A traditional seasoning flies off store shelves after the bottles begin sporting a cartoon panda. A droplet-shaped character turns a little-known manufacturer into a household name.

These are just two examples of the magic worked by the corporate character boom that has gripped the nation as a growing number of businesses are reminded of the power of "cute" as a marketing tool, attracting consumers, both young and old.

Daikin Industries Ltd.'s Pichon-kun -- the name mimics, to Japanese ears, the sound of a droplet falling -- is one of the best-known characters in the latest boom. But the birth of the character -- basically a water droplet with a face and body -- came about by chance.