For subscribers
Hello Kitty’s looking pretty at 50 (and worth more than ever)
Sanrio’s most famous character has helped boost the firm’s shares tenfold, and with Kitty’s eyes set next on conquering Hollywood, don’t bet against her.
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Hello Kitty is the second highest-grossing media franchise in the world, according to TitleMax, earning more than the likes of Harry Potter or Star Wars.
PHOTO: AFP
Gearoid Reidy
Follow topic:
Hello Kitty is famously the height of just five apples. But these days, the more striking statistic is that she’s worth more than 1 trillion yen (S$8.7 billion).
Stock in Japan’s Sanrio Co hit that milestone for the first time recently, just weeks before the company’s feline star turned 50. Kitty White was born on Nov 1, 1974, when she first appeared on a vinyl coin purse that quickly helped her became a national sensation in Japan.
