Hello Kitty as Sex Kitten?

I've always liked the Powerpuff girls, those cute lollipop-shaped superheroes. So it was a shock when I saw them transformed into shapely leggy babes.

But they are just part of a transcreation trend of companies trying to make their indigenous characters resonate in another culture. The Wall Street Journal writes:

"Most media companies acknowledge the need to localise their fare. While there's still a global audience for "Tom and Jerry" re-runs and Hollywood blockbusters, American imports don't top the TV ratings in most non-English-speaking markets. Transcreation nods to that need for local relevance."

Tweaking these characters is often not simply a hard-headed business call, since these heroes and cartoons are beloved by fans who grew up with them.

Three years ago, Pavitr Prabhakar, the Indian version of Spiderman, was unveiled, replete with a billowing dhoti and pair of snazzy curl-toed slippers on his feet. Comic book lovers were up in arms over how Spidey has changed. The "New York Times however wrote:

"Aside from the absurdity of being a purist about one of pop culture’s most pleasingly bastard and vulgar forms, those carpers, if they’re to be consistent, should bemoan the popularity of Indian religious iconography and henna motifs among Western fashionistas. Cultural exchange is a two-way process."

Of course, exchanging cultures shows respect for the local culture and it makes good business sense, especially for conglomerates like Disney trying to break into burgeoning Asian markets.

And sometimes it works the other way around. In Indonesia, a businesswoman has introduced a Muslim Barbie doll to the local market. The covered up Barbie-lookalike dons no hot shorts or crop tops, and certainly has no hunky topless Ken hanging off her arms. The woman hopes her "transcreation" will inspire virtue in Muslim girls in the region.

But it's also a delicate balance to strike when you try to foist a different intepretation upon the spirit of the creations.

Look how promptly a brown-coloured Snoopy was rejected when he appeared in an Indian newspaper. Or how unpopular Hello Kitty became when some brainiac tried to turn the soft cuddly cat icon into a sex kitten ala Betty Boop. There's a reason why we don't see those provocative key chains in stores.

Likewise, I doubt we will ever see a day when the Simpsons lands up in a Chinese living room. There's just something wrong about Homer sans potbelly eagerly scanning his computer, not TV, for the hottest stocks, or Bart a go-getter entrepreneur whizzing about on his custom-made scooter, not skateboard.

For me, I guess I'm still old-school and think some creations are better left intact, reflecting the wierd and wonderful ways that make up the world.