Jeweller draws on Hello Kitty craze

Hello Kitty, which was created three decades ago, has an almost cult-like following across Asia, particularly with teens and young women.

The company has rolled out a marketing campaign to promote its line of Hello Kitty motif collections, and has roped in Hong Kong pop-duo Twins -- its first celebrity endorsement since Faye Wong in 1995 -- for a Leo Burnett-developed campaign.

William Hui, group brand manager, Just Gold, said: "The new jewellery line lets us explore a new customer segment. Our core customers are 25 to 39; however, with this new line and campaign, we can target women in the 20-plus age group.

"This jewellery is more affordable to that younger group and is at an entry price for diamonds. These customers will grow up to be 'Just Women', our core audience. We want to introduce them to the brand now. It may be their first diamond purchase with their first salary, for example, and they will go on to buy an engagement ring and diamonds for other occasions from us. We feel Twins can also help us to connect with this younger customer."

The campaign is primarily running in print, as well as PR initiatives, to win over fans of Sanrio's Hello Kitty. Maxus handled media buying.

The Hello Kitty co-branded jewellery is priced at about NT5,000 (US$160).

According to Hui, almost 70 per cent of diamond sales in Taiwan are self-purchases by women. The peak season for diamond sales, he added, was during Chinese Valentine's Day in mid-August. "This is the biggest shopping day of the year, along with Christmas and February Valentine's Day. The campaign will be out ahead of this peak shopping time," said Hui.

"Diamonds are a popular choice among women -- in the first half of 2004, sales in Taiwan increased by nearly 10 per cent. With gold experiencing a fashion 'revival', coupled with the economic upward swing in the region, Just Gold's Hello Kitty collection will be highly sought after."