the design in real traditions rather than treating heritage as a surface-level aesthetic. “That is why every design decision from the form factor to the unwrapping mechanism is rooted in real, familiar experiences. We are not reinventing the culture, we are reinterpreting it in a way that is accessible and trendy, while preserving its essence," he added. 

The campaign also leans into nostalgia as a way to connect different generations. For older consumers, rice dumplings may recall family gatherings and festive rituals. For younger audiences, the plushies may offer a first point of curiosity into a tradition they have not deeply experienced. 

For Imaginary Ones, the success of the Dragon Boat Festival campaign will not be defined by sales alone. While sales and engagement remain important indicators, the larger goal is to bring more people into heritage stores, encourage younger consumers to try rice dumplings, and spark conversations about tradition both online and offline.

Beyond the Dragon Boat Festival, Imaginary Ones plans to extend the model to other cultural occasions and heritage categories. Poon said the company sees potential to use design, IP and cultural storytelling to sustain traditions in a modern context, both in Singapore and regionally.

In fact, the brand is already preparing a mid-autumn series in the coming months, as well as a larger campaign that Poon teased would resonate with Singaporeans around culture and heritage.

With "Dumpling darlings", Imaginary Ones is positioning collectibles as a gateway rather than the final destination. The plushie may be what brings younger consumers through the door, but the larger ambition is for them to leave with a stronger connection to the food, businesses and traditions behind the Dragon Boat Festival.

The "Dumpling darlings" launch marks the first release under Imaginary Ones’ new heritage series, following a string of collaborations with global IPs. Most recently, the Singapore-based IP brand partnered with Hasbro’s MY LITTLE PONY on a limited-edition blind box collectible series tied to the “MY LITTLE PONY: Petals of friendship” exhibition at Gardens by the Bay’s Floral Fantasy, which ran until 12 April 2026.

Featuring characters such as Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and a special edition Princess Luna, the collaboration combined physical collectibles with an immersive on-ground activation, extending the exhibition into a take-home experience for fans.

Related articles:  
Baby Evie takes centre stage in PlayMade and Imaginary Ones’ Peppa Pig collab   
Amoy turns new ‘Royal dumpling’ into romantic lead with Sinnie Ng 
Lee Kum Kee partners with UNESCO to preserve global food heritage