A Yantai Girl’s “Eight Immortals Dream”: Illuminating Urban Culture with the Light of Design

What is Yantai's most unique cultural identity? The "Eight Immortals" undoubtedly ranks among them. The legendary stories of the Eight Immortals, passed down through generations, have become a cultural phenomenon deeply ingrained in people’s lives, yielding fruitful results. Currently, the search for the “Yantai Fairy” is in full swing. Today, let us meet Yang Wei, a partner at Yantai Dizhan Advertising Planning Company and “The Immortal Shows the Way” (Xian Ren Zhi Lu) Culture Communication Company, as she shares the brand story of The Return of the Eight Immortals.

"When People Think of the Eight Immortals, They Think of Yantai"

Walking through the streets of Yantai, encounters with the "Eight Immortals" are commonplace: a double-decker bus adorned with the "Eight Immortals" theme on Route 17, greeting passengers along Binhai Middle Road; the Handcrafted Yantai Museum, offering a dazzling array of Eight Immortals cultural and creative products; and lively, vibrant portraits of the immortals, brimming with youthful creativity, scattered throughout the city. This city’s iconic cultural symbol has a unified name: The Return of the Eight Immortals, and Yang Wei has been a key witness in its creation.

Born and raised in Yantai, Yang Wei is both an artistic and intellectual individual. With 13 years of experience in brand design services, she often reflects on how to create a unified cultural symbol for Yantai to empower her hometown. The "Eight Immortals Culture" stood out to her during her search, as it enjoys significant recognition in the city. For instance, the Legend of the Eight Immortals is listed as a national intangible cultural heritage, and Yantai is recognized as its sole place of inheritance.

The Return of the Eight Immortals project was launched in 2019, marking its fourth year of operation. “We hope to use this city IP to empower the development of Yantai’s local tourism industry,” Yang said. “We want people to think of Yantai when they see the Eight Immortals, and vice versa.”

"It’s Only Good When Everyone Likes It"

Reflecting on the creation and development of The Return of the Eight Immortals, Yang described the journey as one filled with "unexpected turns and newfound opportunities," making the experience both precious and unforgettable.

The process of creating the Eight Immortals was much like the story itself: overcoming one obstacle after another, continuously upgrading and evolving, until finally achieving success. Yang explained, “It’s just like the phrase on the Eight Immortals T-shirt designed by our team: ‘Aspiring youth, achieving immortality.’ Ambitious youth will become immortals.”

According to Yang, the initial stages of product creation were fraught with difficulties. Inspiration was hard to come by, and the team faced considerable frustration, often feeling lost. After six months of hard work, they finally produced the first set of character drafts, inspired by the Eight Immortals. After several rounds of refinement, these images debuted at Yantai Airport, attracting numerous visitors. “Many people even contacted us through the phone number on the exhibition board, expressing their love for the Eight Immortals IP. We were thrilled,” Yang recalled. “It’s not truly good when we think it is good; it’s only good when everyone likes it.”

With the Eight Immortals IP established, the next challenge was to turn it into products that could circulate widely and integrate into people's daily lives. Yang and her team experimented tirelessly, and their hard work eventually paid off. They created three distinct sets of Eight Immortals characters: Dao Eight Immortals, Cute Eight Immortals, and Q-version Eight Immortals. Centered around the Dao Eight Immortals, they developed a range of products in collaboration with various brands, including bottled "Immortal Water," the "Yantai Immortal Fruit" apple gift box, the portable "Fulu Eight Immortals Herbal Sachet," and the Yantai Good Gift Baijiu gift box, produced in partnership with Yantai Guniang. Other items include trendy T-shirts, canvas bags, postcards, and other cultural products.

"One Must Have the Ability to Dream"

Continuous effort has earned recognition over time.

“At the start of this year, the Fulu Eight Immortal Herbal Sachets were incredibly popular, selling out in three livestream events. I want to sincerely thank our friends and team. That period was especially busy, and the designers worked overtime to pack and ship the orders.” Yang also shared some exciting news: the sachet was recently selected as one of Yantai’s “Best Gifts” of 2023, chosen from over 180 products.

“I’d like to sincerely thank our friends and the team. It was really hard work,” Yang Wei said. She also shared some great news with us: this product recently stood out among 180 entries in Yantai and was selected as one of the 2023 Yantai Good Gifts.

“A city is like an open book that reveals its ambitions,” Yang Wei remarked. Yantai has undergone tremendous changes in recent years, with areas like Suochengli, Chaoyang Street, and music festivals showcasing the city’s development. The government has been working hard to build the city, and the Eight Immortal Culture has also been promoted and developed.

“One must have the ability to dream. The dream of the Eight Immortals is also the dream of my hometown, Yantai. I hope friends from all over the country will take a ‘fairy flight’ to Yantai, a relaxed and comfortable ‘fairyland,’ to explore the Eight Immortals Culture and embark on a unique, fairy-like journey. Here, I warmly invite everyone to come to Yantai and live a life like the immortals!” Yang said with a smile.