Miffy’s first UK food pop-up launches this summer at Westfield White City when Dick Bruna’s classic character takes over Ichiba, Europe’s largest food hall on 11 July.
The takeover runs until 30 September and will see Ichiba deck out its 17,400 sq ft of dining and retail space with Miffy’s familiar form, including eye-catching window vinyls, brightly coloured POS and backdrops, plus a giant 2m high Miffy lamp (a perfect prop for selfie lovers).
For the in-store dining experience, Ichiba’s chefs will serve up Miffy-shaped buns filled with red bean paste, carrot-shaped buns filled with matcha custard, matcha buttercream Miffy cookies, plus a range of Miffy-inspired lattes.
An exclusive Japan Centre x Miffy tote bag will be available in-store at Ichiba and online at japancentre.com, plus other Miffy merchandise including on-the-go coffee mugs, plush, books, interior gifts plus cooking utensils such as bunny-shaped baking pans and cookie cutters so visitors can recreate the Ichiba x Miffy cookies at home.
Highlight PR – which brokered the 12-week pop up – is supporting the activation with an extensive marketing campaign, including a giant display unit filled with Miffy plush located in Westfield’s parenting area (part of a #FindMiffy social challenge to drive footfall to Ichiba), a paid influencer partnership with Great British Bake Off finalist, Kim-Joy, plus a day of free family activities in-store on Saturday 23 July, comprising origami craft activities and a costume appearance.
“Despite her Dutch roots, there is nevertheless a great synergy between Miffy and Japanese culture,” commented Marja Kerkhof, md of Mercis. “This promotion with Ichiba will give the brand fantastic exposure in the UK within a luxury retail environment. It is also perfect timing ahead of the Year of the Rabbit in 2023.”
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