To celebrate the popular pussycat's 40th anniversary, the first ever Hello Kitty convention recently took place from October 30th to November 2nd, 2014. Located in Los Angeles, Hello Kitty Con is hardly the first anime-based convention. However, there are few anime characters loved enough to hold a convention all on its own.
Shelley Som of Incredible Things photographed the event, giving us insight into what the Hello Kitty convention was all about. Everything was decorated with the famous feline's face (although news broke recently she is not actually a cat) -- from automated teller machines to all of the wall. A wide selection of merchandise was available and the highly decorated mobile Hello Kitty Cafe food truck also made an appearance.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Anime Conventions
- As anime becomes more popular, there is a growing opportunity for conventions centered around popular characters like Hello Kitty.
- Character Merchandising
- With the success of Hello Kitty merchandise, there is a growing opportunity for other characters to have their own merchandise lines and conventions.
- Event Photography
- As more conventions are held, the demand for event photography will increase, providing an opportunity for photographers to specialize in this area.
Where This Applies
- Animation
- As more characters gain popularity, there is a growing opportunity for animators to create new shows and merchandise lines.
- Fashion
- The success of Hello Kitty merchandise has prompted fashion designers to collaborate with popular characters, allowing for innovative designs and marketability.
- Food Service
- As mobile food trucks gain popularity, there is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to specialize in creating food trucks with branded themes and designs.
