“How we care for the future today determines the world that awaits us tomorrow,” Hello Kitty encouraged.
These are very powerful words that hold meaning and hope for our future and they came from the recognizable mouthless cat we all know and love: Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty has always endorsed friendship and kindness, and through the celebration of 50 years of her existence, Sanrio, her parent company, is hoping to spread positivity and connection among everyone.
The 50-year celebration is a year-round event with multiple projects underway, but the official date of her 50th anniversary is Nov. 1. Prior to her birthday celebration, Sanrio has planned many pop-ups, collaborations, and releases to fuel anticipation for the special day. Right now, the most popular collaboration they announced was a pop-up store for a select time with singer, Bruno Mars.
Other projects include collaborating with other companies to create all sorts of Hello Kitty merchandise. Katy, Texas’ own Igloo company has come out with limited edition coolers and cups for the anniversary, and the coolers have sold out quickly.
The popular shoe brand, Crocs, has released its own Hello Kitty-themed shoes for the event, stylized after the kitty herself. Moreover, another iconic group of adorable creatures threw their hats in the ring for the festivities: the Care Bears. The Care Bears team has created a multitude of pastel-colored shirts, cases, and more, with not just Hello Kitty, but her friends as well.
Hello Kitty, one of the most well-known mascots around the world, originates from the Japanese company Sanrio. Created by Yuko Shimizu, a cartoonist at the time, Kittys’ first ever appearance to the world was through a tiny coin purse with a design that would mostly stick for the next 50 years. Hello Kitty found immediate popularity in the United States and a shop was opened only two years after her inception, which received a high influx of people who wanted more of Kitty. Now, the Hello Kitty brand can be found everywhere on a multitude of different items. From pencil erasers to airplanes, there is no limit to the cute cats’ charm.
Though the festivities and collaborations are expected to continue, Sanrio and the Hello Kitty brand have posted a collection of videos in honor of the celebration. These videos all consist of Hello Kitty speaking to the audience about the future, more specifically the next 50 years. She describes the future as one worth being a friend of and one deserving of kindness and compassion. She finishes the speech through written words, persuading everyone to become friends with the future.
Hello Kitty has become a staple and cultural icon who has taken the world by storm and has not let go since. There is only hope for what the future holds for the Hello Kitty brand and Sanrio. Though, considering how prevalent both have stayed within the past 50 years, this will not be a problem for either.
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