Sapporo will introduce Hokkaido Premium happoshu beer early next month. The product will use Hokkaido malt and Furano (富良野 also Hokkaido) region hops and is thus said to have a refreshing, umami-containing Hokkaido taste.
http://www.sapporobeer.jp/hokkaidopremium/index.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Asahi is holding free tours and lectures on beer history and world beers, including tastings, at several of its factories around Japan this coming weekend.
Hoegaarden, Leffe, Bass, Stella Artois and Lowenbrau go through Asahi in Japan.
http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/calendar/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Meiji is promoting its Cassis-i supplements (カシス or black currants) with a product giveaway. Cassis berries contain anthocyanins, polyphenols and beta-carotene. The black currents are from New Zealand and are advertised as containing much more anthocyanin goodness than black berries.
http://www.meiji.co.jp/health/cassis-i/cmp/120601_kukkiri/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Asahi is introducing a new third category beer to help cheer on the Japanese Olympic team. Asahi is an Olympic partner, thus the Olympic mark, and they have incorporated English hops, Kent Golden, for use in this product. This is obviously because the Olympics are being held in London. The gold and the design on this can sure do look nice.
http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/japangold/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Meiji is holding a promotion with Lupicia (the French tea and tea shop brand) to promote Meiji Kopan bread crisps. Winners receive Kopan, Lupicia tea and jam sets.
Entry is by barcode affixed to a postcard.
http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/biscuit/copan/cmp/index.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Meiji is giving away product to promote their Protein Diet line of protein mix meal replacement. Entry is via webform after logging on to the Meiji members club site.
http://www.meiji.co.jp/health/p-plus/dietsupport/proteinpoint/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Meiji is giving away product to promote their Lola brand CoQ10 supplements. Entry is by web form after logging onto the company's members page.
http://www.meiji.co.jp/health/lola/cmp/120601_lolacmp/index.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Many Japanese promotions only seem to make sense once you have bought into the club or marketing scheme that has been created by the retailer. In this case, Circle K Sunkus stores have a Karuwaza Club which allows to user to earn points on purchases, use Rakuten Edy points and get coupons in store items. If you are a member of this club and go to a special Karuwaza Station (which looks similar to a banking machine) located inside the convenience store, you can get Mokupon coupons (which is short for Thursday coupon 木ーポン). These coupons are advertised as being for Thursday discounts on a variety of items, but in this case the coupons are available for a full 3 week period and give the customer a discount on the purchase of iTunes prepaid cards. There really is much more to these Karuwaza Stations and I should explain fully as some point.
http://www.circleksunkus.jp/cs/sale/itunes_card/index.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Itoyokado (retailer and sister company to 7-Eleven) is offering a home delivery service called Net-Super(market). I assume this is as much about responding to the graying of Japan as it is about convenience. But is really is an interesting service. With Itoyokado's nationwide outlets covering most of Japan, they can respond to orders very quickly. They promise to deliver orders as fast as 4 hours from the time the order is placed and the website will take orders 23 hours a day.
Membership is free and they are currently holding a free delivery campaign (I couldn't readily find how much delivery will cost after the campaign.)
Articles advertised include food, personal and household items.
https://www.iy-net.jp/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Asahi is holding a campaign where there are multiple chances to win sets of Asahi Dry beer. The main way is to follow Asahi on Twitter or Facebook and fill in a web form. You can also collect proof of purchase seals and send them in.
Asahi is also opening a number of Extra Cold Bars for the summer in major cities.
http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/superdry/extracold/cheers/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
