The US Mattel Group relies on the trend brand Hello Kitty. The company has announced an extensive licensing agreement with the rights owner Sanrio.

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This international licensing agreement includes rights to Hello Kitty & Friends and Hello Kitty Cafe as well as other characters from Sanrio, including Chococat, Badtz-Maru, Little Twin Stars, My Melody and Pochacco. Mattel will design and develop numerous products as part of this partnership. The portfolio will range from toys, dolls and play sets, games, puzzles and baby equipment to cuddly toys, vehicles and other products. The first goods will be available from autumn 2020. Destinations are North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand. Janet Hsu, Chief Franchise Management Officer of Mattel: “We are excited to bring the super-sweet world of Sanrio to life through toys that allow fans of all ages to experience Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends in a new way. This partnership is another example of Mattel’s commitment to working with world-renowned franchises. This is part of our transformation into an IP-powered, high-performance toy company.”

How successful is Hello Kitty?

With this agreement, Mattel is relying on a strong brand. Estimated revenues of around 80 billion US dollars make Hello Kitty the second strongest license in the world - behind Pokemon and ahead of Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse. The brand has been around for 45 years and is the main sales driver for the Japanese Sanrio Group. Experts estimate that the characters around the friendly figure account for around 80 percent of Sanrio’s sales of almost six billion dollars. There are currently over 50,000 different fan articles worldwide. They are sold in more than 130 countries. The fan community is huge. Hello Kitty has over 13 million Facebook friends. There is an amusement park where she plays the leading role. Stars like Paris Hilton, Heidi Klum or Madonna wear Hello Kitty accessories. The Taiwanese airline Eva Air has designed some of its planes completely according to the figure - from the plane to the boarding passes to the clothing of the crew.

International brands cooperate with Sanrio

In recent years, Sanrio has greatly expanded the licensing business for Hello Kitty internationally. Well-known brands cooperate here. Last year Ergobaby launched a limited series of baby carriers and accessories. Casio designed watches in Baby G style. Converse offers sneakers, sportswear and accessories for the little cat. Sanrio supports its partners. In addition to a style guide, supplements with current trends appear twice a year. Craig Takiguchi, COO of Sanrio, commented on his company’s latest deal: “Mattel is the perfect partner to align with our mission to develop the brand and connect with Sanrio fans worldwide. The company’s global reach and creative approach to product development and storytelling are unmatched. I am confident that together we will transform our toy business in a unique way that will appeal to generations of Sanrio fans.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Link: Sanrio and Mattel cooperate on the trend brand Hello Kitty.

Image: Mattel, Sanrio

//KH