Whitbread brand Beefeater celebrates Mr Men deal

By Jo Bruce

- Last updated on GMT

Mr Men author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves with Mr Men fan Alfie Penfold
Mr Men author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves with Mr Men fan Alfie Penfold
Whitbread brand Beefeater hosted a Mr Men and Little Miss party to celebrate its new two-year partnership with the brand.

The event at Beefeater's site in Guildford, Surrey, featured a drawing workshop with Mr Men & Little Miss author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves, son of Roger Hargreaves who launched the books in 1971.

Beefeater is celebrating its 40th year and the partnership reignites the famous tie-up Beefeater had with the Mr Men Little Miss brand in the 1980s and 90s.

The new Mr Men and Little Miss themed menu includes dishes such as Mr Noisy's bangers & mash, Mr Small's little cod bites, Mr Strong's 4oz flat iron steak, Little Miss Naughty's puddings, Mr Cool's drinks and Mr Good's healthy fruit salad. It is available in all 140 Beefeater sites.

Customers can buy one course for £4.49, two for £5.49 or three-courses for £5.99, with 20p of every three-course meal going to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

All meals also now include a free drink.

A free-16 page Mr Men & Little Miss activity pack and balloon is being given to young diners as part of the deal. Kids can also now eat free every Saturday between 12 noon and 5pm. There is also new Mr Men and Little Miss POS and additional seasonal activities, such as Mr Men branded Christmas and themed children’s parties.

The campaign also includes the launch of Beefeater’s Mr Men Little Miss Family Portrait creation app on the brand's website.

Mr Men and Little Miss has a 86-strong cast of characters and a book is sold every 2.5 seconds worldwide, and lifetime sales total 200 million books.

Adam Hargreaves said: "It is a great link in the 40th anniversary year because both brands grew up in the 70s and are both of the same era. Both brands have both have got a real Englishness about them which makes them a natural partnership. The original promotion saw my father create a Mr Beefeater character as a one off, which was very unusual and it was a very long running promotion, running for 10 years which is very unique in the industry and in terms of any promotion."

The brand also linked up with McDonalds in the late 90s on a Happy Meals promotion.

Adam Hargreaves Q&A:

What is your favourite dish on the new kids menu?​ Mr Messy's spaghetti bolognese.

What do you think of the new menu?​ I think it is great. I like how they have bought the personality of the character into the menu descriptions.

Which Mr Men character would you be?​ Mr Forgetful. I have the worst memory in the world.

What would Mr Greedy's favourite pub dish be?​ The largest thing on the menu - the biggest burger on the menu or bangers and mash with extra mash potato and peas, which is what he eats in the original book.

What is your favourite pub dish?​ Scampi and chips.

Why do Mr Men and Little Miss have such enduring appeal?​ The stories personifies human characteristics which don't date or change and everyone can relate to a particular Mr Men or Little Miss character.

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