Hollywood action stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, 66, and Bruce Willis, 59, are appearing in a new Japanese TV commercial campaign for KOWA’s Powered Coffee, which will be aired from March 30.
The commercial has three versions, including a “tunnel version” which was filmed on a large-scale set and in which they play the kind of men of action that made them stars.
The drink is one of the new products from a series of Kewpie KOWA Gold A, which the company says is good for recovering from physical exhaustion.
© Japan Today
31 Comments
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Abhorsenaube
Sorry boys, nothing is going to top Boss coffee's Tommy Lee Jones commercials.
kwatt
It is a lot of fun to watch that greatest American actors do such commercials. I seldom drink such a canned coffee anyway.
sensei258
A list stars like these, their paycheck must have been insane.
sensei258
The bottom line is the bottom line. It's easy big money. I doubt they care much what their advertising.
Neil McDonald
Most have been a fun cm to be an extra on.
wanderlust
Expendable coffee...
genjuro
Only in Japan do over-the-hill Hollywood actors still rake in the cash.
ebisen
It's a good commercial - but the Tommy Lee series did exceptionally well. Nothing to be ashamed of. Watching them doing such commercials (and receiving millions in the process) is always interesting
paulinusa
"Only in Japan do over-the-hill Hollywood actors still rake in the cash."
"No."
Well, yes and no. Western actors pitch products in Japan they would avoid in their home countries such as "sin" products and trivial items (such as coffee from a can)
gokai_wo_maneku
I agree with Abhor, Tommy Lee Jones in Boss coffee cannot be beat! A unique set of humor. And really, what's with "POWER!"?
SenseNotSoCommon
At least it ain't Speak Lark.
timtak
Strong bodies, weak voices. Waif-like Japanese actors can say "power" with more testosterone than Western action-heroes. I sound like a toy poodle.
commanteer
Not weak. The typical western strong male lead is quiet. A low voice projects control, determination and strength. Shouting out "power" is seen as weak. Shouting expresses a loss of control. In Japan, it's more acceptable. Gary Cooper, Bruce Willis, Henry Fonda, Clark Gable, John Wayne...none of them would shout "power" to express a feeling of power. It would be weird. Schwarzenegger is slightly comedic and over-the-top, so he shouts easier.
Fadamor
??? You seriously think they'll make "millions" for the probable 8 hours they put into the making of these commercials? Millions of yen, maybe. I'm guessing it's more like something around $50,000 plus round-trip plane fare, hotel, and expenses.
japanesereds
Has-beens for coffee beans.
James Dean Jnr.
With this title I would have thought they would be together in a cm, doing some TEAM excercise, but they each have their own teams that they seem be the leader of. Misleading.
That being said, I like it, grew up wathcing Willis and Schwarzenegger movies, sure they got old, but I still see them and feel like I know them.
TakahiroDomingo
it just that these commercials are so cheap. no script at all, nothing worth watching.
majimekun
They would do anything for some cash.
Abhorsenaube
Anyone remember those old energy drink commercials Arnold did in the early 90s?
Fadamor
You mean these?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRLe826lyao
commanteer
I know that Cindy Crawford got a cool million maybe 15 years ago for one day of work - a commercial for a pachinko chain. These guys are bigger stars than she was even at her peak, and things haven't gotten cheaper. I can't see either of these guys getting out of bed for $50,000, much less filming a commercial.
Fadamor
15 years ago was before TWO international economic recessions happened, and Cindy Crawford was a hotter commodity back then than a couple of old action heroes are today. Schwartzenegger got the gig because of his previous work for them. Willis seemed to be a bad choice because his acting style is low-key rather than high-energy. He had a hard time putting any feeling into his one line. Instead of "POWER!!!", it came out "power."
battambangbound
Steve McQueen got a million dollars to appear in a TV commercial for Honda motorcycles in 1972 or 1973. One of his conditions, in addition to the million, was that he would not endorse the Honda brand or even use the word "Honda" in the commercial. After Steve McQueen came Sammy Davis Jr., who did a similar condition commercial for Suntory whiskey. And then came Kirk Douglas for an instant coffee (Maxim, I think) and then Charles Bronson for Mandom male cosmetics. None of them ever said a word to the effect of "I think this brand is good."
Wolfpack
Easy money for Arnold and Bruce.
Maybe so. But I've always wondered why Japanese guys laugh in such a high voice.
paulinusa
Drinking out of empty cans and not the slightest idea of what they're pitching.
nath
No.
combinibento
Well, that's gotta be the most humiliating check to cash...
JoeBigs
Schwarzenegger, Willis team up for coffee commercial
Better than these two old geezers making a movie together.
oldman_13
sellouts