Well they’ve made jewelry, shoes and handbags…now Hello Kitty is introducing a new line of wines and of course people are concerned this stuff will be very popular at high school proms. Here’s what Drew Hibbert, CEO of Innovation Spirits which will be marketing the wine in the United States had to say in a recent interview:
Was it tough to get Sanrio to agree to let you put Hello Kitty on an alcoholic beverage? Her image is very sweet and innocent, after all.
I was not involved in the original approval process, but my limited experience with Sanrio indicates to me that they see the Hello Kitty brand identity as being somewhat mature at this stage and open to all kinds of product interpretations. Our tagline for the wine products is “Our favorite girl has grown up”, which is done intentionally to indicate that Hello Kitty, in her 35 years of existence, has crossed over from being a children’s brand to being a brand for children and adults alike.
Has there been any worry that underage girls will want to drink it? Or that putting Hello Kitty on a wine encourages drinking among kids?
There will always be a concern when it comes to marketing a brand identity that has appeal to both adults and children. As a company, we follow all industry standards and guidelines for age verifications and ensure that our distribution and retail partners do the same. My take on it is this: with over 60,000 Hello Kitty sku’s in the marketplace and at 35 years old now, she is definitely ready for more adult skewed products. I don’t think that the $15,000 dollar Hello Kitty handbags are aimed at children either.
Who’s buying? The wine and his explanation.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Love it!!, super cute! and Yes I will buying a bottle…
I wish I could pop hello kitty bottles all day lol
If kids want to drink they are going to find a way regardless if hello kitty is on the bottle or not….Actual people that kids look up to endorse alcohol all the time!
id buy the bottle as long as its not too expensive.
Retarded! Are you serious with the packaging too?
“Keep it real, get your own shit and be ORIGINAL”
It’s aimed at adults like me – women in their 30s and 40s who buy nearly anything and everything with Hello Kitty on it. We’re the sane demographic to whom the $15,000 purses and $6,000 diamond rings are aimed. And anyone who drank in high school knows that no underage drinker worth her salt would ever drink wine with a cartoon cat on the bottle. Be real. Actually, anyone who drank in high school knows no underage drinkers drink wine. I doubt these will be sold at your local “everyone looks 21 to me, so we don’t card” convenience store.
This is great! I’ll try it for sure, being a big Hello Kitty (and pals like Kuromi).
Now what I want is Hello Kitty BEER! All types, especially the fruit flavored ones I used to see alot in the mid-late ’90s (Microbrews). Like HKER said, “it’s aimed at adults like me”. While I have well over a hundred HK items, I still buy more when I can..but I am picky on what I get. Probably the most expensive HK items I have are my blanket collection, most stuff is just medium to little things. I go more for the evil kitty items, like a plush doll in a skeleton outfit, another is a devil doll with pitchfork, t-shirt with a demon suited kitty. Etc…
Just looking at the bottle makes me want it now, heck a whole case!!!
MEOW!
yes !!!!!!!!