Rodent control is a very low-interest category for most consumers, but in homes with children, finding and getting rid of a mouse in the house can actually be an incredibly emotional, even traumatic experience. So we decided to bring the brand to the place where most parents turn when they need help explaining complicated issues to their kids – children’s books.

Our book presented a cautionary tale about using anything other than d-CON’s No View, No Touch trap, and provided a helping hand by giving parents a story to tell if they chose our competitor. The book was integrated into the product detail page on the d-CON website and will be the centerpiece of the brand’s mouse season press kit.

The cover and the “tail” bookmark were inspired by the form of the mouse, and were chosen because they elicit the primal emotions our audience feels when they are faced with a rodent in their home.

On the inside, we’ve crafted a cautionary tale of choosing a traditional rodent control method, but we intentionally made our branding/packaging a character in our story; a reminder that the problem in this story has a simple solution, the d-CON No View, No Touch trap.

The process started with rough sketches for placement. Next, the product packaging was cut and used to build specific design elements in each scenario. They were then photographed and put into layout.

The cover material is meant to create a texture similar to a mouse’s fur (but without being gross). The final touch was the bookmark made out of a leather-like material, hand-tapered into the shape of a tail.

By identifying a specific audience with unique needs that can be met by our new No View, No Touch trap, we found a way to build stronger relevance for our innovation and help the audience identify it as the solution for them.

Telling our story through a children’s book gave the brand a new way to communicate product benefits and convey the practical and emotional value of having a mousetrap that gets rid of the mouse problem without creating a new problem.

This book started as a simple, inexpensive way to prove relevance to a unique audience, but has inspired a new marketing position for a product that faces intense competition from baits and traditional traps. And in the upcoming mouse season, we will use “Daddy, Why Is That Mouse Sleeping?” as a centerpiece for our press kit, parenting blog influencer program and in-store marketing program.