Sanrio Company’s famous Hello Kitty recently welcomed its 50th year. Born on November 1, 1974, Hello Kitty has become very popular globally, making her the second highest- grossing character after Pokémon. The popularity of Hello Kitty had previously boosted Sanrio’s sales significantly in 1999 and 2014, but this growth was short- lived. Sanrio has faced many financial ups and downs.
In 2020, Shintaro Tsuji’s grandson Tomokuni Tsuji took over the reins of Sanrio. At just 31 years old, he became Sanrio’s youngest CEO. Under his leadership, Sanrio changed its marketing strategy, under which other characters were given more importance than Hello Kitty. This policy no longer made Hello Kitty Sanrio’s most popular character; That place is now taken by Sinnamorol, a white dog with blue eyes.
Tsuji has emphasized Sanrio’s global expansion. To diversify the brand, Hello Kitty has included characters such as Retsuko, an “aggressive red panda” and Gudetama, a “sad egg”, who are particularly popular with the younger generation. While the character Retsuko seems to symbolize the young women’s work- life tensions, Gudetama cleverly conveys the harsh truths of life.
Tomokuni has started using artificial intelligence to identify fake Hello Kitty products and has partnered with brands like Starbucks, Crocs and the LA Dodgers to promote sales. With this strategy, the company’s sales have increased significantly, and the company’s share price has increased tenfold since 2020.
Many companies are run by family heirs in Japan, where it is common to see members of the founding family in leadership. Family tradition is important in Japanese culture and has been preserved throughout history.
When asked about Hello Kitty’s origins, a Sanrio official explained that she was a British schoolgirl. Many fans were surprised by this statement. But as Tomokuni Tsuji says, Hello Kitty can be something different for everyone – it can be your sister, your mother or a part of yourself.
The history of Hello Kitty and the goals behind its creation remain a mystery to many. Her being a British schoolgirl was a shock to many. Explaining this, Tomokuni Tsuji says that his grandfather found the city of London very attractive, and that London was a dream city for many Japanese girls. Hence, the original plot of Hello Kitty may have been based on London.
Tomokuni Tsuji made radical changes to Sanrio’s leadership. Initially, there was opposition to some of his decisions within the company. However, after a year his grandfather gave him complete freedom and guided him on how to run the company. Acting under his guidance, Tomokuni Tsuji restabilized Sanrio’s finances.