mikazooki 0 Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 cheesiedude, r u sure u r not just logging out and relogging in as twisted alter-ego? perhaps an attempt at revenge for the doubts as to your integrity as an individual? i don't blame u if so...it can be tough on a forum....drive u to all sorts of insanities. u will be ok. Link to post Share on other sites
cheeseman 1 Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Mikazooki - no, just with the beautiful cheesewoman here together Link to post Share on other sites
curious-georgia 0 Posted June 20, 2003 Share Posted June 20, 2003 Ocean11 - stimulating converstation with Becks-sama over tea last night? Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted June 20, 2003 Author Share Posted June 20, 2003 Well he said on the telly that he had "hamburger and chips" when he couldn't find sushi in his hotel (?!), so I reckon O11 is telling a big fib. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted June 20, 2003 Share Posted June 20, 2003 the world is mad: ------------------------- Big in Japan: beauty lotions, engine oil and chocolates. Four days work for £5m Beckhams unusually shy about activities in the far east Jonathan Watts in Tokyo Thursday June 19, 2003 The Guardian To a near-hysterical welcome in Japan, David Beckham began a staggeringly lucrative commercial break between clubs yesterday, the first of four days of cheesy promotional work that will reportedly earn him and his wife Victoria more than his entire first season salary with new club, Real Madrid. Screams, tears and the flashes of several hundred cameras greeted the England captain at Tokyo's Narita airport on his first public appearance since announcing that he will leave Manchester United. Many of the thousand or so fans had travelled hundreds of miles and waited more than five hours to see their hero, but few got more than a glimpse of the smile that the midfielder and his wife granted in a brief pose to the army of photographers and TV crews before rushing off to their Mercedes. Proving that Manchester United have lost one of the planet's greatest salesmen - particularly in this most sought-after of markets - Beckham's promotion work this week will be one of the mostly highly paid in the history of advertising. According to the Asahi newspaper, he was lured back to Japan for the first time since last year's World Cup finals with a 1bn yen (£5.5m) two-year deal to sell chocolates and beauty products. By comparison, Beckham's contract with Real is reported to be worth £4.2m a year. But while he will have to perform week in, week out on the pitch to earn his euros, almost all of the yen will come from his work this week. Today, David and Victoria will front the Just Beauty campaign by TBC, a chain of beauty salons that offers facials, waxing and diet aids. The Beckhams already appear as the ultimate beautiful couple in a series of TV commercials for the firm, which has previously used Naomi Campbell and Takuya Kimura, Japan's biggest pop idol. Complexion and weight concerns take second place tomorrow when the Beckhams switch their selling power to the chocolates of Meiji Seika. The confectionary giant says it has doubled its sales by offering purchasers the chance to enter a lottery to attend a "press conference" by the visiting British stars. Embarrassing On Saturday, they are scheduled to sell car lubricants for Castrol Japan before the promotional tour takes them to Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The couple are being unusually publicity shy about their promotional activities in the Far East - banning the foreign media from attending events and insisting their Japanese partners refrain from commenting about their visit. "We would like to say more and to include all journalists, but Beckham's people inserted a clause in the contract that coverage should be restricted to the domestic press," said a spokesman for Meiji Seika. The rationale is that the Beckhams are only here to sell products domestically, but marketing agents say their behaviour is consistent with that of numerous Hollywood stars who drew up contracts to ensure their work in Japan was never shown elsewhere. "Beckham appears to be just the latest in a long line of foreign celebrities to try to shut out foreign coverage, because they don't want their rather embarrassing promotion work in Japan to be known in their home countries," said Michiko Shimamori, editor of Advertisement Critic magazine The trend began in the 1960s and 70s, when commercialism was seen as a threat to the values of art in the west. Actors lost credibility if they endorsed products in their home countries - but protected by the barriers of distance, language and rigid contracts, they felt free to do so in Japan. Audrey Hepburn sold wigs to Japanese women, Sophia Loren appeared in adverts for mopeds, Paul Newman and Steve McQueen took yen to endorse products. Even when attitudes to commercialism became more positive and the rewards increased along with Japan's economic growth, the call for western celebrities to act zanier or cheesier to meet the demands of a different audience still made many of them balk at having their Japan-orientated images shown elsewhere. In recent years, lawyers for Arnold Schwarzenegger forced a website focusing on such ads to remove one that showed the actor hamming it up with a fake moustache and a wig to promote a satellite TV company. Even by the standards of these superstars, who could earn $1m (£600,000) for a day's filming during the height of Japan's economic power, Beckham is exceptional. In recent years, the number of foreign stars in Japanese commercials has plummeted along with advertising revenues, but the footballer will break records this week despite the falling market. Although he failed to dominate games during the World Cup, Beckham has dominated the headlines here ever since. The Westin Awaji hotel, England's camp last summer, has doubled its business, largely as a result of women who want to stay in Beckham's bedroom. The local town has erected a statue in his honour. "Beckham is number one for Japanese women," said Yasushi Oka, editor of Women's Seven magazine. "It is not about football. He is incredibly handsome and he is loyal to his wife. They are a rich, happy couple that people are envious of." The Beckham transfer was the top story in the evening edition of the usually sombre Asahi newspaper. Given such prominence, the transfer is certain to dent Manchester United's hopes of strengthening its foothold in Japan. At the club's outlet in the World Sports Grand Dome in Tokyo, 70% of the daily sales are of Beckham merchandising. "It is really going to hurt us that he has left the team," said the manager, Kazumasa Toyoda. "But we do have a different outlet devoted to the Spanish league that should benefit." At Narita airport yesterday, dozens of fans turned up in Manchester United shirts, but many said they would switch allegiances with their hero, whose next visit to Japan is likely to help Real Madrid made inroads into the local market. The Spanish team plays Tokyo FC on August 5. "I'm very sorry he left. Manchester is where he belonged and I am angry they let him go, but I will follow him and buy a Real Madrid shirt with his name on it", said Junko Ohashi, a young woman who took the day off work in the hope of seeing her idol. "I went to Manchester last year to see Beckham, but this year I will have my holiday in Spain. Where he goes, I go." David Beckham's Japanese endorsements include: (estimated value of deal) TBC (Y500m/£2.5m) A nationwide network of "aesthetic salons" for women, and an increasing number of men, interested in hair removal, defoliation and other beauty treatments. It is currently running a summer campaign for male face care, featuring David and Victoria Beckham cuddling in front of a roaring fire, drinking coffee and looking at themselves in the mirror before declaring "Just Beauty". Meiji Seika (Y500m/£2.5m) Leading confectionery firm, famous for chocolate almonds. Also has 40% of its business in pharmaceuticals. Corporate motto: "To help people lead happier and more fulfilling lives by emphasising the taste experience and zest in life." Company says chocolate sales have doubled since the start of campaign related to Beckham's visit. Castrol (Unknown) David Beckham will push its oils in Japan and other Asian markets during his promotional tour. The auto industry is used to foreign stars. Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Connery are among those who have pushed car sales, but the wildest adverts feature a manic Bruce Willis playing a superhero petrol pump attendant for Eneos garage chain. Vodafone (part of existing contract) Vodafone's links with Beckham and Manchester United are well known in Britain, but the footballer is spearheading a special campaign in Japan, where the UK firm is trying to change the name of its subsidiary J Phone. The adverts, which have dominated space on Tokyo's trains in recent months, feature the England captain gazing wistfully at his mobile phone. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted June 20, 2003 Share Posted June 20, 2003 Cor, I fancy some of that Meiji chocolate now. Good job Becks brought us a huge case of the stuff when he came round for tea the other day... (His T-shirts look more slovenly than mine. And my missus is better looking.) Link to post Share on other sites
BigSausage 0 Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 He's gone now. Thank god for that. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 bye.... come back again Link to post Share on other sites
akibun 0 Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 He come back in August, right? I think he is kakkoi, but last week was just too crazy I think. It's mad. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts