On June 20, MINISO launched its biggest-ever YOYO art exhibition in the Vanderbilt Hall® at New York’s Grand Central Terminal, bringing its iconic original character YOYO to the U.S. The MINISO YOYO Small Yet Significant exhibition marks a significant milestone in the brand’s international expansion and evolution into a global IP operating platform. The exhibition features 50 five-foot YOYO figures and an unmissable over 40-foot-tall YOYO installation, creating an immersive artistic experience that is playful, interactive and visually engaging.



MINISO’s Proprietary YOYO IP Gains Rapid Popularity Since Launch

As part of its expanding original IP portfolio, MINISO introduced YOYO in 2025 as a character built around everyday experiences and simple joy. Recognized by its pumpkin-shaped head and minimalist dot eyes, YOYO has quickly gained traction with consumers across international markets, with multiple collections spanning categories such as vinyl plush and surprise boxes. Popular releases include the YOYO Tilted Head Collection, the Cupid Ring Series Icon Box Blind Box Collection, and the Fly with the Wind Scented Figure Surprise Box.

In the six months following its mid-2025 launch, YOYO has gained strong momentum across multiple global markets, earning the admiration of millions of consumers and generating more than US$14 million in worldwide product sales.

YOYO’s exhibition is centered around the theme of rediscovering the meaningful moments of daily life. The exhibition presents 50 YOYO figures made up of both classic designs and new collections co-created with global artists, creators, fans and community groups contributing multiple designs. Through these collaborations, the project extends YOYO beyond a single character into a platform that encourages community participation, global co-creation, and shared public engagement.



Notably, one of the installations is created in collaboration with New York–based animal welfare organization Animal Haven, incorporating elements of community care into the exhibition. Such collaborations demonstrate the potential of the IP to evolve beyond a character, becoming a foundation for dialogue, engagement and creation.



MINISO’s Global IP Strategy: Strategic Upgrade of IP Operation Platform

The new exhibition is the latest accomplishment in MINISO’s transformation into a world-class IP operation platform. The brand’s dual IP strategy spans both global licensing partnerships and the development of exclusive proprietary content, including original IPs characters such as Gift Bear and Friends, Dundun Chicken, and MINI Family, and exclusively signed artist IPs such as YOYO, KUMARU, and Carrot Street. A number of these original creations have already gained global traction, including in the U.S. where celebrities such as Hollywood singers, models, and actors have publicly expressed their enthusiasm.

This strategy also extends beyond products into experiential retail, with innovative formats like MINISO LAND and MINISO FRIENDS, as well as live activations, translating IP into engaging, real-world experiences that deepen consumer connection.

“The YOYO Small Yet Significant exhibition builds on our growing portfolio of immersive, IP-led experiences, designed to engage global audiences beyond traditional retail,” said Robin Liu, CMO of MINISO. “It demonstrates that IP is no longer confined to products and visual identity; rather it has become a core MINISO content asset that connects consumer emotions, culture, social issues, and public expression.”



Other recent activations include the “YOYO Travel Diary” exhibition in Singapore, which transformed the character into a narrative-led journey through 13 large-scale, photo-ready installations, blending storytelling, interactivity and social sharing. In Shanghai in June, the brand also debuted MINISO Gallery, a new top-tier art exhibition space open to creators worldwide, providing an independent platform for IP‑driven artistic expression, highlighting the brand’s efforts to take a more active role in content creation and co-creation.

The MINISO YOYO Small Yet Significant exhibition will run from June 20 to July 12 at the Vanderbilt Hall® in New York’s Grand Central Terminal.