Miffy follows in the pawsteps of sales tout Hello Kitty

For many dedicated fans of Miffy, the sweet little bunny with a cross-stitch for a mouth, Hello Kitty has been a disgraceful and unacknowledged knock-off. But in at least one respect, the Dutch rabbit has taken after the Japanese cat {minus} it's increasingly being used to sell completely unrelated products in Hong Kong.

There have been Hello Kitty credit cards and mobile phones. Now, electronics chain Fortress is using Miffy to help sell ... cameras. What's the relationship? We have no idea.

'Miffy is a new cartoon that is becoming more popular,' a saleswoman in Tai Koo Shing said. But isn't Miffy at least 55 years old, older than the infamous kitten from Sanrio?

From now until the end of the month, any purchase of a Nikon camera will come with a free Miffy gift. The souvenirs include bags, cups, cutlery and cupboards. Unfortunately, the cameras are nothing special {minus} they don't come in Miffy cases.

My wife already has a Hello Kitty phone. I am still waiting for a Miffy camera.