Hello Kitty turns 50, but creators still insist she's not a cat. The Japanese pop culture brand has had a significant cultural impact over the past few decades.

On Thursday, July 18, Sanrio — the developers of Hello Kitty — confirmed that the beloved character is not a cat during an appearance on the 'Today' show.

The stickers are of characters in Sanrio, including Hello Kitty and Badtz-Maru. Text over the snap reads: "First partnered stickers alert!!" Original image has been replaced.

In 2013 the Japanese government, seeking to capitalise on this cool status, introduced a policy to promote the country’s culture abroad. Hello Kitty has been such a hit that other firms are ...