1.01.2012

AR application "KAMIWAZA" increase money

A Happy New Year!  In Japan, there are customs called "Otoshidama" where a child gets money from an adult for New Year holidays. Japanese TV company TV Asahi released funny iPhone AR application "KAMIWAZA" for it.


This is promotion apps of New Year comedy program, But we can enjoy regardless of it.


If we look at a thousand-yen bill with iPhone camera, the number of sheets will increase!



If we look at the 5thousand-yen bill with iPhone camera, it will change to a 10thousand yen bill.



If we look at 10thousand yen bill with iPhone camera, it will increase!




You can feel rich if you use this! :)

12.14.2011

Angry Birds Landing in Tokyo

Rovio held two events of official Angry Birds birthday in Tokyo on December 11.

The first is in Harajuku SoLaDo.











It seemed to be the event which advertizes it towards people who do not know Angry Birds yet. Harajuku is one of the hottest towns that send Japanese culture. Harajuku SoLaDo is a new shopping spot of Harajuku, and many young girls gather. It is the place where it is most suitable for promotion and marketing. Most of girls who were present here on this day would not know Angry Birds. However, the character of a round form tends to be liked in Japan. Good luck!

The second event was held in Ginza Apple Store.
















Rovio Entertainment CMO Peter Vesterbacka gave a speech about the history of Angry Birds and business in the future. The participant of this event had many men. In the last of the event, a man asked a question "After a black bird explodes, what happens to him?" Probably he would want to say in this way "Does the black bird die?". Vesterbacka answered "Angry Birds are magic bird, so revive immediately".

I remembered that it was interesting about Angry Birds. When I recommended my friends Angry Birds, they said. "It seems to be painful" "A bird and a pig are pitiful" "Do birds dash themselves and die? Cruel!" etc...
Of course the negative impression fades away because the game system of Angry Birds is very fun while they play. However, the Japanese tends to be sensitive to "attack". Especially they may be sensitive to a bodily crush attack. In addition, probably, the Japanese do empathy to a character superfluously. It may be better for Angry Birds to advertize prettiness rather than aggressiveness in Japan.

12.11.2011

Air Mushroom picking

"Kinoko no Yama" is a chocolate snack popular in Japan. "Kinoko no Yama" means "The mountain of a mushroom" in Japanese.



Meiji which was the maker of this released iPhone application for promotion.


This is the game application that can experience mushroom hunting artificially. However, of course the mushroom is a chocolate snack:)


Many mushrooms appear when we watch neighboring scenery with a camera.

We perform hold of these with a finger, raise iPhone and pull it out. It is slightly difficult and tips need it.


The mushroom which gathered a harvest are list-ized.

Meiji seems to be interesting in AR recently.

See also:
AR figure of Final Fantasy XIII-2 on package of chewing gum

12.09.2011

GREE released a prepaid card

GREE sells a prepaid card from today in Seven-Eleven.








The price are 1500 yen and 5000 yen two types.

The prepaid card does not have popularity somehow in Japan. When I went to U.S., I watched that many kinds of prepaid cards were sold at a toy shop, drugstore and convenience store. However, main prepaid cards sold in Japan are iTunes card, Nintendo card, PSN cards of Sony. Probably this is because mobile payment and e-money completely spread in Japan. Why GREE release a prepaid card this time? I think this is smartphone measures.

By the way, I may always think about a prepaid card. It is a "design" of the cards. A prepaid card has no business, if a serial code is inputted by a website. However, it is a waste of it. For example, how about putting a prepaid card and the factor of trading card together? After having input a serial cord, users can play with a prepaid card. In addition, they can enjoy the collection of card, too. Furthermore, how about adding AR contents to a prepaid card? I think that there is still room for much improvement in a prepaid card.