Tag Archives: Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty goes on a global adventure

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Hello Kitty: Super Style, an original 3D animated children’s programme based on Sanrio’s iconic Hello Kitty franchise, has secured its first pre-sales following a raft of deals secured by the producers Watch Next, Monello and Maga Animation Studio, and distributor Kids First.

The 52 x 11-minute 3D animated show is commissioned and co-developed with Amazon Kids+. It has been picked up by Canal+ and M6 in France in an agreement signed by Monello and Watch Next, while Maga Animation Studio has secured a deal with RAI in Italy. Kids First has signed pre-sale deals for the show with Tiny Pop in the UK, Discovery Kids for Latin America, RTS for Switzerland and Hop for Israel.

Hello Kitty: Super Style is produced by Paris-based production companies Watch Next, Monello (Banijay Group) with Monza and Italy-based Maga Animation Studio, and distributed worldwide by Kids First, with Japanese distributor ABC Frontier, Inc. in charge of Asian territories.

In this cheerful, action-packed new series – currently in production and set to launch in late 2022 – Hello Kitty stars as the friendliest face in the tight-knit community of Cherry Town, where she will stop at nothing to help friends in need. In each episode, Hello Kitty uses the power of her magical bow to activate an amazing transformation, changing her outfit to be a brave explorer, a top-notch chef, a sensational pop star and more to help her pals overcome setbacks.

“Hello Kitty is a world famous brand loved by kids and their parents across generations,” says Audrey Brugère, Head of kids and foreign series at CANAL+. “Watch Next Media and Monello Productions have successfully respected the DNA of this pop culture icon while creating modern, creative and fun new graphics and stories. We are very excited to be part of this ambitious show!”

 

Sanrio creates My Hello Kitty Cafe on Roblox

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Sanrio has debuted My Hello Kitty Cafe on Roblox. The immersive experience, created in partnership with game development studio Rock Panda, enables visitors full control over their very own cafe in the Hello Kitty universe. Community members have the chance to build from the ground up, manage, and expand their cafe with help from Hello Kitty and her friends.

Starting from a simple cafe truck all the way to a massive coffee house, the fun and creativity is endless. With a built-in Gacha system, members can collect an array of different Hello Kitty themed staff members along with multiple characters from Sanrio.

“For several decades, our core values of friendship and kindness have helped build a positive community in the physical world. As the world moves to the digital space, we are evolving with our audience to create authentic digital experiences that are uniquely Sanrio,” says Craig Takiguchi, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Development at Sanrio, Inc. “Sanrio’s online presence will allow players of all ages to express themselves through our characters and extend the inclusive and kind Sanrio community to the digital world.”

As visitors progress through the experience, they’ll unlock familiar characters such as My Melody, Pompompurin, and Keroppi, along with many surprise characters. They can style their cafes with unique Hello Kitty decor, create original menu items for their customers, or hop on the Shinkansen to explore Hello Kitty City and visit a friend’s Cafe Town to see what they are up to.

 

 

Haven transforms Sydney’s Darling Square into Hello Kitty Town

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This month, Darling Square in Sydney officially launched Hello Kitty Town, an immersive street festival paying homage to the worldwide phenomenon Hello Kitty & Friends. In partnership with Haven and Sanrio, Hello Kitty Town will be housed at Darling Square until April 29 and will feature themed food and drink offerings and an outdoor art exhibition featuring works by some of the world’s best known illustrators.

Food retailers across the precinct have joined in the fun, creating Hello Kitty themed menu items. Ume Burger has a Bad Badtz-Maru cheeseburger and white peach soda, Toastie Smith will have five limited edition toasties adorned with Hello Kitty ham bows, Bubble Nini Tea will have KeroKeroKeroppi Matcha and Hello Kitty Strawberry Yoghurt Crush teas and Auvers Dining have a suite of dishes including the Lazy Egg Burger based on fan favourite Gudetama. More limited edition food items will be dropped weekly.

The festival has been curated by Eddie Zammit and produced by Authority Creative. Spread throughout the Darling Square precinct, an outdoor art exhibition sees some of the world’s most well known graphic designers, illustrators and street artists add their signature flair to a lovable character from Hello Kitty & Friends. Artists include UK cartoonist, writer and illustrator Gemma Correll; DXTR, a Berlin based artist and illustrator; Melbourne based large-scale mural painter Justine McAllister; Australian artist Travis Price, who is Hello Kitty’s featured artist for the festival, and more.

Hello Kitty merchandise is available to purchase in the precinct from various retailers and includes limited edition plush toys, wallets, cosmetics and even Hello Kitty hand sanitiser. The full list of activities and activations will be announced in the coming weeks and more information can be found at www.Darlingsq.com/hellokittytown

For licensing enquiries on Sanrio in Australia and New Zealand, contact Diana Markezic at Haven Global: diana@havenglobal.com 

Hello Kitty partners with eyewear brand For Art’s Sake

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Sanrio has announced a new collaboration with U.K. eyewear brand For Art’s Sake, with the release of two unique styles of sunglasses and jewellery gift boxes in selected stores across China.

The limited-edition collection features iconic Hello Kitty details and nostalgic shapes, and with only 300 pieces of each style made, the collection is sure to be sought after by the brand’s many fans.

“Welcoming 2022 in style, we are extremely excited to announce our collaboration with Sanrio centered around the iconic and loveable Hello Kitty,” says Xiwen Zhang-Makridis, Creative Director, For Art’s Sake. “For the past five years, For Art’s Sake has striven to produce unique designs, handcrafted from luxurious materials, using innovative technology and bold details. So it only seemed natural to work with the Hello Kitty team and produce an exclusive and collectable collaboration, one of which features two totally unique styles.”

Available in three different colourways, Kitty One and Kitty Two sunglasses are accompanied by either a limited-edition 18-carat gold plated eyewear chain or bracelet and come presented in an opulent pink gift box, signed by Hello Kitty herself in the form of a golden bow. The gift box contains a secret jewellery compartment for storing your bracelet or chain, as well as the exclusive Hello Kitty x For Art’s Sake hand-made faux leather eyewear case.

The collection is available from I.T, PUYI Opticals and Shanghai Code Opticals.

To find out more about the collection, click here.

 

FunCraft and Sanrio partner for new mobile game Hello Kitty – Merge Town

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Interactive entertainment company and mobile games publisher FunCraft, together with Sanrio, has announced the global launch of Hello Kitty – Merge Town, a puzzle and merge decoration game that brings a renowned cast of characters and town to life for the ultimate Hello Kitty and Friends gaming experience.

Based on the globally recognised Hello Kitty and Friends universe, Hello Kitty – Merge Town is the first Hello Kitty and Friends experience to combine casual puzzle gameplay with a deep narrative on mobile devices. Players have the opportunity to interact with their favorite characters including Hello Kitty, Tuxedosam, My Melody, and more as well as explore Hello Kitty’s freshly imagined town.

“We are thrilled to bring Hello Kitty and Friends to life. We can’t wait for players and fans to interact with the characters they love like never before,” says Michael Martinez, CEO and Co-Founder at FunCraft. “Hello Kitty – Merge Town expands the diverse set of experiences our talented teams are building for gamers worldwide with a globally beloved universe. We will deploy our core strengths of creative gameplay and personalized user experiences.

“Hello Kitty has cultivated one of the most passionate and devoted fan bases in entertainment and we sought to stay true to the brand when creating Hello Kitty – Merge Town, offering players one of the most aesthetically and narratively immersive Hello Kitty and Friends experiences to date. Our teams have been working with tremendous passion to deliver the ultimate gaming experience for fans around the globe.”

“Hello Kitty – Merge Town is a fantastic Hello Kitty experience,” adds Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer Sanrio – EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr Men – Worldwide. “We are truly thrilled with the care and attention FunCraft brought to this world and can’t wait to see how players interact with Merge Town in the years to come.” 

With a deep and engaging narrative from award-winning writers, players will learn the secrets and stories of Hello Kitty’s town. FunCraft has created an elaborate town for players to explore, with distinct elements for fans to recognise and enjoy. Players unlock new neighborhoods for Kerokerokeroppi, Kuromi, Chococat, and more. With an abundant combination of items to discover and hundreds of engaging puzzles to solve, Hello Kitty – Merge Town gives players the ability to play a quick session on the go or enjoy a marathon play experience.

Hello Kitty – Merge Town is available globally and localised in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and 8 other languages. It’s available now as a free download on Android devices via Google Play and iOS devices via the App Store. The launch trailer can be viewed here. 

 

Kids First and Amazon Kids+ expand the world of Hello Kitty with new 3D animated series

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Kids First today announced its first-ever collaboration with Amazon Kids+ on an original children’s programme based on Hello Kitty. The two companies are creating a new episodic series, entitled “Hello Kitty: Super Style!,” which will bring lifestyle brand Sanrio’s global pop icon to life in premium 3D animation. The new series will premiere in major territories around the world, including the US.

The new project is produced by Paris-based production companies Watch Next and Monello (Banijay Group) with Milan-based Maga Animation Studio and distributed worldwide by Kids First, with Japanese distributor ABC Frontier, Inc. in charge of Asian territories.

In this cheerful, action-packed new series, Hello Kitty stars as the friendliest face in the tight-knit community of Cherry Town, where she will stop at nothing to help friends in need. In each episode, Hello Kitty uses the power of her magical bow to activate an amazing transformation, changing her outfit to be a brave explorer, a top-notch chef, a sensational pop star and more to help her pals overcome silly setbacks.

“I believe that children all over the world will be empowered by this Hello Kitty series to live happily in harmony with one another to create a brighter future for all. We hope you’ll also enjoy the new characters that appear alongside Hello Kitty as she explores the important themes of friendship and kindness throughout the series!” says Yuko Yamaguchi, Head Designer of Sanrio Company, Ltd.

“Having a well-known international digital video service and soon to be announced best-in-class linear broadcasters all backing the project demonstrates the wide appeal of one of the most popular and adorable characters on earth,” added Philippe Alessandri, CEO of Kids First and Watch Next.

Sanrio partners with Player 2 to grow licensing revenue in the global gaming market

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Gaming and esports marketing agency Player 2 and global lifestyle brand Sanrio have announced a partnership that will see the two collaborating to grow gaming-related licensing partnerships for its Hello Kitty and Sanrio characters (including Aggretsuko and Gudetama) across the EMEA, India and Oceania regions. Player 2’s work will also include global gaming-related partnerships for Sanrio’s iconic Mister Men Little Miss characters.

Player 2 will lead the efforts to develop specific in-game collaboration programmes that bring awareness of the Sanrio characters to young consumers, while expanding its gaming-related product offerings across in-game activations, peripherals, merchandise collaborations and esports.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to further introduce Hello Kitty and friends along with the Mister Men Little Miss characters to gaming audiences,” says John Pierce, Player 2 Managing Partner. “We look forward to collaborating with the Sanrio team to create intriguing and relevant gaming-related partnerships.”

“Sanrio has been creating smiles for over 50 years,” says Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer, Sanrio – EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr. Men – Worldwide. “We’re excited to partner with Player 2 to bring the values, optimism and smiles of our iconic characters to gaming enthusiasts everywhere.”

Sanrio, best known for Hello Kitty who was created in 1974, is home to many other beloved character brands such as My Melody, LittleTwinStars, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Gudetama, Aggretsuko, Chococat, Bad Badtz-Maru, Kerokerokeroppi and the British icons Mr Men & Little Miss. Sanrio boasts an extensive product lineup of around 50,000 products, which are available in over 130 countries and regions around the world.

Hello Kitty and Pusheen pounce on limited edition collaboration for plush, fashion, and more

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Sanrio has entered into a new collaboration with the Pusheen brand to launch a limited edition collection of Hello Kitty x Pusheen consumer products, spanning apparel, accessories, collectables, stationery, housewares, health and beauty products, and plush. The collection unites Hello Kitty and Pusheen for the first time in the consumer space.

The deal brings with a swathe of premium licensing partners already on board to launch a selection of Hello Kitty x Pusheen products, including Hybrid for apparel, Loungefly for bags and small accessories, Taste Beauty for health and beauty care products, GUND for plush and slippers, and Hamee for squishy toys and phone accessories.

They are joined by further licensing partners, Monogram for pins, bag clips, and lanyards, Stitch & Story for crochet kits and craft accessories, Blueprint for stationery, and Thumbs Up for housewares and figurines.

“Hello Kitty has always believed ‘You can never have too many friends’ and we couldn’t be more excited for Pusheen to join her side,” said Craig Takiguchi, chief operating officer at Sanrio, Inc. “With both of our avid fanbases and the wide range of products designed for every occasion, these pop culture icons will encourage friends to come together and make even more everyday memories.”

Claire Belton, creator of Pusheen, said: “It’s a dream come true to collaborate with Hello Kitty. It’s been so much fun to work together and see everything come to life. I grew up loving Hello Kitty, so it feels like coming full circle.”

Similar to Pusheen, whose animated comics and GIFs have spread smiles and laughter worldwide, Hello Kitty also stands for friendship, kindness, and inclusivity. These values have brought the two together to help spread positivity and acceptance to friends and fans everywhere.

The Hello Kitty x Pusheen collection will be available on September 3, 2021 at Sanrio.com, select Sanrio boutique stores, and Pusheen.com while supplies last. The collection will also be available at select specialty retailers such as Hot Topic, Claire’s, FYE, Barnes & Noble, and IT’SUGAR later this autumn.

Sanrio taps Bare Tree Media for digital content and experiences across its character portfolio

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Sanrio has tapped Bare Tree Media as its digital licensing and marketing partner for Mr Men Little Miss globally, as well as Hello Kitty and Friends, Aggretsuko, and Gudetama brands in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Under the new partnership, Bare Tree Media will design and digitally distribute mobile messaging stickers, emojis, mobile themes, smart watch faces, GIFs, and AR experiences related to Sanrio’s line up of brands. The Mr. Men Little Miss digital content planned will feature the more than 90 diverse characters. T

The other Sanrio characters to be released will be Hello Kitty, Chococat, Kerokerokeroppi, Kuromi, My Melody, Bad Badtz-Maru, Little Twin Stars, Tuxedosam, Aggretsuko, and Gudetama.

With an expertise in digital design and marketing, the team at Bare Tree Media will customize the branded content for global and local markets in the form of iMessage stickers, Google Play stickers, LINE stickers and Emojis, Samsung themes, Facer watch faces, and GIFs featured on a branded Giphy channel.

“We are thrilled to partner with Sanrio, and offer an amazing range of branded digital experiences to fans eager to engage, share and customize their digital devices and messaging conversations around the world with family and friends,” said Robert Ferrari, president of Bare Tree Media.

“The Mr. Men Little Miss, Hello Kitty and Friends, Aggretsuko and Gudetama brands appeal to a multi-generational audience inspiring self-expression, love and humor that aligns perfectly with our content creation and network of global digital channel partnerships.”

Silvia Figini, COO of Sanrio- EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr. Men – Worldwide, said: “We are glad to partner with Bare Tree Media on this new project. The combination of the global appealing of Mr. Men Little Miss, Hello Kitty and Friends, Aggretsuko and Gudetama and the great experience of Bare Tree Media in creating high quality and engaging digital contents will generate the perfect formula to deliver a wonderful digital experience to our worldwide audience.”

Sanrio taps European game developer Azerion for slate of Hello Kitty and Friends games

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Sanrio has tapped the pan-European digital gaming company, Azerion to develop a series of casual games based on the globally popular Hello Kitty brand. The three year partnership will see the firm launch five Hello Kitty and Friends branded games.

The games will be web-enabled versions powered by HTML5 and will be accessible to a wider audience on both web and mobile devices.

As part of the deal, Azerion is planning a series of joint marketing initiatives to introduce the new Hello Kitty and Friends games across its diverse platforms to its audiences across the globe. This will span multimedia promotional events and social media audience engagement through video trailers and other assets.

The strategy will enable Azerion to reach new audiences on both the publisher and user sides, and offer new content for Sanrio fans regardless of what device they use.

Silvia Figini, COO of Sanrio, EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr. Men – Worldwide, said: “We are extremely glad to partner with Azerion on this new project. The combination of the global appealing of Hello Kitty and the great experience of Azerion in developing and publishing high quality engaging games will generate the perfect formula to deliver fantastic gaming experience to our worldwide audience.”

Erol Erturk, EVP Games and Strategic Partnerships at Azerion said: “Azerion’s partnership with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends supports the iconic brand in becoming a fully fledged media franchise. Azerion will give Hello Kitty and Friends cross- and multi-platform reach, specifically with customized concepts for our publishing partners.

“We are honoured to have Sanrio’s trust in this and are thrilled about the possibilities.”

With a series of games to roll out within the coming years, the first games include Hello Kitty Pinball and Hello Kitty and Friends Jumper.