Meiji Yoplait Gurt Characters

Pretty creepy if you ask me. The animations are fine, but once they take on the puppet-like form, they look like something from a horror movie. In any case, I suppose marketing has shown otherwise. In Japanese, the product name is "gu-ru-to", and that is the name given to these characters from left to right "gu", "ru" and "to". 明治 グルト

http://www.meiji.co.jp/dairies/yogurt/gurt/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Wendy's Frosty Coffee Jelly

Coffee jelly is popular in Japan, so the combination of coffee jelly and Wendy's frosty seems fairly natural. It comes in both chocolate and vanilla frosty favors.

http://wendys.co.jp/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Wendy's Snow Crab Special

As part of their premium line, Wendy's is offering a Snow Crab Special. Looks good, but the set comes to about 15 dollars US. In its current incarnation, Wendy's is still stuck at only 2 locations. Certainly not volume which can keep prices down. I'm glad they are around, just not sure how the numbers work out.

http://wendys.co.jp/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Suntory Full Body Beer

Suntory Full Body Beer is a limited real beer made with 100% malt and a strong 7% alcohol content. It promises a robust 飲み応え or nomigotae with is an increasingly frequently used marketing phrase literally meaning "return for drinking", which is open to interpretation as the Japanese blogs can attest.

http://www.suntory.co.jp/news/2013/11892.html?fromid=beer_top_pc

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Suntory Winter Bubbles Beer

Another seasonal 3rd category beer that has run its course is beer from Suntory which claims wintery white bubbles that melt in your mouth. サントリー   くちどけの冬小麦

http://www.suntory.co.jp/beer/fuyukomugi/index.html?fromid=beer_top_pc

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Suntory Fall Beer Akiraku

Suntory Fall Beer Akiraku which is a 3rd category beer and features 20% roasted malt for added aroma, has reached its end of life. Product turnover is Japan is quick. サントリー 秋楽

http://www.suntory.co.jp/beer/akiraku/index.html?fromid=beer_top_pc

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Lotteria Ghana Milk Chocolate Fair

In a cross promotion which is surprisingly rare in my opinion, the Lotte conglomerate is promoting its Ghana chocolate line in its Lotteria fast food chain. For a limited time you can buy Ghana milk chocolate shakes, pies and french fry dip. That dip is an interesting idea. Meiji and Morinaga, the other large chocolate makers, don't have fast food chains of their own.

http://www.lotteria.jp/topics/2014/topics01090002.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Burger King Ringo Swings

Burger King Japan is now offering a New York Whopper, which gets its name from "The Big Apple" and not because you would find a hamburger like this in New York. This Whopper includes grilled slices of apple, thus the connection. In Japanese, the word for apple is "ringo", so the promotion also uses the copy "Ringo Swings". In addition to the Whopper there is another smaller hamburger (not shown) which also includes apple slides.

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/campaign/cp109.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Kirin Plasma Lactic Acid Bacteria

Kirin is using its size and market power to promote its probiotic they call plasma lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus lactis JCM5805（プラズマ乳酸菌）). This strain has immunostimulatory activity and as there is not a claim category for that, the ads have to carefully keep from making a specific claim. When you navigate over to the R&D section it gives research results, but only uses the strain name and not any product names.

Among the products containing this probiotic are a yogurt drink, a water drink, a fermented lactic acid drink and a fortified drink which also contains DHA and Vitamin C.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/csv/plus-i/product.html#ctpla

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Burger King BK Hot Colors

Burger King is offering three choices of side soups (100 yen each), Boston Clam Chowder, Rich Corn Soup, and Beef Stew. The colors also play into the Japanese affinity for visual presentation of food including color.

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/campaign/cp97.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Pronto Morning Latte

Pronto is offering a special morning only coffee, which is slightly larger and less expensive than the normal M size offering. It also uses a superior milk which is supposed to retain more of the natural milk sweetness.

http://www.pronto.co.jp/campaign/2013/10/03-1.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Meiji Karl Finalists

The finalists for the Meiji Karl versions worthy of a second go are as follows:
1) Shrimp Butter Soy Sauce (1999)
2) Butter Milk (1976)
3) Carbonara (1996)
4) Grilled Sausage (1996)
5) Bistro Hamburger (2001)

http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/snack/karl/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Pronto Golden Highball

Pronto has been diversifying in recent years from simply being a coffee chain to also offering food and alcoholic drinks. They are currently offering a golden highball for 500 yen, which contains real gold leaf flakes. Gold leaf is actually not uncommon in Japan and can be sprinkled on foods to turn a fairly standard meal into something to talk about. Seeing it in drinks or having a national chain use gold leaf IS something unusual. The copy uses the phrase 大吉大利 which refers to good luck and prosperity in the new year. Obviously the image they are trying to convey. プロント ハイボール

http://www.pronto.co.jp/campaign/2013/12/post-1.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Wendy's Premium Chili Burger

Part of Wendy's Japan "Japan Premium" line-up, "The Chili Burger" looks pretty nice. It isn't cheap though (780 yen). Wendy's presence in Japan is still very limited and McDonald's profits are suffering due to popular ultra-cheap offerings off its 100 yen menu. Getting people in the store and making a profit can be a challenging proposition.

http://wendys.co.jp/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Meiji Shrimp Butter Soy Sauce Karl

Meiji's popular Karl snack held a contest to determine which flavors to bring back. The winner was a flavor from 1999 - shrimp butter soy sauce flavor - with over 121,000 votes. Meiji Karl is one of the big brands in Japan that can get people excited over new flavors and offerings limited to specific towns or regions of Japan. 明治 カール

http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/snack/karl/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

McDonald's American Vintage '50s Menu

McDonald's has introduced an American Vintage '50s menu featuring two new sandwiches - honey mustard chicken and a double beef and egg. I had no idea these dated back to the US local diner era. I thought basic burgers, fries and milk shakes were the typical offerings, and chicken sandwiches made an appearance when Americans started to be concerned about red meat. I might have to chase down the details on that. In any case, these sandwiches do look good.

http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/campaign/americanvintage/index.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Burger King Teriyaki Burgers

Burger King has introduced teriyaki burgers which it calls "Japan originals". Not quite a bold as previous ideas from Burger King Japan, and something that McDonald's has been doing for years, but certainly a taste suitable to Japanese palates.

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/campaign/cp105.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Meiji Kinokonoyama LINE Account

Meiji is advertising its new LINE account featuring characters from its popular Kinokonoyama chocolate brand. LINE is the extremely popular free texting/calling social media service which is monetized by selling or charging companies to offer cute "stickers" (similar to emoticons). Therefore, users who register for the Meiji account can download Meiji "stickers" to send to their friends. Use if each type of sticker is limited to several months - presumably because the companies do not want an unlimited commitment. Nearly everyone with a smartphone in Japan uses LINE and I hear that it is gaining popularity in other countries as well. 明治 きのこの山

http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/chocolate/kinotake/line/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Tohoku Limited Edition Morinaga Hi-Chew

Tohoku limited edition Morinaga Hi-Chew candies in cherry and apple flavors. 森永 ハイチュウ りんご さくらんぼ

Tohoku Limited Apple Flavored Meiji Apollo Chocolates

In Japan, apples are known as coming from this region. The old term for what roughly corresponds to Tohoku is Michinoku and that is the term used with this product. 明治 アポロ みちのく 陸奥 りんご味

Japanese Bread Crust - Huge Waste, But Cheap If You Can Find It

Anyone who buys sandwiches in Japan will have noticed that the crust has been cut off. A huge waste which is also recognized by many Japanese. Found this bag of bread crust on sale for almost nothing, 49 yen, and made some French bread strips. パンの耳