Brand Focus: Miffy

It’s an exciting time for Miffy, with 2023 being the Year of Rabbit. Brand owner, Mercis is ramping up its licensing programme with a number of high profile brand collaborations, as LSB discovers.

Inset: Exquisite Miffy crystal figures from Baccarat make beautiful gifts in the Year of the Rabbit.

Right: Miffybranded windows at Ichiba during the Miffy takeover. Below: Just Dutch Miffy plush inspired by Piet Mondrian.

Driven by design

When Dick Bruna first sketched Miffy in 1955 to entertain his young son while on holiday by the seaside in North Holland, he can’t have imagined that over 65 years later his little white bunny would be a design classic around the globe. The simple style of the drawings and restricted colour palette appealed to young children and although Miffy started life in children’s books, over the years she has evolved to become something of a style icon, with a rich merchandising programme spanning five continents. Marja Kerkhof, managing director of Mercis, the Dutch owner of the brand, explains the everlasting appeal of Miffy: “The illustrations are so clear and the colours so bright. It’s vibrant, it’s very iconic and it stands out. Miffy is loved by all age groups, not just children. The essence of Miffy is all about friendship, curiosity and uncomplicated fun, and yes, this appeals to children through Dick Bruna’s books, but we also bring out these values in other ways.” Over the years, Mercis has partnered with brands that fit its core values, have global reach and add an element of surprise. “We try to seek out unusual collaborations,” says Marja. “Ones that you might not expect. We

Content creation

The books are where it all began, and Dick Bruna wrote and illustrated over 120 books, of which 30 are Miffy titles. The books have sold over 85 million copies worldwide and have been translated into over 50 languages. Miffy and her friends regularly appear on television in many countries all over the world. The Miffy series includes both traditional animation and 3D stop-motion animation, as well as a new series in CGI.

A Miffy app was launched in 2021 with Azerion, with 15 Miffy games that allows young children to playfully learn numbers, shapes and letters in the wonderful world of Miffy. On top of that, children can enjoy fun games which feature colouring, cooking and making music.

Above: Miffy flower shop in Tokyo.

are driven by design and quality. We work with partners who love Miffy as much as we do and want to keep Dick Bruna’s legacy alive for future generations.” One such collaboration is with French luxury brand and manufacturer of fine crystal, Baccarat. “The exclusive Baccarat Miffy is just beautiful. With her round silhouette, her big ears, her cross-shaped mouth and her little eyes drawn in fine gold, it is the ideal gift to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit,” comments Marja. A pre-launch took place in June on Tmall.com. The global roll out began in July, including Miffy’s flagship store at Westfield Mall, Baccarat stores and other specialised retailers. Another exciting retail activation has been taking place over summer in Ichiba, Europe’s largest food hall in Westfield White City. Ichiba decked out its 17,400 sq ft of dining and retail space with eyecatching window vinyls, brightly coloured POS and backdrops, plus a giant 2m high Miffy lamp. Ichiba’s chefs have been serving up Miffy-shaped foods, plus a range of Miffy-inspired lattes. “The Ichiba takeover has been very popular over the summer and we’ve had to restock the merchandise as it has sold so well,” says Marja. “This promotion with Ichiba has given the brand fantastic exposure in the UK within a luxury retail environment.”

Other brands getting on board with the Year of the Rabbit celebrations are Liberty London, which has created a Miffy plush collection with International Bon Ton Toys, building on its existing Miffy bags collection; while French company Les Toiles du Soleil has produced a fabric being made into product by Japanese licensee Motomachi. The focus on creativity, design and room for the imagination is also expressed through tie-ups with Inset: A collaboration with Speedo in China Speedo in China and an expansion of the launched at the end crocheted plush range from Just Dutch into of August. Nordstrom stores across the US. “We’ve also entered into a long-term collaboration with Hema across its 750 stores in Europe, bringing Miffy to a wide range of categories, including stationery, gift lines and clothing,” says Marja. “It’s a very exciting time for Miffy, with new partnerships bringing this adorable character to new audiences all the time.”

Inset: Lattes served at Ichiba in Westfield

White City.

The Asian connection

Miffy is huge in Japan, where she’s been a familiar face since the 1960s. There are now 18 Miffy Style stores in Japan selling Miffy merchandise, two Miffy flower shops and seven Miffy bakeries.

In China this December at the Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai, a Miffy exhibition will open sponsored by Adidas featuring modern artwork by a range of international artists.