Category Archives: Business

Catching up: Yuko Yamaguchi carries on as nurturing parent of Hello Kitty

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There some interesting snippets in the article

Why she was hired:

“She became the third Hello Kitty designer in 1980, two years after joining Sanrio straight out of arts university. With her two predecessors having left the company and with Kitty’s popularity declining, Yamaguchi’s mission was to recover sales.”

And as for the future’

“Asked about her next challenge, Yamaguchi said she wants to attract boys.”

“I want boys to join the superhero Ichigoman fan club. Unlike other Sanrio characters, Ichigoman is a fighting character. We aim to make it into an anime and ultimately making it a TV series of a story about a hero.”

already  Sario Japan had put out an    Ichigoman short

IT kind of cute but can it really reach boys? I think Darkcapeman (the black kitty) is a beet fit.

Link to Story

Hello Kitty: Not Just for Young Girls (or Females)

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The following is a response I posted on Hello Kitty Junkies over constant refrain older fans are hearing that Hello Kitty is Just for Little Girls.

I remember Tiffany Grant , a voice actress  had  hosted a panel at  Kumoricon, the anime convention in Portland, Vancouver area. She gave a history of Hello Kitty and Sanrio noting sales slowed in the in 80’s  after the initial released in 1970,s. While there are other reasons for the decline, resulting in hiring of Yuko Yamaguch.

When  there was an up tick  of sales, founder Shintaro Tsuji did marketing research, and noted young women who were fans as children were buying items for their children. Mr. Tsuji a decision to go after the young women demographic.

The takeaway is if Hello Kitty is only for little girls, then why is Sanrio have so many collections  and collaboration aimed at Juniors and young women?  There are many collaborations I can name off the top of my head,: Mac Cosmetics, Forever 21, Vans.  Now with the Kiss and Street fighter collaboration, Sanrio is signaling they are ready to make a play for the final frontier: The Male market.

 

 

The G Sale Ebay Dilemma

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For a few years I have been buying items at yard and estate sales to sell on Ebay. This has left me in a dilemma when it to Sanrio Items. I had a good pull the last few sales. I bought all the items in the picture for a dollar each at three different yard sales. The dilemma is I supposed to by items to sell on EBay but I keep on adding them to my own collection. I know Chibimaru and Derery-Lou would sell on eBay but I am keeping the plushies but I will try to list the rest on EBay . Oh well, the life of a male Hello Kitty Fan.

Sanrio Taps Lauren Faust for Hello Kitty and Friends Reboot.

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1st Apr 2012

Sanrio Taps Lauren Faust for Hello Kitty and Friends Reboot.

Sanrio’s  Brony Play?

In a surprising press release   Shintaro Tsuji standing aside with Janet Hsu,  Sanrio  first Female  COO for  it US.  subsidiary announces the tapping Lauren Faust to Reboot Hello Kitty and Friends  currently shopped to Viacom. Miss Faust, known for her work on Power Puff Girls, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic, will serve as Chief Executive for the New Adventurers of Hello Kitty and Friends.

Some in the animation world are surprised by the news yet information leaked Sanrio’s corporate office hint the reason is the wildly success of My Little Pony especially among its most unlikely demographic: 15 to 30 year old men who are fans of My Little Pony. One executives speaking on condition he remains anonymous, say Sanrio has been studying Hasbro and it response to the male demographic. We covet the untapped men’s market and feel Sanrio can do a far superior   job of reaching males with Hello Kitty than the Ponies.  If indications show a building a similar male fan base, Sanrio is better in a position to respond.  Sanrio can have a male line in Sanrio stores within four months and leverage our strength and expertise   in collaborations with popular men’s retail lines, for example a collaboration with Nike.  A Japanese blog, Nandesuka carries the same message.

Could a Hello Kitty X MY Little Pony be in the cards?

 

About SANRIO

SANRIO, best known for global icon Hello Kitty® and home to many more endearing characters including Chococat®, My Melody®, and Keroppi®, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. August 2010 marks the golden anniversary for the worldwide lifestyle brand that was founded on the “small gift, big smile®” philosophy – that a small gift can bring a big smile to people of all ages. Today, over 50,000 Sanrio-branded items are sold in over 70 countries around the world. In the Western Hemisphere SANRIO character-branded products are sold in upwards of 12,000 locations including department, specialty, national chain stores and over 95 Sanrio boutiques. For more information, please visit www.sanrio.com.