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30 and Feline Fine:
A very happy belated birthday to our all-time favourite cat...
Here's are just a few of many really pink items you can get from Kitty (from left to right): satellite dish, CD player, hair dryer, hair remover, toy gun, exercise ball, diet pills, fax machine, and Hello Kitty-shaped seaweed.
Hello Kitty may have turned 30 on November 1, 2004, but she doesn't look a second older than the day she was drawn. Her international popularity and longevity prove this kitty had us all at "hello."
For her big day, Hello Kitty was treated to a Hollywood bash fit for, well, a cat, with pink-carpet arrivals, a colossal cake and an auction benefiting UNICEF (her pet charity) of one-of-a-kind Kitty collectibles. All in all, it was the purrfect evening.
Created in 1974 by designer Yuko Shimizu, Hello Kitty started out just another logo character for Sanrio, a Japanese company that made children's trinkets like change purses, stickers and stationary sets. Thirty years later, you can find the little white cat with the red bow on everything from T-shirts to toasters to trailers. In fact, she can be seen on no less than 22,000 products - her likeness is a billion-dollar industry.
You see, Kitty's success comes from the fact her appeal's not only timeless - it's ageless, too. The marketing masters at Sanrio say they look at what's going on in their customers' life cycles, and design appropriate products. Case in point: at five years old, I went to school each morning swinging a pink Hello Kitty lunchbox. Now, at 25, I go to work each morning swinging my pink Hello Kitty cell phone case.
The official company line is that Hello Kitty is a role model who inspires girl power and carries a positive message. I suspect most fans just think she's cute. Whatever Kitty is, one thing's clear: there's just no stopping her. ¤ Noa
She's One Krazy Kitty!
Some of the more bizarre items Hello Kitty's turned up on over the years:
- Hello Kitty AirStream RV: In 2004, Sanrio auctioned off an AirStream RV bedecked with as much Hello Kitty finery as you could possibly imagine, including a Hello Kitty pink faux-fur bed, Hello Kitty couches and all sorts of Hello Kitty electronics, like a TV and DVD player. The asking price was $150,000, with all money benefiting charity.
- Hello Kitty Motorcycle: A motorcycle developed by Yamaha; sure, it's cute, but it can only go up to 60 m.p.h.
- Hello Kitty Car: OK, this vehicle can definitely go faster than 60 m.p.h.
- Hello Kitty Folding Bike, Exercise Equipment and Scale: Even Kitty has fat days.
- Hello Kitty Upright Vacuum: If you've got REAL kitties, this'll come in handy.
- Hello Kitty Pink Mini iPod: Hello Kitty + pink + mini = something I clearly must have!
- Hello Kitty Credit Card: Just charge the rest of this Hello Kitty stuff to it.
- Hello Kitty "Massager": Hey - Kitty's got needs, too!
- Hello Kitty Ice Cube Tray (makes cubes shaped like Kitty): Oh, if only I could be as cool as Kitty!
- Hello Kitty Fan: Just like me!
- Hello Kitty Tape: Even Kitty can become obsolete.
- Hello Kitty Toilet Seat Cover and Toilet Paper: Need I say more?
- Hello Kitty Doggy Accessories: All the other dogs make fun of Spot with his Hello Kitty coat and leash.
- Hello Kitty Snowboard and Case: All the other snowboarders make fun of Brody with his Hello Kitty gear.
- Hello Kitty Fine Furnishings: Welcome home!
- Hello Kitty Teeth: Lil Jon's got nuthin on Kitty!