I took a Chinese girlfriend of mine to a BASKIN & ROBBINS 31 Flavor ice cream store when the two of us were in Japan.
31 Flavors had a special going on - buy an ice cream and get a free key chain. I got one with Charlie Brown on it and she got one with Snoopy on it.
She looked at me very seriously and asked "Who are these two toy guys?" Less you think I date stupid people, she was in the final stages of her doctoral dissertation. (She has that PhD now). I was the stupid one of the two.
That conversation took place about 10 years ago. She really had no idea who Snoopy and Charlie Brown were. She knew Mickey Mouse, but that was the extent of her knowledge of American cartoon characters.
Not any more - for her or for China.
Beijing recently issued Snoopy postage stamps to commemorat Children's Day in China (June 1)
The "Dynamic-Happy Snoopy" shows the Peanuts character traveling to Beijing, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
This relationship has been courted for about 10 years says Elizabeth Brinkley of United Media - the company that licenses Snoopy.
Snoopy items are carried (legally) in more than 2000 outlets in China. Illegally it is carried in who knows how many.
Snoopy products are considered "high-end lifestyle" and not for children only. What does that make Mickey Mouse? Should he be called Mickey Rat?
The target demographic of Snoopy products is 18-35 year old women.
I wonder if my Chinese friend in China still has her Peanuts key chains?
Do you have one?
Why should a Chinese girl, who had spent her first 20 yrs or so in China, know anything about Snoopy? Even though she has a doctoral degree for her chosen specialty, because chemistry (or whatever) has nothing to do with Snoopy or Charlie Brown anyway...
Posted by: Anonymous | June 13, 2006 6:50 PM | Permalink to Comment