Hello Kitty (also referred to as Kitty White) is a fictional character of Japanese origin, created by Yuko Shimizu and owned by Sanrio. Depicted as a young anthropomorphic Japanese bobtail cat with a sweet, cute, cheerful, and kind-hearted image, she was created in 1974 and has since become a marketing phenomenon and a staple of the kawaii segment of Japanese popular culture.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
"Super Cute" Hello Kitty (2007-2011)[]
The first Hello Kitty balloon debuted in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2007. The balloon measured 33 feet tall, 45 feet long, 33 feet wide, and in order to save the day, the cute hero required 16,200 cubic feet of helium to be fully inflated. This balloon was made to resemble a "Super Cute" superhero version of Sanrio's trademark character, donning a cape and tiara to complement her trademark red bow. The original balloon version of Hello Kitty made its final appearance in the 2011 Parade, making five appearances.
Hello Kitty (2012-2017)[]
The following year in 2012, Hello Kitty returned to the Parade's line of march as an all-new balloon. The second Hello Kitty balloon featured herself riding in a classic retro airplane, wishing her many U.S. fans a very happy thanksgiving. The balloon measures 36 feet tall, 50 feet long and 38 feet wide, making the second Hello Kitty balloon one of the widest at the time of its debut. During this balloon's debut, Hello Kitty had the honor of leading the fleet of giant balloons. This Hello Kitty balloon became an instant Parade staple, making six consecutive appearances until its retirement shortly after the 2017 Parade, and Hello Kitty hasn’t been represented in the parade since then.
Hello Kitty has made 11 consecutive parade appearances.