Organ donation saves lives, yet in Singapore, conversations around it are rare. The topic is culturally sensitive, often avoided due to discomfort, misconceptions, religious reasons, and fear of disapproval.

The National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU), under the Ministry of Health, leads education efforts to change this. The aim was to turn a difficult topic into one people could engage with by creating a warm, accessible mascot-led identity that overcomes fear and stigma. 

When it’s taboo to discuss organ donation,
we let cuteness do the talking.

Together with the client, we created the Live On Buddies — original characters designed to spark conversation in a gentle, emotionally resonant way. Each Buddy represents a transplantable organ and was brought to life with distinct personalities. The Buddies embody optimism and empathy, but they also show vulnerability and moments of doubt, making them more relatable and human.

Through playful, retro-inspired visual language, we created soft entry points that invite curiosity and connection.

The Brief

NOTU’s motto, “Live On, Live Twice”, reflects the transformative power of organ donation and how one person’s decision can give another a second chance at life. While donation is governed by legal frameworks — the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) and Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act (MTERA) — public understanding remains low.

The brief was to create a cohesive narrative and visual direction for the travelling exhibition that attracts attention, sparks curiosity and introduces the Live On Buddies in an engaging way. The artwork adopts a “Where’s Wally” approach, while interactive windows introduce the individual Buddies. We also planned the visual logic and user flow across the panels.

Our Concept: Spot On To A Healthy Lifestyle

Health is shaped by the small choices we make every day — how we move, rest and care for our bodies. This exhibit takes viewers on a playful journey filled with practical tips and hidden surprises. As they search for 32 Buddies, they’ll find them leading by example through exercising, eating well, staying hydrated and more. Along the way, they’ll discover how caring for our own health connects to something bigger: the chance to one day give life to someone else through organ donation.

[Front View]

Viewers are first introduced to the Live On Buddies through mystery silhouettes and the call-to-action, “Who are the Live On Buddies?”, before opening the windows to reveal each mascot and learn more about them. Inside, the “Spot The Buddies Challenge” introduces the eight different poses to look out for throughout the scene.

To support the educational goals, key messages about HOTA, MTERA and the importance of sharing donation decisions with family are embedded into the artwork, remaining visible even without interaction. QR codes also lead to a quiz that helps visitors discover which Buddy matches their personality.

The panels were also designed to adapt to different spaces. Where space is limited, the first panel can be removed while keeping the key information accessible across the remaining panels.

[Back view]

Here, the large silhouettes are revealed to be the Buddies. The focus shifts to the “Spot The Buddies Challenge”, allowing passing visitors to take part in the activity without needing to go through the full introduction to the Buddies, and hopefully pique their interest in NOTU and their work.

Cornea is shown inspecting Nutri-Grade labels (Singapore’s mandatory drink nutrition ratings); the coffee cup label references “Siu Dai (less sweet) by default”, a national movement encouraging lower-sugar beverages as the norm, and Liver promotes a “Less alcohol” message.

Kidney is helping to clean the park while carrying a bag of waste; the park map is designed in the shape of the human body, with a pear stall nearby.

Local otters take part in a group K-pop dance session and the Merlion pauses by the river to stay hydrated.