Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer at Sanrio – EMEA, India and Oceania, and Mr. Men – Worldwide poses with plushies of Mr. Strong, Little Miss Sunshine and Hello Kitty.
"Mr. Men Little Miss" is a childhood classic popular in Europe, including the United Kingdom (where it was created), France, and Greece. Now Sanrio is finding new ways to expand the series' global reach and bring smiles and well-being to the world.
Acquired by Sanrio in 2011, the children's book series has recently racked up accolades and attention. In a collaboration project with the brand Ecover, one of the largest European producers of washing and cleaning products, Mr. Men Little Miss won the Special Mention — Best Sustainable Award at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids in 2023 and was nominated twice in 2024.
Since its release in 1971, Mr. Men Little Miss has playfully represented emotions and feelings as characters. First written and illustrated by Roger Hargreaves, images of Mr. Happy or Little Miss Chatterbox are now instantly recognizable to old and new generations of readers. They are also garnering attention with "Discover You," a series designed to help children learn to manage emotions such as anxiety, or uneasiness when their environment is topsy-turvy.
Mr. Men Little Miss is now under the same corporate umbrella as Hello Kitty (Sanrio's famous character). The way it promotes inclusivity and well-being fits perfectly with Sanrio's corporate philosophy — "Minna Nakayoku" (or "Getting Along Together") — and vision of "One World, Connecting Smiles." With its uplifting approach, the series is spreading Sanrio's message to the world.
To better understand how Mr. Men Little Miss fits into the wider Sanrio vision, JAPAN Forward sought out Silvia Figini for an exclusive interview. She is the Chief Operating Officer at Sanrio – EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), India and Oceania, and Mr. Men – Worldwide.
Little Miss Waste Less Triumphs in Well-being and Sustainability at Bologna Book Fair
We met Figini in the Sanrio Milan office, handsomely located a stone's throw from the city's central cathedral.
Highlighting Mr. Men Little Miss's message, Figini explains: "Our stories celebrate the human condition — what it's like to be Happy, Grumpy, and everything in between."
She smiles warmly, is outgoing, and is visibly proud of how — more than fifty years since its first publication — Mr. Men Little Miss is reaching new heights with audiences in Asia and Australia.
"I love this brand, and it's been growing exponentially in several territories," she says.
For example, in 2024, Mr. Men Little Miss was shortlisted in the Best Retail Project category at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids, one of the biggest events in the field in Europe. The project was a collaboration with home apparel companies TK Maxx and Homesense, together with charity Comic Relief. They released a collection of T-shirts supporting Comic Relief's efforts for Red Nose Day, a yearly campaign to address child poverty and increase children's health and wellness.
In March 2023, Mr. Men Little Miss received the Special Mention for Best Sustainable Licensing Project, the first time such an award was presented.
The project was a collaboration with Ecover. Mr. Men Little Miss designed a brand new character to encourage sustainable practices: Little Miss Waste Less.
"Her story is all about her mission to educate her friends on how to reduce plastic and recycle. Even her look was inspired by planet Earth with her blue body and cute green ponytail," explains Figini.
In Bologna, the jurors recognized the children's book series for "the way a well-known brand has been harnessed to drive sustainability awareness and behavioral change."
"Sustainability is an unavoidable issue in every industry today, even more so in the children's content industry," says Elena Pasoli, Director of the Bologna Children's Book Fair, explaining the background to the award.
"The Bologna fair has been promoting initiatives and supporting important projects for several years, such as the United Nations SDG Book Club, and will dedicate the special category of the BolognaRagazzi Award 2025 precisely to sustainability."
Cristina Angelucci, a media and licensing expert, explains why the Mr. Men Little Miss series is particularly well placed to deliver a positive message. "Fans from the publishing industry are particularly loyal, creating a receptive audience for the project. Mr. Men Little Miss in particular is a brand that has stood the test of time."
In the Beginning
Mr. Men Little Miss's journey started in 1971 when Hargraves' eldest son asked him: "What does a tickle look like?"
The amused father turned the question into entertainment by drawing an illustration of Mr. Tickle, the first of a series of Mr. Men. It was turned into a book and sold a million copies within three years.
In time, the series grew to include all sorts of emotions, like Mr. Bump, Mr. Clumsy, and Little Miss Bossy. In the United Kingdom, the concept became a TV series on BBC television. There are now over 90 characters and 400 books.
As a series, the characters' popularity grew, becoming part of the social fabric. For Sara Doel, a British fan in her 30s, the characters were both her friends and teachers during her formative years. "They're a childhood classic," she told JAPAN Forward.
Small Books With a Powerful Message
Mr. Men Little Miss' strength is the charming, minimalist, and colorful aesthetic. The bright colors and simple stories, coupled with the small size of the books, have made them easy for children to read by themselves.
The most important aspect of the series, however, is the message it conveys. As Figini puts it, "We talk about emotions not as equaling people, but emotions as a moment in people's everyday lives. Several emotions can coexist inside the same person."
Today, the characters have enduring recognition, and the brand is expanding its positive message.
"Given its history, Mr. Men Little Miss is particularly adept at simply conveying difficult concepts, and we try to do that in any way we can," extolls Figini.
An Ever-Developing Brand
Figini highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic became a key moment when the series put a spotlight on mental health. "With COVID, many children were in a period of isolation and therefore had difficulty expressing themselves."
Evidence for this concern came in 2021 when the series celebrated its 50th anniversary amid the pandemic. For the first time, fans were invited to vote for new characters. With over 70,000 votes, fans chose Mr. Calm and Little Miss Brave, both emotions reflecting the difficult times.
This revelation led the series to collaborate with Dr Elizabeth Kilbey, a consultant clinical psychologist. Together, they created books that could help children explore their emotions through simple storytelling.
The result was the series "Discover You," which most recently launched two new books in 2024. First started in 2022, the idea behind it was to help parents and children learn how to manage emotions. Additionally, free downloadable activity sheets are available for busy parents. The initiative also fits into Sanrio's wider aim of "edutainment" through which children learn by having fun.
Figini highlights, "It is vital to develop emotional intelligence and well-being at a young age. We want to teach our children that there is nothing right or wrong in being angry or in being mischievous. All of these things happen, but we must get to know these emotions and understand how to manage them."
Promoting Well-Being Under Sanrio
Figini explains that "Discover You" will welcome new stories and continue to expand. Other exciting new projects are also in the works, including a TV series and possibly a film based on Mr. Men Little Miss.
As we say our goodbyes, Figini highlights how Sanrio's corporate culture fits seamlessly into the message of Mr. Men Little Miss: "Though Sanrio and Mr. Men Little Miss have their roots in different countries, they have common values of kindness, of respecting people."
Looking at the wider Sanrio vision, Figini explains, "In the last three to five years there has been an incredible evolution of the brands [under Sanrio]. I expect growth in the business in all countries."
Smiling, she concludes, "I believe that the next five years will mark an important moment for the company, as the seeds that we have planted are starting to bloom."
This article is published in cooperation with Sanrio Company Ltd. All Sanrio characters and character images: ©️ 2024 SANRIO CO., LTD.
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Author: Arielle Busetto
