Company targeting adult consumer base with raft of new lifestyle initiatives.
Busy Sanrio is stepping up its brand building activity, looking to tap into its Japanese DNA and win a more adult consumer base across EMEA.
Hello Kitty appeared at two cherry blossom viewing events in April – in the LVMH owned Jardin d’ Acclimatation in Paris and in Stockholm’s Kungsträdgårdens, where the character appeared with cosplayers, martial artists and musicians to introduce people to the springtime Japanese tradition.
The cherry blossom theme continues at MCM Comic Con in London (May 27-29) with the debut of Hello Kitty’s Superhero Hanami.
The character will then tour Comic Cons in other key European cities over the next six months.
Meanwhile, June 1 sees the launch of the Hello Kitty pop-up café, which is a collaboration with Soho-based bakery Cutter & Squidge.
The pop-up will serve themed afternoon teas in a secret garden environment and sell a range of limited edition merchandise and takeaway food items. Also launching this summer, Florence will become the first European city to host a permanent Hello Kitty café: the Hello Kitty Patisserie.
The Italian Hello Kitty patisserie joins the Hello Kitty chalets near Lake Garda and Rome which are welcoming holiday goers for the first time this summer. As part of a three way partnership between Sanrio, Nestle Gelati Motta and ECVacanze, the idea has proved popular with many weeks already booked up.
The sweet treats don’t end there, with new partners including Dots (Euro Pastry), Dunkin’ Donuts, Annabel Karmel and Candy Kittens, the brand owned by Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing.
Meanwhile, Hello Kitty is set to appear at the UEFA Champions League next season, while the character will also be teaming with martial arts brand Moya Brand for a new launch.
Finally, Sanrio across EMEA and Australasia will participate in Sanrio’s global character ranking in June to give fans the chance to vote for their favourite characters and discover new ones.
