On a hot and sticky July night, one young woman brought more than 50,000 people together, people chanting her name, people angling to get a picture of her, and people just awestruck to be in her presence. We were all part of what could have been the most successful night of marketing in history as we stood together in a common hypnosis. It was Hello Kitty night at Dodger Stadium. Well, really it was Japan Tourism night, but Hello Kitty was the tourism ambassador, and SHE was the reason people bought tickets to the stadium that night and sold out the place. Little kids, grown ups, diehard Dodgers fans filed into the stadium to get their limited edition Hello Kitty bobble head. She walked around the field in traditional Japanese dress prior to the game, waved to the crowd like royalty, and then changed into a Dodgers uniform to throw out the first pitch, a one-hopper to the plate. It became clear in that one moment, Hello Kitty has only just begun to shine.
She's 37 years old, so self-assured, so confident, that she barely speaks. If the Dos Equis beer guy is the most interesting man in the world, then this young woman with pink overalls and a ribbon in her hair, surely must be just as interesting. And if she can bring young Hello Kitty fans to a baseball stadium for a game against the Mets, then imagine what she could do for the American political system.
I'm about to propose something bold, something drastic, something to turn Washington DC upside down. I think Hello Kitty needs to be on one of the presidential tickets in November. There, I said it. There's still another month or more until the political conventions and let's face it, neither party is lighting the world on fire, running away with America's love and adoration. Imagine what an Obama/Kitty ticket could do or a Romney/Kitty ticket for that matter. She's an independent you know.
What's that? Not enough experience to be a VP?
Well, aside from her close ties to Japan, she already served as the UNICEF ambassador in the 1980's, and then she broadened her UNICEF role in the 1990's. According to experts, she has singlehandedly been credited with a cultural shift in some Asian countries, inspiring more me-time, more relaxation and more spending, meaning she's good for the economy. She's a capitalist. Her Sanrio brand is now seen in countries across the world, with more than 4,000 locations exclusively selling her merchandise, and annual sales topping $5 billion dollars. Let's face it, she may have actually created more jobs than either candidate currently vying to fill the White House for the next four years.
Now, there are certainly some issues to overcome. The Constitution makes it clear that a President must be born in the U.S. The same goes for a Vice President who might one day need to step into the President's shoes. It's the same conversation we had when some thought Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger might eventually try to run for a more prestigious office. Only, it turns out, he is much less popular than she. Imagine what it would look like if Hello Kitty took to the podium at the United Nations. She would bring countries together. She is a relationship builder. I give it two years and I bet she'd make inroads in the Mideast peace process, radical extremism, and major issues here at home. Hello Kitty was born in London, raised in Japan, but her ties to the United States which go back more than thirty years can't be denied. Part of her success clearly comes from her moderate philosophy. Sanrio says Hello Kitty appeals to people from "four to forever" and what politician wouldn't love that on their ticket.