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Fifty years ago in Japan, 24-year-old artist Yuko Shimizu sketched a simple drawing that would lead to an $84.5 billion empire. Using a fude brush pen and sumi ink, Yuko created an image of a white cat with a button nose, a large head, no mouth, and a bow on its right ear, initially called 'Unknown White Cat.'
This sketch transformed into the iconic character we know as Hello Kitty. In an interview with BBC Witness History, Yuko revealed that she was inspired by a white kitten her father gave her as a child. This sweet memory was captured in her design, which quickly became a massive success and established the Hello Kitty brand.
Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty, started hiring illustrators to create characters that could replicate the success of their previous products. Focusing on the Japanese concept of 'kawaii' (cute), Yuko drew several sketches before finalizing the design, which was then printed on a small bag.
The character became a global phenomenon and was named Hello Kitty, combining the word 'hello' with 'Kitty,' which is English for kitten. As Hello Kitty's popularity grew, it expanded into a variety of products and became Sanrio's best-selling character.
Hello Kitty, with her red bow and unchanging expression, has adorned thousands of products in 130 countries and has been part of an empire that includes toys, animations, and various items.
Despite its success, by 2024, Hello Kitty's share in Sanrio’s business in the U.S. had decreased from 99% to 60%, and globally to 30%, being surpassed by other characters like Cinnamoroll.
After some time away from Sanrio and the birth of her child, Yuko Shimizureturned to the company and helped consolidate the brand. In addition to Hello Kitty, she created other successful characters like Rebecca Bonbon. For Yuko, the success of her characters lies in their ability to evoke nostalgia and cuteness, qualities that continue to resonate with people of all ages.
Source: BBC
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