It all started on a coin purse half a century ago. Today, her blank, innocent stare can be seen on bed linen, clothes and (only once and never again) a vibrator. — Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
Two black dots for eyes, six fine whiskers and a red bow on her head: It didn't take much to create a design that would conquer the world.
Half a century ago, the Japanese designer created an anthropomorphised cat with a soft, daydreaming gaze for the company Sanrio. Back then, no one could have predicted that the cute character would have become a global phenomenon.
Kitty White - Hello Kitty's real name - was "born" on November 1, 1974, in the suburbs of London. According to company legend she weighs as much as three apples and her height is the same as five apples, and she loves her mum's homemade apple pie.
Some, perhaps controversially, will tell you that she is, in actual fact, not a cat, but a cartoon character girl, and one who walks on two legs, not four.
The mother of all cat content, Hello Kitty is a chameleon brand, putting her at the heart of a billion-dollar business. — Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
Unlike other Kawaii cartoon characters, who are usually expressive, Hello Kitty shows no emotion - she doesn't even have a mouth.
"Hello Kitty's face is a blank canvas onto which anyone can project their feelings," says Tokyo-based author Andreas Neuenkirchen, who has written a non-fiction book about the popular cat character. Despite, or perhaps because of this, Kitty is the queen of this cute, sometimes kitschy Japanese cultural phenomenon.
Sanrio describes Hello Kitty as "happy and friendly" - characteristics that appeal to people all over the world and make the character popular in different cultures. The fact that she lives with her twin sister Mimmy and their parents or that she likes to bake cookies is neither here nor there.
"A lot of people don’t know the story and a lot don’t care," anthropologist Christine Yano explained in an interview with the LA Times. "You can give her a guitar, you can put her on stage, you can portray her as is. That blankness gives her an appeal to so many types of people."
The celebration of Hello Kitty's 50th birthday at the Supercandy Pop-Up Museum in Germany. — Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
The billion-dollar cat
The cute character first appeared on a vinyl coin purse in 1975. Almost 50 years later you can find her (almost) anywhere: on pens, bed linen or kitchen appliances, in exclusive designer collections and even on airplanes.
"There is hardly a country where Hello Kitty is not present," says Neuenkirchen. It's a billion-dollar business for the Japanese company. "Sanrio has made Hello Kitty one of the most successful licensed brands in the world," he explains. "Every month, 600 new products come onto the market, and 600 old ones are taken off the market."
Hello Kitty's international success is mainly due to its flexible marketing strategy, Neuenkirchen explains. "While companies like Disney have strict control over the licensing rights, Sanrio is very open when it comes to this."
Cupcakes with the logo can be seen at a celebration of Hello Kitty's 50th birthday at the Supercandy Pop-Up Museum in Germany. — Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
In the more than 130 countries in which Hello Kitty products are sold, the design can be adapted to the local market. "In France, for example, Hello Kitty only got popular once she got eyelashes; in Italy you can get a bottle of wine with a Hello Kitty label, something that would be unthinkable in Japan."
Only a few times has this flexibility proved to be a disaster. For example, when a vibrating shoulder massager with the name "Hello Kitty vibrator" caused outrage at Sanrio - and amusement around the world.
Some, perhaps controversially, will tell you that she is, in actual fact, not a cat, but a cartoon character girl, and one who walks on two legs, not four. — Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
A mixture of nostalgia and feminism
The fact that Hello Kitty is said to have been born in London has nothing to do with global target audience, Neuenkirchen says. "In the 1970s, many Japanese girls dreamed of the western world, in particular London and Paris."
The biography was created to suit the tastes of the time, as anthropologist Christine Yano confirms: "They loved the idea of the UK. It was the epitome of an idealised childhood."
Now grown up, they still love the cult figure today. "Many women who loved Hello Kitty as young girls love to see her on products for adults," says Neuenkirchen. As early as the 1980s, Yuko Yamaguchi, the third designer of Kitty, consulted fans and found that they did not want to leave their beloved figure in their childhoods. "This led to the idea of developing products for adults - a strategy that still works brilliantly to this day."
An adaptable cat, Hello Kitty varies from country to country. In France, she has eyelashes, while in Italy you can get a bottle of wine with a Hello Kitty label. — Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
Her simple design is an asset. "She's very innocent, so there's no way she can cause controversy," Neuenkirchen says. Shortly before Hello Kitty's 40th birthday, the headline that went around the world was that she was not really a cat, which was probably the most shocking thing that fans had learned about the character.
Sanrio then backtracked, explaining: "If you want to see a cat in Hello Kitty, you can do so, even if it's wrong," Neuenkirchen says. "There are also some people who see her as a feminist icon - perhaps out of defiance or irony. The message is: 'I can be cute and strong at the same time.'" It's perhaps a way of giving her a voice - whether it's a human or an animal one.
Now entering her 50s, Hello Kitty's expansion doesn't seem to be slowing, and she's possibly on her way towards the big screen. — Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
Hello Hollywood?
Hello Kitty's 50th birthday is being celebrated around the world: influencers are showing their favourite Hello Kitty fashion products on social media, while in Cologne, Germany, fans can immerse themselves in a pink world at the Supercandy Pop-Up Museum.
Sanrio has even set up a new website in Hello Kitty's honour with a timeline of her life and career.
Now entering her 50s, Hello Kitty's expansion doesn't seem to be slowing, and she's possibly on her way into an entirely new business area.
"A major Hello Kitty film has been in discussion for years, and after the success of 'Barbie' and 'Super Mario', it would be a logical step," Neuenkirchen says. "If Sanrio continues to be flexible and respond to trends, Hello Kitty will be around for a long time. If this can be achieved with a film remains to be seen."
