By LIZ THOMAS
Last updated at 4:09 PM on 3rd September 2010
She is one of the biggest stars in the world, her brand makes £3
billion a year, but it seems at 36 Hello Kitty is the latest victim
of ageism.
The iconic cat, which has been a favourite with
little girls across the world since the 1970s, faces competition
from a younger model.
Angel Cat Sugar is the new toy on the block and
is set to take the UK by storm when it launches later this
year.
Deadly rivals: Hello Kitty, left, is being usurped by
young upstart Angel Cat Sugar
Merchandise featuring the new character is
expected to be a must have on children’s Christmas lists.
Already a huge hit in the U.S. and Japan, stars
such as Lady GaGa, Dannii Minogue, Tess Daly and even Gary Lineker
have been seen with Angel Cat Sugar toys or products.
The new character looks similar to predecessor
Hello Kitty, which is a white mouthless cat often seen with a bow
in her hair.
Angel Cat Sugar is also white but features a
crown on her head…and has a feline mouth.
Designed by Yuko Shimizu, the original creator
of Hello Kitty, the new product range includes stuffed toys,
umbrellas, bags, shoes, stationary and crockery.
It originally debuted in Japan a few years ago
but its popularity has spread to the US and now executives at
Sanrio, which own both characters, are in final talks with high
street stores here to sell Angel Cat Sugar in the UK.
A cartoon character, global fashion icon and
megabrand, Hello Kitty is one of the most bizarre success stories
in modern business.
Created in 1974 the little cat character which
first appear on a vinyl purse, came with only a limited back story
– she was born in London and liked cookies.
But after more than three decades she has
transformed into a £3 billion a year global empire featuring
products such as dolls, clothes, lunch boxes, stationery,
kitchenware, bikes and even a plane owned by a Taiwanese
airline.
Last year Halfords credited the popularity of
Hello Kitty bicycles as helping achieve their best Christmas sales
yet.
But, sales in Japan have been shrinking for over
a decade prompting fears her popularity could soon wane
worldwide.
Executives have been searching for a new star
and potentially have found a new one in Angel Cat Sugar.
More than 10,000 products are sold worldwide
each week worldwide.
Importantly, this time the character has a mouth, which means she
will translate well in films and television series – as she will be
able to speak.
