AKB48 member Atsuko Maeda, 20, has been chosen to play a detective in a series of ads for an ice-cream range from Glico.
Maeda is to take a starring role in a series of television commercials and print advertisements for Ezaki Glico's Aisu no Makoto product, according to Nikkan Sports.
The same product range became a talking point last year when the ad agency responsible for the campaign introduced Japan to a new AKB48 member named Aimi Eguchi, who was actually a composite containing elements of the existing members' faces blended together using computer photo manipulation software.
Glico, the company perhaps most famous overseas for its large neon sign depicting an athlete located above Dotonbori in Osaka, takes its name from glycogen contained in oysters used in confectionery production. In a press release, the company announced that the theme of the ads is to be "The AKB48 Murder Mystery."
The idol group becomes embroiled in a murder mystery in which each member is a suspect. Glico said the early installments of the series were filmed before the group members themselves knew who the killer was, in an attempt to draw natural reactions from the young cast.
Glico says that viewers can also get involved in the hunt to catch the killer by looking for clues on the company's website. The first installment in the series is to be broadcast from June 25, with four more installments planned before the killer is revealed in September.
© Japan Today
21 Comments
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KariHaruka
Sounds like fun....
nath
Does anyone else think this is a bad idea? I just see potential of creepy fans to do something dangerous after seeing this on TV. I don't know but something just feels wrong about having a genki girl group involved in a murder mystery show.
Hmm. CSI: AKB48? na.......
lrodriguezsosa
Lady Gaga would sell her soul for this kind of fame. ;-)
yasukuni
"in an attempt to illicit natural reactions from the young cast."
Maybe they meant really exaggerated natural reactions.
"Glico says that viewers can also get involved in the hunt to catch the killer by looking for clues on the company’s website. "
If i buy a CD can I get better clues?
Serrano
Atsuko Maeda is hot.
Eduardo Gonzalez
The group's looking forward for a state-ordered permanent dissolution
Ben Jack
I will get ready for a bunch of thumbs downs, but considering that this group has a huge number of underaged fans, I wish they had chosen something else besides a murderer to find and catch. While people, such as I do myself sometimes, might suggest that AKB48 are rather one dimensional, they always have been positive and cheerful and the world can never have enough of that. It would have been nice if they kept that trend and thought of a more positive theme to get fans and viewers involved.
JohhnyGlitterball
Entertainment section!! Really surely should be in school boy/otaku section.
This drivel is tiresome for adults.
shanabelle
Damn it, that headline got my hopes up!
ExportExpert
Anything for media coverage with this lot, pathetic excuse for something called a talented act.
soondalo
I thought it was in real life.
Lowly
I'm glad to see they thought of something and then took measures to elicit natural reactions from thet bunch.
Have to really work proactively if yr thinking of getting anything approaching natural out of them.
Thunderbird2
And so the AKB48-bashing begins again.
Cricky
AKB Bashing??? Dude read the "Headline" is there no respite from this nonsense?
Thunderbird2
They're no worse than the Osmonds, or any other squeaky-clean group in the history of bubblegum pop.
lrodriguezsosa
When a music group's successful in the States, you dissolve it?
lrodriguezsosa
But you keep coming back for more.
lrodriguezsosa
Have you made a statement justifying homicide!?!?
Virtuoso
I know 48 is expecting too much, but hopefully the killer won't stop at one.
Ewan Huzarmy
They're no worse than the Osmonds, or any other squeaky-clean group in the history of bubblegum pop
Wolfpack
Some folks really can't stand this group ... but for some reason they just can't get enough.