A meeting at the Bologna Children’s and Young Adult Book Fair celebrates the 50 years of a global brand of «popular culture,» according to the owning company, which represents an unstoppable business and sparks debates about its alleged feminism. 

It’s hard to gauge how Hello Kitty, who has never been seen to smile or frown in her five decades, felt about her birthday. The absence of a mouth is one of the keys to her success, allowing everyone to interpret the feelings of the character as they wish, according to Sanrio, the Japanese company that owns the brand. At the Bologna Children’s and Youth Book Fair, Silvia Figini, the company’s chief operating officer, listed overwhelming figures that gave Hello Kitty plenty of reasons to be enthusiastic. The character, created by Yuko Shimizu and first printed on a purse in November 1974, has become a popular culture icon and has generated about 7.4 billion euros annually. Despite the controversies surrounding her, Hello Kitty continues to thrive in the market, with her brand awareness increasing by 90% in a year and four years of «exponential growth». The character, who loves making friends, is estimated to appear on around 50,000 products and has a following that numbers in the millions on social media. Despite debates about whether she is a regressive or empowering icon, Hello Kitty still commands a strong following and continues to be a major presence in popular culture.