HELLO KITTY: Can Hello Kitty continue to rule the world?

The decor at a recently opened hospital in Taiwan is a little shocking. The four storey building is decked out in pink, with childish cartoons of a white cat looming out from every possible surface. This is Hello Kitty healthcare. Hello Kitty, a cartoon cat, has appeared on branded merchandise since...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBrand Strategy p. 32
Main Author Varley, Melinda
Format Newsletter Trade Publication Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Centaur Communications Limited 23.02.2009
Centaur Media USA Inc. (A member of Centaur Plc Group)
Subjects
Accessories
Brand image
Brand names
Cartoons
Consumers
Corporate profiles
Licenses
Licensing
Manufacturers
Personality
Popularity
Recessions
Stress management
Success
Japan
United Kingdom > UK
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Summary:The decor at a recently opened hospital in Taiwan is a little shocking. The four storey building is decked out in pink, with childish cartoons of a white cat looming out from every possible surface. This is Hello Kitty healthcare. Hello Kitty, a cartoon cat, has appeared on branded merchandise since 1974. Roberto Lanzi, president of Sanrio (EMEA), admits that the success of Hello Kitty and its many manifestations might look a little odd to anyone not familiar with the business. Roberto Lanzi, president of Sanrio (EMEA), says it is the only brand in the world where you could buy a lollipop or a bottle of red wine. For most licensed brands, there is a moment when success turns into over-exposure. This does not seem to have been an issue for Hello Kitty, however. Starting out 34 years ago as a cartoon cat on a purse, it has appeared on everything from mainstream school notebooks to edgy, pricey Fender Stratocaster guitars. Sanrio's Lanzi explains that the ingredient tying together every licence is that using the cartoon cat should bring a little bit of 'joy' to any product or service. There are 500 new Hello Kitty products launched around the world each month and 500 lines are discontinued. The idea is, according to Sanrio, to change the range to match different and emerging marketing, business and cultural trends across the world. Apart from the hospital, Sanrio recently signed a licensing deal with mobile handset manufacturer Sony Ericsson, which has launched a range of Hello Kitty branded phones. Aside from its unusual approach to licensing, Hello Kitty is also unconventional in that it is a pure branded creation. Most cartoon licences are the result of a popular comicbook character or TV cartoon turned into saleable products after finding an audience through media. For Hello Kitty, its personality has been created purely through its merchandise appearances. For Hello Kitty, its personality has been created purely through its merchandise appearances. Starting out as a symbol on a purse and then stationery, it has inverted the usual model, appearing in stage shows and TV cartoons as a result of selling so well on accessories.
ISSN:0965-9390