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Marketing in Japan

The other day while walking around my local supermarket, there was a stage set up. I thought this was a bit odd, but no stranger than anything else I have seen around Tokyo. On the way out, things had started to happen: people had gathered around, and a strange-looking mascot had shown up. He got up on the stage, and some people talked about all the great products that come out of Aomori Prefecture and then the mascot started to dance along to a song promoting Aomori products. There has been a lot of trouble in Japan over the past few months about false advertising attached to food (foods that are mis-labeled and include foreign meat or juice or whatever, or things that are labeled as good past their official expiration date, some issues with poisoned food from China, etc.) so people have really been trying to buy locally and stick to brands with high quality. I guess this might be a push in that direction, but the dancing mascot and song about (just in general - nothing specific) Aomori branded food was interesting.

The second one I'll point out is a bunch of new Final Fantasy posters I've been seeing around the subway stations. I believe that this is tied into a new artbook (or possibly postcard art book, I'm not clear on that) that is coming out in a few days. The posters are advertising "Final Fantasy Drink Potions" - I've seen these before back when the last final fantasy came out, little drinks made in the shape of the potions from the game. I think it is pretty geeky-cool, so I'll pick some up even though I haven't played a final fantasy since Final Fantasy VII. I really would love to play more video games, but I just haven't had the time (but do see my most recent post on World of Goo.)

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