Happy Birthday, Kitty

Hello Kitty, the world's most famous cat, is celebrating her 30th birthday this year.

The reigning queen of Sanrio's Company - one of Japan's biggest post-war enterprises with a league of popular cartoon characters (such as Chococat, Cinnamonrool and Dokidoki Yummychums) - has more than 22,000 products under her name and generates half of the company's US$1 billion annual sales.

So, what's the secret of success behind the feline face that adorns your pencil case, handbag and household appliances? And how did it become Japan's hottest export?

Ken Belson, New York Times business reporter and co-author of Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio & The Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon, shares his insight on the furry feline star.

Hello Kitty did not become an overnight star.

Its founding father, Shintaro Tsuji, president of Sanrio Company, discovered the added market value of fancy designed goods when he started painting strawberries to spice up the sandals he sold in 1960s. He soon hired a team of in-house designers for his other products. In 1974, Sanrio's designer Yuko Shimizu took the inspiration from the cats in Through the Looking Glass and designed Hello Kitty during an era when animals were all the rage among kids.

The very first Hello Kitty product was a small vinyl coin purse with Kitty's image on the side. Her body turns right and her head is turned 90 degrees to the front. Above her head, just below the metal snaps, is the word 'Hello!' in red letters. The keepsake was designed for kids at 240 yen (less than US$1 at the time).