What will the Japanese Think of Next?

Japanese MediCafe vending machines - Free Drinks

Posted May 11 2007 04:37 PM by automotivejtm
Filed under: Miscellaneous, Online Editor

Japanese MediCafe vending machines are giving out free drinks for watching an advertisement on the tv built into the machine.

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Japanese MediCafe vending machines

Check this out. Japanese MediCafe vending machines are giving out free drinks for watching an advertisement on the tv built into the machine. This seems like a good idea but a couple issues come to mind like: how can they be sure you are actually watching the advertisement and will this really increase sales and/or brand awareness?

So how do they know if you are really watching the ad, assuming they that they care. Do they pin your head down and force you to watch? Do they give you a test at the end? I guess it is like any other form of invasive advertising, like t.v. commercials, where you have an option to not watch, but at the same time you sort of don't. The idea of giving out free merchandise to attract brand awareness is not by any means a new idea (Think about when you go into a supermarket and they are handing out free samples of food or drink) but creating brand awareness in a vending machine that sells multiple brands (at least it looks like there is multiple brands in the picture above) might prove to be quite difficult; especially when you are not at a point of purchase. In the grocery store if you receive a small, free sample of product x and you like it, you know exactly where you can purchase it. This seems to not be the case with these vending machines. When you receive your normal size, free drink and you like the product, what are the chances you are going to go out of your way to go pick that product up somewhere else?

I don't know, I'm just mulling some ideas around in my head. Ultimately I have faith in a country that builds such quality cars but not blind faith. What are your thoughts?

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Reader Comments:

1. good point. imo, i would think the japanese advertisers would know their target market enough that they'd think the ads would work. otherwise, they'd be throwing away good money, something i don't see the japanese doing.

maybe it's a cultural thing. i don't hear, for example, japanese folks writing graffiti on their subways. and it's not unusual to allow children to wander the streets by themselves or in small groups. could be the japanese advertisers know their folks WILL actually watch such commercials as they wait for their drinks.

weird culture, eh? :)

joela - Posted May 11 2007 04:43 PM

2. Well, this is coming from a country that also has vending machines for used underwear. Hm. Go figure.

- Posted May 11 2007 04:48 PM

3. As alluded to by the previous poster, vending machines are a part of the Japanese culture; more so than it is here. Who would've given used underwear (and used sneakers from what I've heard) via vending machines a chance? Obviously it must do okay for them to continue doing it.

As with all things, we'll see how successful it is if everyone else in Japan starts doing it.

cubsfan - Posted May 11 2007 05:06 PM

4. it's all about the art. i'm thankful japan has some originality and art. something that's so not here in the states. it's boring here. ***

okayjustin - Posted June 10 2007 07:19 PM

5. Good Point. Never really thought og that.

lugz - Posted July 16 2007 11:30 AM

6. another + about visiting japan FREE DRINKS!

thepuff - Posted July 31 2007 11:49 AM

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