Hello Kitty Teams Up with Beats by Dre for $250 Special Edition Headphones

Special Edition Hello Kitty Beats by Dre

To celebrate Hello Kitty’s 40th birthday, Beats by Dre has debuted a special edition set of Hello Kitty headphones and earphones. In collaboration with Sanrio, Beats by Dre plans to release a unique collection that will include “new Solo2 commemorative headphones and popular UrBeats earphones with an adorable custom Hello Kitty case,” according to a Beats by Dre press release. The brand’s most popular headphones, the Solo2, will offer a special edition decorative red, white, and blue Hello Kitty finish (seen above) for a retail price of $249.95, while the portable red, white, and blue Hello Kitty UrBeats earphones, featuring Hello Kitty’s signature bow, will come in a stylish collector’s pouch for a retail price of $149.95. The special edition Hello Kitty x Beats products will be available for sale worldwide in mid-November 2014, just in time for the holiday season. Sanrio officially debuted the Hello Kitty Beats by Dre headphones on October 30th at Hello Kitty Con 2014 in downtown Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo. The UrBeats earphones for fans on the go feature solid metal housing, a built-in mic for phone calls, and tangle-free cables, while the Solo2 lightweight headphones feature dynamic and premier sound quality, custom comfort, a streamlined design, and a RemoteTalk cable.

Beats Electronics, founded in 2006 by rapper and hip-hop producer Dr. Dre and Interscope-Geffen-A&M Records chairman Jimmy Iovine, is a division of Apple Inc. that produces high quality audio and electronics products and accessories. Beats’ products line is primarily focused on headphones and speakers marketed under the Beats by Dr. Dre brand that places a heavy emphasis on bass and premier sound quality, allowing listeners to hear “all” of the music. In September 2013, the brand was valued at $1 billion and on August 1, 2014, Apple Inc. acquired Beats for $3 billion in a cash and stock deal, marking the largest acquisition in Apple Inc.’s history. Hello Kitty is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, a company founded in 1960 that designs, licenses, and produces products focusing on the kawaii (cute) segment of Japanese popular culture. Created by Yuko Shimizu and currently designed by Yuko Yamaguchi, Hello Kitty made her first appearance in 1974 on a vinyl coin purse and was brought to the United States two years later. This year, Hello Kitty–an anthropomorphic white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow–was valued at $7 billion. Hello Kitty’s market has broadened over the years and is one of the most recognizable character brands in the world.

Click here to view and purchase the Hello Kitty Solo2 over-the-ear headphones and here to view and purchase the Hello Kitty UrBeats in-ear earphones. Visit beatsbydre.com and sanrio.com for more information.

Photo by beatsbydre.com  

Written by Derrick Krom

Derrick is a recent graduate of Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia where he received a B.A. in English and Communication Studies. Throughout his life, Derrick has traveled the country and even got to study abroad in London, England for four amazing months. He's a guitar player, avid music fan and lover of literature, film, and all things entertainment.