Sanrio is a global lifestyle brand best known for Hello Kitty, who was created in 1974, and is home to many other beloved character brands.
The company was founded in 1962 on the philosophy that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since then, this philosophy has served as the inspiration to offer quality products, services and activities that promote communication and inspire unique consumer experiences across the world.
Today, Sanrio’s business extends from the consumer products to the entertainment industry with several content series, gaming offerings and theme parks. The company has 8 subsidiaries and employs over 670 people worldwide, offering an extensive product line-up which is available in over 130 countries.
One of a kind
Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer Sanrio – EMEA, India and Oceania Mr. Men – Worldwide says that with its unique history and heritage of fostering friendship and social communication, Sanrio has evolved into a multinational company which has developed its own brands. These include Hello Kitty and Hello Kitty and Friends (which includes almost 450 characters such as My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, etc.), Gudetama and Aggretsuko.
In 2011 the company acquired the rights to the Mr. Men and Little Miss characters, created by Roger Hargreaves. “Loved by generations of families for over 50 years, there is a Mr. Men or Little Miss (or two!) inside us all,” she says. “Universally recognised by the simple illustrations and iconic character names– the Mr. Men and Little Misses are relatable to every age, culture, personality and gender.”
She points out that Sanrio enjoys a unique position globally with a steady market share. This is mainly due to its values of kindness, positivity and friendship, the charm and power of Japanese tradition as well as collaborations – a backbone of Sanrio’s brand identity long before this became a market trend.
“We were among the first to understand strategic collaborations with brands of global relevance. We could say Hello Kitty is a key player in the history of licensed collaborations: she has been among the best known and loved characters of all generations throughout the world and has become an undisputed pop icon, especially in the fashion industry.”
Hello Kitty opened herself up to the world of co-branding as soon as the early 2000s, with international brands collaborations and celebrities such as Swarovski, Barbour, Tarina Tarantino, Liberty, followed by many others during these 50 years from Balenciaga to the recent Chloè and Blumarine. This is what allowed the brand to appeal to both teens and adults, a tricky task.
50 years of success
2024 is a year of celebrations for Sanrio, and the company is thrilled to celebrate Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary in full swing! For nearly five decades, Hello Kitty has inspired generations, and her message of friendship, kindness, and cuteness transcends cultures and continues to resonate with fans of all ages.
After months of preparation, the anniversary officially kicked off in November 2023 and will continue for the whole year, Figini explains. “Praising once again friendship and kindness and how these strongly impact our everyday lives, an exclusive program of collaborations is being developed together with global PR campaigns, as well as events and experiences, to connect fans with their beloved character – from artist collaborations to exhibitions and shopping experiences.”
“We are proud of the fast internationalization Sanrio is experiencing in all the markets in which we currently operate. We are partnered with key companies of all industries such as Adidas and Nike, just to mention some recent ones, but also with other brands: for example, the collaboration with MGA Entertainment’s L.O.L. surprise dolls, which is part of our celebrations for Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary.”
“Hello Kitty brand awareness is strong all over the world and through all target age. Also Mr. Men and Little Miss, part of the British cultural heritage and with long history in the French publishing tradition, are experiencing tremendous growth outside the UK and France. The sales of publishing and consumer products of Mr Men and Little Miss are already very successful also in Australia and China and growing fast in many other markets. For example, in Greece publishing has grown quickly to reach 70% of the UK’s sales,” says Silvia Figini.
Strong legacy to leverage
It is not only its past achievements that Sanrio can be proud of – the future also holds promising developments, and the company is well positioned to respond to the latest trends, says Figini. “We see trends from the decade of the 2000s are coming back. This nostalgia is something we will definitely leverage.”
“Second, kawaii culture and the Japanese tradition, which is part of Sanrio’s characters’ DNA, are always on trend and loved. Finally, something that is playing a critical role for us is how Gen X and Millennials are sharing their love for our brands with the new generation, preparing the grounds for new waves of fans for us to target.”
She affirms that based on these key elements, Sanrio has a strong legacy to leverage, and this is being reflected in the anniversary celebrations. “Sanrio has been focusing on evolving into a 360°consumer approach, consolidating its presence in the entertainment industry with new content series and gaming releases as well as expanding some of its key categories,” says Figini, highlighting new content.
“The biggest step into content creation is Sanrio’s newest tv series “Hello Kitty, Super Style!” Since launch, “Hello Kitty: Super Style!” has performed consistently well in every market, ranking in the top 5 pre-school shows on average.”
Positive future
It is not all just about entertainment, though – Sanrio includes an important message regarding sustainability in its activities. For instance, Sanrio has launched several campaigns with fashion brands to promote eco-production using fewer resources and is working to educate the new generations on environmental protection.
“Over 90% of parents are actively looking to implement positive sustainable habits for their children’s sake. Our characters have the power to help spread these habits. And this is what we did when we created Little Miss Waste Less, for a special project in partnership with Ecover, to promote environmental education. Drawn exclusively by Adam Hargreaves, son of creator Roger Hargreaves, the character was on a mission to inspire generations to reduce their plastic waste.”
The positive impact of the company is set to be further enhanced by investment in new media content, as well as investment in those characters which are becoming extremely popular. As it celebrates its important 50th anniversary, the company can be rightfully proud of its achievements and is set to face a positive future with exciting expectations.
