Much attention has been paid to the mental toll of quarantining over the last few months, but the lack of traditional large gatherings that we come to look forward to every summer doesn’t preclude one from actually going outside, albeit just with household members. The beach might be inaccessible, or inadvisable, but that doesn’t mean a backyard or patio picnic can’t be fun. And rather than having to get up for a White Claw and go back inside, why not have a cooler handy outside as you while away the hours in a kiddie pool since your usual swimming hole of choice is likely closed until who knows when?
That lazy pragmatism for socially distant “outings” might be why Igloo is still making their signature Playmate coolers, and the latest collection is a collaboration with kawaii factory Sanrio, known for the iconic Hello Kitty. The collection includes Igloo’s 7-quart Playmate Pal and four-quart Playmate Mini.
The Mini’s red and white features the bow-tie wearing feline on a tricycle with a front basket full of books and the town in the background. The larger Pal is blue with a different expression on the kitty’s face on each of the cooler’s sides. Though usually portrayed mouthless, the Pal’s top hinges almost serve as a stand-in, and the front and back of the top are reminiscent of one of Kitty’s friends, Tuxedo Sam.
“Teaming up with Sanrio is a truly fun experience,” said Brian Garofalow, Chief Marketing Officer at Igloo, in a press release. “Hello Kitty is an international icon known for making friends around the world, while at Igloo, our goal is to deliver coolness to the world—it only seemed fitting that our iconic Playmate cooler would become a part of her summer crew for all her fans to enjoy.”
Besides the fact that Hello Kitty manages to end up on everything, the Igloo mashup makes a lot of sense considering one of Sanrio’s flagship character’s favorite activities is gathering friends, and a cooler full of cold beverages is almost cheating.
