• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 21, 2012

It has to go to Akira Kagami, founder and president of Japan’s Dentsu New School, who began his intro by showing some amazing life-saving technology and data developed and distributed by Honda to help people navigate exit routes following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. It ended with him introducing Hello Kitty. I kitty you not.

Noting that Hello Kitty has grown into a beloved, global merchandizing character – especially among girls and even older women – Kagami gasped, “It’s a miracle.”

More of a miracle than Honda’s technology saving the lives of disaster victims? Now I have a new reason to be confused about the popularity of the Hello Kitty brand.