Hosting our first Poached Egg of 2021! Packed with content, from innovative advertising ideas during the COVID-19 pandemic to Valentine’s Day trend updates.
Hello, I am Sunny-chan from PR!
The first online “Poached Egg” session of 2021—our get-together where you can sound like you know it all—was held!
Poached Egg is a very casual gathering where volunteer members from different departments and age groups come together to share the latest news and trends they have been interested in.
With the self-restraint mood during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to feel a little down these days, but we shared plenty of news that helped lift everyone’s spirits!
We would like to introduce some of it to you as well.
Supporting restaurants by placing ads on closed shutters!
https://twitter.com/PublicisItaly/status/1339481752612552704?s=20
Image source: “predge.jp”
This is an unprecedented initiative that transforms the closed shutters of restaurants and bars forced to suspend operations due to COVID-19 into advertising space to support these businesses. Heineken and Publicis Italy collaborated to implement it in Argentina. The ads read, “Thanks to you seeing this ad today, this bar can see tomorrow,” and the advertising fees are reportedly paid to the shops lending their shutters. It is truly a wonderful WIN x WIN idea that enables both corporate PR/promotion and support for partner restaurants at the same time.
A child’s treasured “prize possession” becomes a full-fledged commercial!?
https://www.nhk.or.jp/odomotv/cm_01.html
Image source: “NHK Official YouTube”
Children often have treasured “prize possessions” that adults do not quite understand, do they not? “Odomo TV” is fascinating: filmmaker Ryo Fujii turns such children’s “treasures” into authentic-looking commercials. At first glance, they look like ordinary TV ads, but the content is the interview exactly as it was. The contrast between a child’s unique worldview and the very plausible commercial style is sure to make you smile. It is heartwarming, so please do take a look. It is surprisingly addictive…!
A product temporarily pulled from sale due to a misspelling is back on shelves after reactions on social media!
https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/nl/articles/2101/13/news150.html
Image source: “Netorabo”
The jointly developed canned beer by Sapporo Breweries and FamilyMart, “Sapporo Kaitakushi Bakushu Style,” had been pulled from release because “LAGER” was misspelled as “LAGAR” on the can.
However, voices on social media such as “What a waste” and “There is nothing wrong with what is inside, so they should sell it” poured in, and the company announced it would reverse the cancellation and resume sales. Providing products and services through two-way communication with consumers feels very much of our times. The “misspelled can,” which is not something you see every day, may even attract attention in its own right. It was a wonderful example of how people’s warm-heartedness turned a pinch into an opportunity.
Takashimaya’s Valentine’s event “Amour du Chocolat,” where you can discover all kinds of chocolates
https://www.takashimaya.co.jp/store/special/amour2021/index.html
Image source: “takashimaya.co.jp”
About one month until Valentine’s Day! Takashimaya’s Valentine’s event “Amour du Chocolat,” beloved as an annual “chocolate festival,” has opened its online store from Wednesday, January 6.
There are many COVID-era-conscious offerings, including “Trial Chocolat Online,” which lets you purchase one piece at a time of brands and flavors you are curious about, as well as increasingly popular “sustainable chocolat,” “at-home DIY chocolat” to make time at home more enjoyable, “self-maintenance chocolat” with no guilt even if you are not getting enough exercise, and “new normal chocolat” that can be mailed as-is via post. There are so many options that it is hard to choose…^^
No more stock illustrations needed!? AI generates multiple illustration variations based on a text description
https://togetter.com/li/1648377
Image source: “togetter.com”
“A baby daikon radish wearing a tutu, walking a dog.” No matter how much you search the internet, you would not normally find such a pinpoint image, would you? However, OpenAI has reportedly announced an AI system that can generate plausible images even for such unreasonable requests. The AI system “DALL-E” uses both visual data and text, and can create multiple illustration variations in line with a text description. It is interesting to see illustrations in so many different styles. It is astonishing how far AI has evolved!
The “Converse City Forest” project: cleaning the air with photocatalytic paint
https://www.cnn.co.jp/style/arts/35158770.html
Image source: “CNN.co.jp”
Shoe manufacturer Converse is running a project called “Converse City Forest,” which uses photocatalytic paint to color cityscapes and clean the air. The photocatalytic paint used is like magic, breaking down air pollutants. The completed mural in Bangkok, Thailand is said to have an air-purifying effect equivalent to 150 trees, while the mural in Warsaw, Poland is equivalent to 780 trees. It would be wonderful if it could also purify the coronavirus spreading around the world…!
What did you think? Was there any news that caught your attention?
We will continue to share the latest uplifting news, so please look forward to it!
