Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty is the best-known of many fictional characters produced by the Japanese company Sanrio. Hello Kitty is a very simply drawn character who was created in 1974 by the Sanrio Company in Tokyo, Japan. Registered in 1976, Hello Kitty is now a globally known trademark.
Hello Kitty's world includes an array of friends and family members. Hello Kitty is also friends with other famous Sanrio characters such as Bobby Jack Monkey. Since 2004 she has even had a pet cat of her own called Charmmy Kitty and a pet hamster called Sugar. Charmmy resembles Hello Kitty but has more cat-like features. Charmmy Kitty was given to Hello Kitty by her father, George White, and Sugar by her boyfriend Dear Daniel.
The Hello Kitty brand rose in popularity during the late 1990s when several celebrities such as Mariah Carey showed off their Hello Kitty fashion. New products featuring the character can be found in virtually any American department.
Many American celebrities have contributed to the character's popularity: Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Cameron Diaz, Heidi Klum, Steven Tyler, Christina Aguilera, Carmen Electra, Mandy Moore, Raven-Symoné, Miley Cyrus, Varla Jean Merman, as well as Paris and Nicky Hilton have all been spotted with Hello Kitty and Bobby Jack goods. Perez Hilton (the blogger) was also seen wearing a Hello Kitty tie on Victoria Beckham's show 'Victoria Beckham: Coming to America'. Singer Lisa Loeb, who is marketing the pink Hello Kitty guitar, has admitted to being a fan and has even dedicated a whole album in homage to Hello Kitty named Hello Lisa.