Beijing 2022 mascot Bing Dwen Dwen is just too popular!

Games Organising Committee says it will increase supply of sell-out cute mascot after long queues at the official flagship store in the Chinese capital.

3 minBy Liz Byrnes
A family poses with Bing Dwen Dwen outside the Beijing 2022 flagship store in Beijing
(2022 Getty Images)

Beijing 2022 mascot Bing Dwen Dwen is so popular with fans that shops in China have sold out.

The toy panda cub dressed in a suit of ice has flown off the shelves with some people, according to the South China Morning Post, making their own - sometimes edible - versions.

The stores that have not sold out have limited sales to one per person.

Around 300 people queued outside the official Games flagship store in Beijing’s Wangfujing commercial area by 6am on Sunday, three hours before opening time, according to the Beijing News.

(2022 Getty Images)

In order to meet the surging demand, the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Winter Games (BOCOG) has said it will increase supply as reported by channelnewsasia.com.

BOCOG spokesman Zhao Weidong said the short supply of the cute cuddly toy was partly because the manufacturing plants were shut down for the week-long Lunar New Year, which coincides with the Winter Olympics.

"We are paying close attention to this problem... we are coordinating with factories to increase supply of Bing Dwen Dwen," Zhau told a press conference.

"This issue reflects the popularity of the Beijing Winter Olympics, and also demonstrates the achievement of engaging 300 million Chinese in winter sports."

(2022 Getty Images)

Bing Dwen Dwen goes viral on the internet

Bing Dwen Dwen has reportedly been the most searched item on the internet in China over the past week.

"One Dwen at each family" has become the number four trending topic on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, with 10.38 million viewers in the past 24 hours.

People of all ages have had their picture taken with Bing Dwen Dwen and the official mascot of the Paralympic Games, Shuey Rhon Rhon.

(2022 Getty Images)

Mascots utilised by many brands in China

Analysts from Shanxi Securities estimate the total revenue from selling Beijing 2022 licensed products could reach US$ 395m during the Games.

In China, mascots are not limited to children or commemorative memorabilia with major companies having ones synonymous with their brand or product.

According to daoinsights.com, "both in the west and in China, companies use mascots to differentiate themselves from their competitors and convey their brand personalities, but the key difference is their ubiquity in China."

(2022 Getty Images)

Bing Dwen Dwen promotes Olympic spirit

In Mandarin Chinese (the official dialect of China), "Bing" has several meanings, though the most common is ice. The word also symbolises purity and strength, while “Dwen Dwen” means robust and lively, and also represents children.

The Olympic mascot serves as an ambassador for winter sports, bringing joy to those who participate in and watch the Olympic Winter Games.

The mascot embodies the strength and willpower of athletes and helps to promote the Olympic spirit.

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