Hello Kitty turns attention to young men

[poster_boy]

TOKYO - Hello Kitty is no sexist.

The cute cuddly white cat from Japan's Sanrio Co., usually seen on toys and jewelry for girls and young women, will soon don T-shirts, bags, watches and other products targeting young men, company spokesman Kazuo Tohmatsu said Friday.

"We think Hello Kitty is accepted by young men as a design statement in fashion," he said.

The feline for-men products will go on sale in Japan next month, and will be sold soon in the U.S. and other Asian nations, according to Sanrio.

The usual bubble-headed shape of Hello Kitty was slightly changed for a more rugged, cool look to appeal to men in their teens and early 20s.

Associated Press [news.yahoo.com]

The apocalypse is here.

[LifeinAsia]

Parents- save the $36 from a Hello Kitty shirt and just give your son a free sign asking people to please beat the cr*p outta him!

[jsinger]

Hello Kitty was slightly changed for a more rugged, cool look to appeal to men in their teens and early 20s.

They're probably looking for ideas on how to make Hello Kitty appeal to "rugged" young men. Any suggestions?

How about free Sponge Bob back pack with every purchase?

[Syzygy]

Hmm. Do young men like young cats?

[LifeinAsia]

Well, if they spun off a new brand using a different word for "Kitty" (yet same meaning on one level), I could see THAT taking off among young men/boys.

[Automan Empire]

Lose the bow, and give "him" a mouth. Regardless, watch it test the axiom, "any publicity is good publicity."
This is a... bold...? risk for such a long-established brand.

[zCat]

Aaaaaargh. Aaaaaaaargh. There is too much Hello Kitty in the world. And it is spreading like a virus.