My children discovered the joys of dressing cute pliant kittens in dresses during our summer holiday so it was with horror that I returned to discover the shocking news that Hello Kitty, that ubiquitous over-branded merchandising phenomenon that they adore, is not in fact a kitty at all, but a young British girl who lives outside London! It was the biggest branding story of the year! We recently lost the hamster so I was well-prepared for the big talk ahead of me. I sat my daughters down (5 and 7 - old enough to understand but not to reason why) and broke the news to them. "Don't be so silly Mummy, she has whiskers," they both told me. This was taking me towards a discussion that bordered on bodily changes and sex education which I am trying to avoid like the plague so I accepted their proclamation and eye-rolling and made a hasty retreat. Hello Kitty may be a little girl in the eyes of her creators, but it don't mean a thing in our household.
But in fact, there is a good reason for the humanisation of this popular character, I am reliably informed by BBC Newsbeat that Hello Kitty was designed to appeal to Japanese women in the 1970s who were obsessed with Britain and their image of the typical British childhood. The storytelling behind the character enabled the manufacturers to create a strong brand and heritage that appealed to its initial target market and to new markets as they continued with the process of internationalisation, presumably through extensive licensing opportunities. Global markets may be confused about Kitty's biology but her styling is in line with Japanese approaches to art, animation and cartoons.
Giving a back story to a brand by giving it human or animal characteristics can be a successful strategy. The long-running Jack Daniels outdoor ads, often seen on tube platforms, create emotional resonance as you read about his traditional approach to distilling and creating the unique taste of the drink. I have no idea if he was real or not... I don't want to Google it because it would spoil my enjoyment of the ads.
Finding out what animal or human characteristics customers would apply to your brand can also be a revealing approach. In a market research study, we asked customers to think of an animal that would best describe our client... animals like sloth, cheetah or lion quickly tell you all you need to know.
Whether you are personifying or 'animalifying' your brand, fleshing out its bones leads to a better understanding of how to promote it to customers, how to direct sell it to clients or distributors, how to place your advertising, and how to build a strong, sustainable global heritage. Whether your customers accept your version is another story!
No comments:
Post a Comment