Mana Ashida "Gets Her Insights Dug Up"!? "Karamucho" 30th Anniversary Presentation

Koikeya held a press conference at Hotel New Otani in Minato-ku, Tokyo, on August 1st to announce a new commercial and promotional campaign commemorating the 30th anniversary of its popular product "Karamucho," which will be celebrated in September.

Since its launch in 1984, Koikeya has established the spicy snack category. At the outset, Chairman Takashi Koike, also the developer of Karamucho, declared the start of a promotional campaign centered on the concept of "the original spirit of development: having fun and being playful." The campaign, named the "Nationwide Karamucho-ization Project," will be carried out extensively and on a grand scale. This includes launching new products, airing new commercials, conducting nationwide sampling of special packaging featuring the CM character's face, and utilizing web-based promotions.

 
 	Professor Kindaichi (left) and Aina-chan (center), and Professor Ikeda

At the new commercial announcement, talent Mana Ashida, cast as the character, and Professors Kiyohiko Ikeda and Hideo Kindaichi, both active on TV, appeared. They shared behind-the-scenes stories from filming. The new commercials feature each person appearing in an interview format, discussing Karamucho from their unique perspective. A total of three versions were created. Each version is sure to make you chuckle, featuring Aina-chan's famous line, "It really gets to your insight (consumer psychology)!" The filming used a technique where the camera rolled continuously for nearly an hour without cuts. Aina-chan commented, "It felt like a real interview and was fun," while Professor Ikeda said, "I could approach it in a relaxed atmosphere." The cast members shared lighthearted comments, drawing laughter from the audience: "Since it's my first commercial, everyone please buy it!" (Professor Kindaichi) and "I actually said something more extreme, but it got cut, which is a shame" (Professor Ikeda).

To commemorate the 30th anniversary, two new products will launch: "30 Varieties of Spicy Chili Flavor," which pushes the concept of spicy and delicious to the extreme, will be available at convenience stores starting September 8th. "Not Chili Flavor," an ambitious creation challenging to eliminate the spiciness while remaining true to Karamucho, will launch across all channels starting September 15th. The new commercial is scheduled to air starting October 4th. Additional promotions utilizing the web and other channels will begin sequentially starting in August. We invite you to savor the "playful and spicy" world of Karamucho.