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The Mainichi
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Tokyo firm provides sweet deal to snack maker, live streamers for 'free' large ads
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)
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
In 'unfiltered' story of his life, Barry Diller writes, he regrets saying 'No' to Steve Jobs: I didn't want to insult him, but ...
Media titan Barry Diller, the 83-year-old former CEO of Paramount Pictures and co-founder of the Fox network, is offering an intimate look into his life and storied career in his newly released memoir, 'Who Knew.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The book is said to be an 'unfiltered' account, revealing for the first time Diller's identity as gay and detailing his long-standing marriage to renowned fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. Beyond his personal life, Diller's memoir delves into his extensive business dealings with some of the media industry's most influential figures, including Rupert Murdoch, his former protégé Michael Eisner, Brian Roberts, and the late Sumner Redstone. Adding a layer of candid reflection, Diller recounts a significant misjudgment regarding the trajectory of Apple founder Steve Jobs . In an excerpt from the book, Diller describes being invited by Jobs to an early screening of Pixar's 'Toy Story' and being offered a position on the animation studio's board. Steve Jobs asked me to fly up to San Jose so I could see a movie he was in the middle of making for this unknown company he'd acquired called Pixar. But first he wanted to show me what he was doing with a 'revolutionary' computer system at another new company of his called NeXT. I went to the NeXT office, where Steve showed me a few scenes from Toy Story, and asked if I would join the Pixar board. I said I'd have to think about it. I didn't want to commit myself and didn't want to insult him, but I'd never been much interested in animation and had never made any animated movies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now I don't really understand the form and I thought this new Pixar work was awkward, and, separating me from most of the world, I didn't get any of the charm of Toy Story. I ended the night saying, 'Look, I'm being really shy about making commitments to do anything.' Steve said, 'This is ridiculous. This is going be a giant hit. Pixar's going to be a very big company. You'll own a really nice slice of it. Why won't you do it?' Diller admits to being unimpressed with the early Pixar work and ultimately declining the opportunity, despite Jobs' confident predictions of the company's future success. 'I completely underestimated the company and the man,' Diller writes, labeling himself a 'dunce' for the missed opportunity. Diller's memoir also touches upon a period of uncertainty in Diller's career around the summer of 1992, where he grappled with fears of becoming 'the forgotten man.'
