The Story of "Love is": From Passionate Love to Global Popularity

The story of "Love is" is a tale of love, creativity, and the challenges faced by a family that turned simple yet touching illustrations into a famous brand. It all began in New Zealand, where young Kim Kesal, deeply in love with her partner Robert, started drawing comics exclusively for him. These little drawings were filled with sincere and warm moments of their relationship, and Kim gave them to her beloved as a token of her love.

The story of "Love is" is a tale of love, creativity, and the challenges faced by a family that turned simple yet touching illustrations into a famous brand. It all began in New Zealand, where young Kim Kesal, deeply in love with her partner Robert, started drawing comics exclusively for him. These little drawings were filled with sincere and warm moments of their relationship, and Kim gave them to her beloved as a token of her love.

Kim and Robert shared a brief but happy life together, filled with joy and mutual support. As their love grew stronger, Kim created more comics depicting their family life. These illustrations gradually became popular among friends and colleagues. To share her creativity with a wider audience, Kim began producing small booklets with "Love is" images and sold them at her job in a design firm.

Robert, in turn, took on the role of producer, which allowed them to reach a larger number of fans. Thus began Kim and Robert’s journey to creating a successful business. Their corporation Minikim soon became known not only for newspaper publications but also for a range of products featuring Kim’s comics: clothing, mugs, bags, jewelry, calendars, notebooks, and postcards.

However, in 1975, their happiness was shattered by tragic news—Robert was diagnosed with cancer. This event turned their lives upside down. Kim, consumed by caring for her husband and her own illness, stopped drawing and hired artist Bill Espry to continue creating comics on her behalf. Time passed, but the pain of loss remained—Robert died at the age of 31, and Kim herself passed away at 55, also from cancer.

Despite these tragic events, the story of "Love is" did not end. In 1990, the comics caught the attention of chewing gum manufacturers in Turkey. The Dandy Sakiz factory, without an official license from the Kesal corporation, began producing chewing gum under the name "Love is." Each piece of gum combined two flavors, and the packaging included colorful inserts featuring the same comics originally created by Kim.

The situation changed in 2008 when Bill Espry learned about the unauthorized use of the comics and secured a patent for the products. Thus, "Love is" comics were once again protected by copyright. Interestingly, the family business was continued by Kim and Robert’s children, preserving their parents' legacy and their unique contribution to the world.

Thus, "Love is" became not just a story of love but also an example of how passion and creativity can transcend time and distance, continuing to inspire and delight people around the world.