Brand Profile - Mouse in the House

Who’s in the house?

As Character Options prepares for the launch of new IP Mouse in the House, marketing director Mark Hunt tells Toy World how the brand will benefit from the company’s biggest marketing investment to date.

Mark Hunt

Where did the idea for Mouse in the House come from?

The Mouse in the House concept was inspired by the popular fairy door trend; a permanent display piece that sits against the skirting board. Children are left to their own imagination to wonder what sits behind the little door and if there was a secret world, what would it look like? Mouseville is a magical place hidden in the child’s own room, home to Millie, her family and her friends. It’s a place where every day there are adventures and play, where the residents forage for household items and

Will the brand benefit from online content the same way Heroes of Goo Jit Zu and GooZonians have?

The fantasy world of Mouse in the House will be brought to life in a YouTube mini-series consisting of 10 x 3-minute episodes hosted on our new YouTube channel, Character Kidz TV, which is packed with entertaining video content for today’s digital kids. Part of our development strategy is to create compelling, storyline-based content for our own IPs, so we’ve created this platform to house them. Mouse in the House will generate some amazing inspirational content. Each story focuses on Millie and her friends, their friendships and their day-today adventures in Mouseville. To help maximise awareness and engagement, the series’ introduction will be narrated by celebrity mum Helen Flanagan.

What can you tell us about the launch toy range?

Aimed primarily at girls 4- 9 years old, Mouse in the House will be a multifaceted, micro-collectible line. Through a collection of micro-figures and food-themed playsets, the range inspires kids to build their own physical world of Mouse in the House against the skirting board of their bedroom or play area. They can recreate scenes from the webisodes or create their own adventures and will discover hidden reveals, accessories, stickers and bunting to customise and connect the toyetic version of Mouseville. At the end of each episode, the sun goes down and the world of Mouseville lights-up. Similarly, the toy range comes to life at night with stickers that magically glow in the dark.

The collectibles space is crowded and competitive, so what makes Mouse in the House stand out?

Our aim wasn’t to meet the expectations of the traditional collectible target market, it was to exceed and over deliver. The mice in the range are highly detailed and appealing to collect, individually designed with multiple outfits and accessories. The playsets are colourful and multifunctional with hidden reveals, moving parts, lightup features and lots of accessories, so there is a high piece count and huge play value for the price points.

The play pattern is unique: for kids to be able to build an interactive world up against the skirting board that doesn’t have to be packed away after each play session is a key selling point. Mouse in the House is a permanent play area for kids to revisit and grow as they gradually introduce new items. The packaging is bright, bold and eye-catching, and the window box packs allows us to display the product impactfully, like mini dioramas. Children will easily recognise the different environments that have been brought to life through the Mouse in the House webisodes and reimagined as playsets and accessories to enjoy when the screens are switched off. We’re confident that the stand-out packaging on shelf will entice the fans of the show.

What marketing support are you putting behind Mouse in the House?

The product launch is one of Character’s biggest marketing investments to date and will be dual focused, promoting both the webisodes and the toys. Our objective is to ensure we are targeting both kids and parents across every touch point. Whichever media both demographics are digesting, we will ensure Mouse in the House content is placed at a high frequency.

We will have an influencer screening, where 50 specially selected channels will receive beautifully branded boxes alongside product, props and VIP invites to the social screening of EP1. The webisodes will then be promoted through YouTube pre-roll campaigns and social media, with the help of Helen Flanagan.

The toy campaign will be high impact through multiple channels, focusing on YouTube, TV and social media, using an amazing toy TV spot, for which we have both long and short form content. We will also deliver an immersive PR campaign through kids’ press, parental blogging and sampling initiatives.

How are you helping retail partners get the most out of Mouse in the House?

We have 100% distribution across UK retailers, and we are working collaboratively to ensure our in-store presence is strong, as well as creating brand awareness across their retail sites and social channels. We have launched over 500 FSDUs into the trade and will also be providing giveaway samples and POS kits to drive awareness and conversion at the point of sale.