« I sent the news to all my friends », smiles Anna, 24 years old. Last week, Kontiki, the company behind the success of the Diddl character in the 1990s and 2000s, announced a new collection of flagship products from the era, such as plush keychains and stationery, available in the fall. “ This timeless brand has left its mark on millions of French people. We are proud to support it in a new stage of its history », declared the general director of the company which ensures its distribution in France.
« It brings back lots of childhood memories. », confides Anna. “ At the time, I was a total fan: I had posters, stuffed animals, pencils… » The young woman was not alone: at the height of the phenomenon, the turnover of the white mouse with big ears climbed to 150 million euros, and the brand was present in at least 26 countries.
In the playground, a circular economy
To understand the phenomenon, we must go back twenty-five years. In the playgrounds of the beginning of the millennium, Mickey was no longer fashionable. The star is Diddl. However, unlike the Disney mascot, no book or cartoon features this white mouse, born from a 1990 illustration by German designer Thomas Goletz.
Nevertheless, a host of derivative products were quickly drawn from this drawing, which established themselves as a “must” for schoolchildren, thanks to targeted marketing. “ The boys had Pokemonthe girls had Diddl », describes Anna. To appeal to children, the brand is betting on the school world: binders, notebooks, pencil cases, and above all… notepads made of writing paper.
Big, small, pink, green… In the playground, these leaves are the heart of traffic. They are exchanged according to a true circular economy model. “ We all had our binder of sheets, well organized, which we brought to school », explains Sarah, 29 years old. Some of them are even fragrant: “ I remember one that smelled like hay, and as I was a fan of horse riding, it was my most prized possession. », explains the young woman. But be careful: scribbled, letter paper loses all its “value”.
A way to socialize
With school as a playground, Diddl became a way for children to socialize at this time. “ While trying to exchange papers, all the girls talked among themselves, regardless of their age. », recalls Anna. For her, this popularity owes a lot to “ the cuteness of the universe “. Furthermore, ” these notebooks were inexpensive and easy to obtain, making collecting affordable » emphasizes Sarah.
-However, a Diddl pen, for example, sells for twice as much as the average pencil. But, thanks to these playground “dealers” and their parents’ money, stocks are selling out like hotcakes. Especially since the brand offers its products to the extreme, to appeal to all tastes: the pen can be ballpoint, feather, in all colors, with Diddl or another of his friends.
Diddl victime d’Internet
Very quickly, Diddl’s universe fills with characters: his mouse friend Diddlina, the bear Pimboli… They all have a story, detailed in the Diddl Maga magazine dedicated to mice launched in 2006. But to obtain the publication, you sometimes have to scour the department. “ The only media house that sold it near me was a fifteen minute drive away”explains Anna. “ So when my mother gave in, it was a day of celebration! » These magazines are always stored in a box in his room. “ I threw away a lot of memories, but I keep them, I’m too attached to them. »
However, in 2010, fashion is running out of steam. For designer Thomas Goletz, the market is changing “due to the digital age », he confides to Point in 2020. « Smartphones, social media and streaming services have prevailed. This had an impact on the analogue gift market, in which Diddl had operated successfully until then. »
Children, the market of tomorrow
In 2014, everything stopped, the brand was no longer distributed. The following year, German television nevertheless crowned Diddl as one of the twenty heroes of the last twenty-five years, behind the former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl and the racing driver Michael Schumacher.
In 2016, the mouse was modernized during a brief return to the scene, with the launch of an online store and an Instagram account. Nine years later, Diddl is now targeting two audiences: those nostalgic for the 2000s and their children.
