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Afros and Pink Teddy Bears

Comments: 22

This is a postcard being given away as an advertisement for a 12 Mb DSL internet service. The copy says “12 Mb ADSL, 3 Months Free!!” and the yellow badge in the top right has the words “So-net Fever” under a disco mirror ball (So-net is Sony’s online service).

Does anyone else find this somewhat surreal?

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Posted to General Rants • 2002.12.14 (Sat) • 16:21

Comments

Posted by Anita Rowland 2002.12.14, 23:56

yeah, this is pure mrpants scariness! Or further sign of 70s revival?

Posted by Mary Beth 2002.12.15, 06:36

You do have to wonder what the ad people used to explain this marketing approach. target market? What it says about the business and product? Or perhaps they just grabbed something they hadn’t used, from the bottom of an old filing cabinet. Heck, we already paid for this!

Posted by John 2002.12.15, 11:21

If by surreal you mean horribly, horribly disturbing… yes.

Posted by Nicklas 2002.12.16, 06:57

I’d buy it. To me, that image illustrates perfectly what a faster web connection would bring.

Posted by RBrady 2002.12.16, 10:04

Clearly Sony is targeting all the ADSL-less giant afro-wearing blacks in Japan! Huge market.

Posted by Chris 2002.12.16, 11:04

What is scarier - the advert or the idea that it might be a success?

Posted by Adriaan 2002.12.16, 11:37

I saw it on TV already a couple of times, and I love it! Hilarious!

Posted by Jack 2002.12.16, 19:40

British Telecom use an equally peculiar combination of poor quality CGI dinosaurs and Jarvis Cocker of Pulp fame in their telly adverts for broadband. The impossibility of coming up with a visual representation of high speed internet access knows no borders…

Posted by nick 2002.12.16, 20:56

i hate to base my opinions and assumptions on stereotypes, but that doesn’t seem like it’s that weird for japan. at least not the pink bear. that’s why i like japan.

Posted by boris 2002.12.17, 09:52

I think the word you meant to use was “absurd”. Marketing itself is “surreal”. On that note: it must have made sense to somebody. With millions and millions of people exposed to the accelerated hyperculture we are seeing today, especially in japan, is it really so strange to see odd concepts thrown together? Especially by the very people contributing directly to the aformentioned culture?

While definitly strange, it seems no more surreal to me than beer commercial bimbos, The Energizer Bunny.. oh how about Santa Claus winking at you holing a can of cola?

Lifestyle marketing: “Here is your world in a box. Enjoy.” ;)

Posted by boris 2002.12.17, 10:04

sorry to keep going here… but I must say upon further reflection, the above ad makes… well… perfect sense…

“Saturday Night fever” “saturday” can conceivably be mangled into “sa-nhet” by a native japanese speaker… “So-net fevet” isn’t far off.

and, well, honestly, 12mbit DSL free for 3 months makes me wanna “get up offa dat thang!”… whooohooo boogie down!

:D

Posted by Dr Goateye 2002.12.18, 07:49

it makes me feel like dancing. oh, shake your booty! your a brick house baby!

ahem…

Posted by Nicklas 2002.12.18, 20:47

Just thought I’d share the way the Broadband revolution is being advertised in the UK… I think you’ll agree that it’s almost as colourful as the Japanese ad, although sadly lacking in the afro and teddy bear departments.

Posted by starvingartist 2002.12.24, 07:25