If you’ve been following me, you know how much I hate Hello Kitty. I talk about it in my jokes, my stories, and even my solo show, How To Be Japanese. I even have “Bye Kitty” merch!
So, naturally, I am the perfect person to study if you want to know how to turn a hater into a customer.
Because the other day, my friend told me about a McDonald’s Happy Meal campaign featuring Hello Kitty cosplaying in a Godzilla suit.
I had to admit it. That’s brilliant. I don’t have any strong feelings about Godzilla, but putting Hello Kitty in a Godzilla suit?
Pure genius.
Suddenly, two things I had never cared about came together in a way that made me curious. And then something even more shocking happened. I wanted one.
I’ve never bought a McDonald’s Happy Meal before, so I had to ask my friend for guidance.
“So how does a Happy Meal work?”
“You pick an entrée, a side, a drink, and you get a toy.”
“An entrée?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. What are the entrées?”
“Hamburger, cheeseburger, or McNuggets.”
“Side?”
“Fries, apple slices…”
“Drink?”
“Milk, juice, or soda.”
“Okay, forget all that. How do I get Hello Kitty?”
“You have to pick your food first.”
“But the toy is the important part.”
“Obviously.”
This was becoming an entire operation. So I drove to the nearest McDonald’s and got one.
I bought Hello Kitty.
Let that sink in…Me…A Hello Kitty hater.
I actually spent money on Hello Kitty merchandise.
Did McDonald’s change my mind about Hello Kitty?
No.
Did I suddenly fall in love with her?
Absolutely not.
But they made me curious.
Hello Kitty dressed in a Godzilla costume
That’s the trick.
This got me thinking about marketing, storytelling, and persuasion.
When someone doesn’t like your product, your idea, your art, or even you, it’s tempting to try to convince them that they’re wrong.
“Actually, Hello Kitty is cute!”
Nope.
“Look at all the people who love Hello Kitty!”
I don’t care.
“Here are ten reasons you should like Hello Kitty.”
Please stop.
McDonald’s didn’t need to convince me that Hello Kitty was adorable. They didn’t even need to convince me that I was wrong. They just gave me a reason to say yes. And that is much more powerful.
The brilliant part of the campaign wasn’t simply Hello Kitty. It was the combination.
Hello Kitty + Godzilla.
Cute + monster.
Sweet + destructive.
Something I hate + something I don’t really care about.
And somehow, that combination made me curious. Curiosity is powerful. Once you’re curious, you’re already halfway in.
You might click.
You might watch.
You might walk into the store.
You might even buy the damn Happy Meal.
And that’s exactly what happened to me.
This is something I’ve been thinking about as a storyteller and performer, too.
Not everyone is going to like your style.
Not everyone is going to like your jokes.
Not everyone is going to understand your story.
And that’s okay.
Sometimes, the better strategy is to figure out:
Maybe someone doesn’t like storytelling. But they love comedy.
Maybe they don’t care about Japanese culture. But they’re fascinated by food.
Maybe they don’t know anything about you. But they have a story of their own.
That’s your Godzilla.
Find the thing that makes them curious.
Find the unexpected connection.
Give them a reason to say yes.
You don’t have to turn a hater into a fan. Sometimes, you just need to get them to take the first bite. Even if that bite comes with a tiny plastic Hello Kitty.
And yes, I still hate Hello Kitty. But I have to give her credit.
She finally got me to say yes.