Tokyo firm provides sweet deal to snack maker, live streamers for 'free' large ads

The Mainichi

7 days ago

OSAKA -- Large poster ads for a cheap snack maker were recently displayed at train stations in the capital region, featuring photos of live streamers. But instead of paying for the advertising, the company prepared only boxes of its sweets to give to models selected via auditions. The deal was a win-win model for both the advertiser and live streamers. How did it work?
"I was surprised we could put up such large ads," said 70-year-old Goro Takaoka, the planning department head of Osaka-based Orion Co., which is domestically known for treats like "Cocoa Cigarette" and "Mini Cola" candy.
From May 5 to 11, poster ads at Shibuya Station featured the phrase "Orion's snacks: full of dreams, overflowing with deliciousness," along with photos of five young women holding popular products like "Cocoa Cigarette." Photos of eight other young people appeared in ads at Ikebukuro Station. Digital signs at Tokyo and Kichijoji stations also displayed the ads.
It is said that displaying posters of the same size at stations in the greater Tokyo area for a week typically costs between 400,000 and 1 million yen (around $2,800 to $7,000) per location, depending on the timing. However, this time, Orion did not pay any advertising fees.
In fact, the models in the ads were all live streamers, selected through auditions on internet video-sharing platforms like "MixChannel" and "TikTok Live." The idea was proposed by NeXT Inc., a Tokyo-based company involved in creator support and other businesses. It suggested hosting model auditions to promote Orion's products on video platforms and recruiting applicants to compete through live streaming.
The rankings were determined by the amount of "tips" viewers sent to the streamers online, and the winners were featured in the ads. A portion of these tips was paid to NeXT and used for the advertising costs, which included makeup for the models and poster photography fees.
For this campaign, Orion prepared 200 boxes of sweets, with a suggested retail price of 600 yen (about $4) each excluding tax, as gifts for the top picks in the modeling auditions. Takaoka expressed his delight, saying, "I never imagined that a candy maker in Osaka could advertise at stations in Tokyo. They took lovely photos, and I have nothing more to say."
For companies, this approach offers chances for promotion without incurring advertising costs, while live streamers can expect increased recognition. According to a survey conducted by NeXT, many streamers cited the opportunity to appear in a large ad as their motivation for participating. One of the models also said, "I was happy about being featured in an ad for a snack I like."
The live streaming market has been rapidly expanding in recent years. NeXT also handles advertisements for cosmetics and clothing through online events featuring streamers. A representative stated, "We want to serve as a bridge between companies that can't afford huge advertising expenses and streamers looking to increase their visibility."
(Japanese original by Satoko Suizu, Osaka Editorial Production Center)