A few days ago I stopped at the local CVS to pick up some Valentine’s Day cards for my girlfriend and my mother. As I walked down the aisle, I spotted a variety of “valentine” gifts, including a healthy section of Hello Kitty merch. I admit my eyes lit up like a 5-year-old kid again. What can I say, Hello Kitty just does it for me. But apparently, she does it for millions of people all over the world for the last 50 years, too.
A few days ago I stopped at the local CVS to pick up some Valentine’s Day cards for my girlfriend and my mother. As I walked down the aisle, I spotted a variety of “valentine” gifts, including a healthy section of Hello Kitty merch. I admit my eyes lit up like a 5-year-old kid again. What can I say, Hello Kitty just does it for me. But apparently, she does it for millions of people all over the world for the last 50 years, too.
As I stood there in the aisle, I secretly hoped that my Valentine’s Day would include the big plush Hello Kitty at the top shelf that I couldn’t reach. Or maybe, if I was lucky enough, the plush with her holding a heart shaped pillow. Oh, a girl can dream. And, luckily for me, my girlfriend knows my obsession, and a few days later as I opened up my V-Day gift, it consisted of several Tory Burch X Hello Kitty collabs including a very nice wallet.
It got me thinking. Why at the age of 52 do I still feel my heart smile when I see Hello Kitty? And why do I have this overwhelming urge to buy everything in sight that is Hello Kitty?
I did a little research on the topic, and, ironically, just devoured the entire latest issue of Time Magazine, which was a celebration of her 50th birthday! From what I gather, there are a few reasons that people globally of all ages are so attracted to her. There is an innate primal instinct many sociologists speculate we have for small animals, that makes us want to protect them. So, Kitty’s small cuteness fits squarely into that category, as do all things that fall in the category of Japanese “kawaii”. But I think there is more to it than that. Look how simple the character itself was designed – a face of three circles, six lines, and four ovals for the body. No facial expression. No words. Just a perpetual blank stare no matter what the setting. Not even a comment bubble! And yet, despite all that animation she lacks, Sanrio has raked in almost $100 billion over the years from this little kitty. So maybe, for many of us, it’s the simplicity of the character, the colors, and the fact that we get to use our own imaginations to place a narrative and personality onto Hello Kitty and her friends.
All I know is this world is crazy. And it moves so fast. And black is white, and white is black. So sometimes, seeing that adorable little face of hers is what’s needed. I don’t care how old I ever get, I doubt I’ll ever stop having that happy safe feeling from a simple glance at the infamous Hello Kitty.