Are blind boxes the new lever for banks to drive saving behaviour?

RHB Banking Group is tapping into Malaysia’s ongoing love affair with character collectibles with its latest “Sanrio Jetset Journeys” campaign— but according to the bank, this blind box mechanic is just a nudge, not the end goal.

The campaign, which runs until 31 August 2026, rewards customers with Sanrio-themed blind boxes when they deposit a minimum of RM5,000 into an RHB Junior Account/-i or any RHB deposit account/-i.

Each box contains a “building blocks” keyring featuring Sanrio characters such as Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Pompompurin and Cinnamoroll in different travel scenes— from ski trips and imperial cities to beach surf, zen bamboo retreats and safari trails.

Every "Jetset Journeys" blind box comes with customisable details, including a luggage tag for names, a clip to attach the keyring to bags and personalised “passport stamp” elements themed to each character. The campaign runs with the tagline “Let your child’s savings inspire their imagination”.

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Making saving feel like a reward

Norazzah Sulaiman, group chief brand and customer experience officer at RHB, said the starting point was simple: getting parents to start saving early for their children. However, the team quickly realised the underlying behavioural challenge went beyond junior accounts.

“The starting point was quite straightforward, to encourage parents to begin saving early for their children. As a parent myself, that intention felt very natural,” she told A+M exclusively.

“However, as we looked more closely, something else became clear. Saving presents the same challenge across age groups. We all understand its importance, but it rarely feels rewarding in the moment.”

That insight shifted the brief. While the campaign is anchored in junior savings, RHB deliberately extended it to young adults through other savings accounts.

“Whether you are saving for your child’s future or your own, the hardest part is taking that first step,” said Norazzah.

By pairing saving behaviour with collectibles, the campaign turns a simple deposit into an experience that is exciting and memorable.

She also explained this helps to build a positive early connection with the bank, as the experience was made enjoyable, memorable, and different from usual savings campaigns. 

All it took were two social posts to drive buzz— a teaser with the Sanrio characters ready for their "Jetset Journeys" at the airport, and an ASMR unboxing video featuring one of the blind boxes which garnered over 4,000 likes and 325K views. 

Why Sanrio, and why now?

With plushies, blind boxes and character IP hitting fever pitch last year, RHB needed its own twist.

“We were never looking for a mascot in the traditional sense. We were looking for something that could quietly and authentically cross generations. Sanrio does that exceptionally well,” said Norazzah. “It resonates with parents, delights children, and connects with young adults who grew up with these characters and still feel a sense of attachment to them.”

She said the decision was grounded in a very human tension the bank sees locally as well. If saving feels like a distant, future-only obligation, it tends to be deferred, and if it feels like a small, immediate reward, action happens more naturally.

“Sanrio allowed us to make that transition feel very natural and unforced,” she added. Crucially, RHB framed the collectible as a behavioural trigger, not the hero.

Many brands treat collectibles as the end goal. For us, the collectible is simply the nudge

“The blind box element introduces just enough curiosity and anticipation to encourage action in the present, rather than ‘someday’, while being tied to a habit that genuinely matters," she added. 

The appeal has also gone well beyond children and parents. According to the group chief brand and customer experience officer, the team had anticipated interest from parents, but did not expect the level of enthusiasm from young adults.

"There has been plenty of comparing, swapping, and the occasional attempt to try again for a different character,” she said.

“That affirmed our belief that this was never really about the plushie, but about designing an experience where saving feels rewarding and engaging even after the account is opened, rather than ending at the transaction."

From savings product to “hobby” behaviour

When a savings product begins to encourage behaviour more commonly seen in hobbies, it signals a shift in the customer experience, from a purely functional interaction to one that people actively engage with and return to. 

This is RHB’s first blind box initiative at this scale, and Norazzah said the market effectively answered the relevance question early on. “Early interest from young adults led us to extend the campaign to other savings accounts, so it naturally crossed over beyond its original scope"

Looking ahead, she stressed that the lesson is less about repeating the blind box mechanic, and more about how RHB designs future incentives.

“The real takeaway for us is not whether we should repeat a blind box mechanic, but how to continue shaping a customer experience that makes positive financial behaviour easier to start and easier to sustain."

As long as that experience works for customers, the format itself can evolve in many ways.

“This campaign reflects a simple understanding, that small, positive incentives can help people take the first step toward better financial habits. By shaping a customer experience that feels more accessible and less daunting, we have made saving easier to begin,” she added.

For brands, RHB’s Sanrio play shows how the post‑plushie craze can be reframed not just as a race to the cutest IP, but as a way to hard‑wire small, repeatable behaviours into products that typically feel distant and serious, like savings. 

This however, is not the first time a Malaysian bank has stepped into the world of character IP collaborations. Following the success of its 2025 debut, the Hong Leong Bank (HLB) and Hello Kitty mahjong solitaire set made a return this Chinese New Year, with a playful twist on a beloved festive pastime.

In collaboration with Sanrio, HLB has fused tradition and contemporary pop culture, turning solitaire into a cultural centerpiece that resonates across generations. Decked out in the Bank’s signature red and blue and featuring premium details alongside whimsical Hello Kitty illustrations, the set transforms quiet game nights into cheerful, family-friendly fun.

Last October, Maybank also jumped onto the plushie train by releasing its own Mr. Tiger collectibles, featuring a figurine, plush toy and tote bag to strengthen emotional connection with its customers, particularly its MAE app users. 

Be part of #Content360 Malaysia, 13 May 2026, where creativity and community collide. Explore how AI-powered imagination, culturally resonant storytelling, and platform-savvy strategies are shaping the future of content. Gain practical insights, discover new tactics, and learn how the region’s top creators and brands are crafting campaigns that truly resonate.

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