‘Hello Kitty’ a Japanese Superbrand
Case Study
‘Hello Kitty’
A Japanese Superbrand
© 2006 The Icfai Center for Management Research (ICMR). All Rights Reserved. For accessing and procuring the MARKETING MASTERMIND 60 June 2007 case study, log on to www.ecch.cranfield.ac.uk or www.icmrindia.org
Marketing Mastermind_June-2007_Final.pmd
60
6/1/2007, 4:30 PM
‘Hello Kitty’ She (Hello Kitty) is the original, and it is hard to replace her. She became the icon of cute for a whole generation. You can’t buy that kind of lucky coincidence.1 – Ken Belson Co-author, Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio and the Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon, in 2004. Hello Kitty was propelled from day one by the character’s cute and simple design. After 30 years, we’re glad to see that people are still buying her products.2 – Bill Hensley Marketing Director, Sanrio Inc., in 2003.
Hello Kitty was the name of a cartoon cat developed in 1974 by Sanrio Co. Ltd. (Sanrio), a Japanese company that sold character-branded goods in Japan and other parts of the world. Sanrio initially used the character to adorn petty merchandise like coin purses and pencil boxes targeted at small girls. However, after Hello Kitty became hugely popular, Sanrio extended the brand to a variety of other products. By the early 2000s, Hello Kitty featured on products ranging from vacuum cleaners to DVD players, toilet paper to cars, and computers to candy, and was thought to be one of the most powerful brands in the world. This case discusses the reasons for the popularity of Hello Kitty, and tries to analyze the unique features of the brand. It also talks about the various steps Sanrio took over the years to revive and reinvent Hello Kitty when sales showed signs of flagging. The role of celebrity endorsements in creating brand value is also discussed. The case concludes with a commentary on Sanrio’s efforts to convert Hello Kitty into a luxury brand.
Hello Kitty Goes Luxe
In early 2005, Sanrio Co Ltd. (Sanrio), the Japanese
‘Hello Kitty’
A Japanese Superbrand
© 2006 The Icfai Center for Management Research (ICMR). All Rights Reserved. For accessing and procuring the MARKETING MASTERMIND 60 June 2007 case study, log on to www.ecch.cranfield.ac.uk or www.icmrindia.org
Marketing Mastermind_June-2007_Final.pmd
60
6/1/2007, 4:30 PM
‘Hello Kitty’ She (Hello Kitty) is the original, and it is hard to replace her. She became the icon of cute for a whole generation. You can’t buy that kind of lucky coincidence.1 – Ken Belson Co-author, Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio and the Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon, in 2004. Hello Kitty was propelled from day one by the character’s cute and simple design. After 30 years, we’re glad to see that people are still buying her products.2 – Bill Hensley Marketing Director, Sanrio Inc., in 2003.
Hello Kitty was the name of a cartoon cat developed in 1974 by Sanrio Co. Ltd. (Sanrio), a Japanese company that sold character-branded goods in Japan and other parts of the world. Sanrio initially used the character to adorn petty merchandise like coin purses and pencil boxes targeted at small girls. However, after Hello Kitty became hugely popular, Sanrio extended the brand to a variety of other products. By the early 2000s, Hello Kitty featured on products ranging from vacuum cleaners to DVD players, toilet paper to cars, and computers to candy, and was thought to be one of the most powerful brands in the world. This case discusses the reasons for the popularity of Hello Kitty, and tries to analyze the unique features of the brand. It also talks about the various steps Sanrio took over the years to revive and reinvent Hello Kitty when sales showed signs of flagging. The role of celebrity endorsements in creating brand value is also discussed. The case concludes with a commentary on Sanrio’s efforts to convert Hello Kitty into a luxury brand.
Hello Kitty Goes Luxe
In early 2005, Sanrio Co Ltd. (Sanrio), the Japanese