HK Tramways celebrates 120 years with McDull at Central Market pop-up

In celebration of its 120th anniversary, Hong Kong Tramways has teamed up with local character McDull (麥兜) to launch a pop-up at Central Market from 31 July to 8 September.

The Grade III historical building is transformed into a celebratory destination, featuring McDull and the Hong Kong Tramways ambassador "Ding Ding Cat" through an array of initiatives with the theme of “Moved by our every journey”.

As visitors enter Central Market from Queen's Road Central, they will be greeted by a life-sized 1:1 statue of "Ding Ding Cat". Furthermore, Hong Kong Tramways has launched a "FinDING Principal" treasure hunt. Participants can pick up a mission card at the "Central Card tram station" and search for the McDull character "Principal" hidden in six different corners of Central Market. It will be available for the first 1,000 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. 

On the second floor, Hong Kong Tramways has set up a postcard station where visitors can take a moment to wish Hong Kong Tramways a happy birthday and express gratitude to tram drivers by writing a postcard. Visitors can also take the postcard home as a souvenir to celebrate the anniversary.

On the other hand, Hong Kong Tramways has partnered with local brands “Mammy Pancakes” (媽咪雞蛋仔) and “Chart Coffee” to offer limited-edition tram-themed food and beverages on the second floor. According to the release, Mammy Pancakes embraces the motto of “Hong Kong Flavour, Hong Kong Made”, while Chart Coffee infuses its signature drinks with a modern Hong Kong twist. 

On the ground floor of the venue, Hong Kong Tramways has set up a timeline wall that chronicles the journey of the company from its establishment to its most recent achievements. It aims to allow visitors to explore the history and legacy of Hong Kong’s century-old tramway system. 

Visitors can also visit the playground area on the ground floor, where they can engage in classic games such as giant Jenga block towers and Tram route maze challenges. The Jenga blocks feature fun facts about the iconic "Ding Ding" trams, aiming to add an educational element to the experience. They can also visit the limited-edition McDull photo frame at the "HK Tramways X Snapio photo booth" and claw machine filled with "Ding Ding Cat" plushie.

Apart from the pop-up store, Hong Kong Tramways has collaborated with local brands, such as BeCandle, CASET!FY, LUCULLUS, JustGold, and Fablab, as well as global brands such as Moleskine, Nikon, and UNIQLO, to offer an array of exclusive merchandise.

This includes a commemorative 999.9 gold coin launched in partnership with JustGold. A portion of the proceeds from the store, after deducting costs, will be donated to St. Barnabas’ Society and Home to support their comprehensive services for the poor and homeless. 

These partnerships showcase innovation and the importance of preserving Hong Kong culture across various sectors such as fashion, home living, food and transportation, according to the release. 

Additionally, Hong Kong Tramways is offering birthday treats for visitors whose HKID number contains digits "7, 3, 0" in any sequence. They may present their ID to the staff to receive a Ding Ding Cat plush. Meanwhile, visitors whose birthday coincides with the anniversary of Hong Kong Tramways (30 July 30), will also be eligible to receive a Ding Ding Cat plush keychain.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Hong Kong Tramways for more information.

Don’t miss: HK Tramways recreates Sam Hui's classic song to celebrate CNY

Back in February, Hong Kong Tramways rolled out a series of initiatives to celebrate Lunar New Year and its 120th anniversary. They included unveiling a music video, which was recreated from local artist Sam Hui’s classic song "The Arrival of God of Fortune" (財神到).

The music video, named 「人人到」, ensembled an “all-star” cast from Hong Kong Tramways, led by Paul Tirvaudey, managing director of Hong Kong Tramways, together with over 40 representatives from all departments as performers and singers to celebrate the cherished festival together with Hong Kong people.

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