Monkey business: Hotel creates a novel adventure

The character, described as a happy monkey who earns his living by ‘keeping the beach clean and watching out for pirates’, stars in his own online animated story book.

Inspired by the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West, the digital book guides consumers through Monkey’s mischievous adventure as he travels to the sun to discover the key to immortality.

Unlike in traditional stories, the cheeky Monkey is not reprimanded for his naughty behaviour, adding a new twist to an old tale while simultaneously promoting the health benefits of drinking coconut water.

Creating fictional characters is a great way for a brand to capture the consumer’s imagination. For more examples of using characters in branding, read our Personality Brands microtrend or come to our autumn/winter 2012 Trend Briefing to hear about Faction Marketing.