Never underestimate the power of cute

Many times I've told my marketing students to never underestimate the power of cute. The Smart car, the VW Beetle, and "Hello Kitty" all succeed to some degree based on their cuteness. So, what did I find when I was unpacking groceries last week?

Heinz "Hello Kitty" Pasta

A tin of "Hello Kitty" pasta. I have no idea what "Hello Kitty", a licensed character from Japan and flagrant rip-off of Dick Bruna's "Miffy", has to do with pasta. I don't associate pasta, or even whole grain pasta, with Japan. But my daughter fell for this hook, line and sinker, and my wife was unable to dissuade her. (It was on sale, and the price was therefore somewhat in line with competitive products.)

So we had "Hello Kitty" pasta at our house. Was it repulsive? No, just bland and average, which is what I expect of food aimed at children. The fat and sodium contents were not too outrageous. But I suspect that most people buying this pasta will be doing so regardless of the ingredient label. The seal of approval from Sanrio is all that is required to get these tins flying of the shelves.