2023  •  National Heritage Board

Heritage Ambassadors

    Illustration, Merchandise, Social

Heritage Ambassadors are reimagined legendary icons with exaggerated personas who share bite-sized tidbits about Singapore through Heritage Trails on National Heritage Board’s social platforms. Taking a lighthearted stance, the posts feature an unusually ripped Sang Nila Utama from a primary school textbook illustrated by Joseph Tey, and Badang from a 1950s-60s book cover of Si Badang.

Given the highly positive reception, National Heritage Board wanted to expand on the Heritage Ambassadors series to reach new heights. We were tasked to re-illustrate these characters and introduce two new personas – Radin Mas Ayu and Master Kusu – in a style reminiscent of vintage books.

Sang Nila Utama

The Discoverer of Singapura
He was a Prince of Palembang, the man who spotted a lion, and renamed Temasek into Singapura. 

Badang

The Legendary Strongman
He was the legendary strongman who supposedly lifted and threw a slab now known as the Singapore Stone.

Radin Mas Ayu

The Princess Who Sacrificed Herself
She was the daughter of a warrior prince who sacrificed her life to protect her father. Her legacy lives on in: a primary school, community centre and housing estate bearing her name.

Master Kusu

Kusu Island
A giant tortoise (known as Kusu in Hokkien) turned itself into an island to save two shipwrecked sailors, near the Singapore waters.

Social Posts

Examples of the Heritage Trails series, contests, announcements and educational content from National Heritage Board’s Instagram.

Collectibles

Participants in the contests could win Heritage Ambassadors collectibles such as bookmarks, enamel pins, umbrellas and gadget holders.

Agency
The Secret Little Agency