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TV commercial of the week: BOSS canned coffee

22 Comments

American actor Tommy Lee Jones is appearing in the latest commercials for Suntory’s BOSS canned coffee brand. Jones filmed the commercials at Toho Studios in Tokyo during the summer.

Jones, 64, has made more than 30 commercials and appeared in countless ads and posters for BOSS since 2006. His character — “Alien Jones” — is an extraterrestrial who takes the form of a human being to learn more about life on Earth (in particular, Japan).

In the newest ad for BOSS Rainbow Mountain Blend, Jones — accompanied by comedian Ariyoshi Hiroiki — follows in the footsteps of famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho, who walked for 150 days, covering 2,400 kilometers in northeastern Honshu in the late 17th century. The result was the novel “Oku no Hosomichi.”

In the ad, Jones visits various scenic places along Basho’s route, including Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, Oshu Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture and Yamadera in Yamagata Prefecture, to compose haiku.

© Japan Today

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22 Comments
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I love these Boss commercials, nice to see a little ingenuity in Japanese TV, even if it's only a TV commercial.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

BOSS coffee commercial is no commercial without TLJ - seriously love this guy! When I watch him, i feel like drinking Boss Rainbow mountain

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Tommy Lee Jones and Boss make great commercials. Now if Japan could just figure out that New Years Day in Japan is like SuperBowl Sunday and get out their best commercials on one day that would be so cool.

People love a creative commercial. Volkswagen killed it not too long ago with their Darth Vader commercial.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

comedian? Hiroyuki Arikichi is as funny as a board of wood. TLJ on the other hand rocks, love the BOSS commercials

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Those Boss commercials with Tommy Lee Jones are d@mn funny, i liked the one with the tunnel, TLJ crying and shouting "Banzai" :p

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's "Ariyoshi Hiroiki" the guy that makes up silly nicknames. Guess people at JT don't watch much TV, don't blame them though.

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I thought he as dressed as Gaddafi!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Thanks for the correction.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A few years back in Tokyo I gazed up and was startled to see a Boss billboard with a giant close up photo of Jones. What I remember most was that his wrinkles had wrinkles. No retouching in this case.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I love the BOSS commercials. My favorite one is when he's a school teacher and an airport security guys who yells at some kids because their parents won't scold them. Awesome!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I love the Western celebrities appearing in everyday adds in Japan (and Korea). The coffee BOSS adds are particularly funny and effective.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

They are all over the trains. Why don't they show them around the world and sell coffee as an export. I love cold canned coffee here. Best in the world.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He must speak pretty good Japanese now. He last one as a high school teacher was spot on.

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I hope TLJ is getting a big chunk of money for these ads and commercials. I never seen so much him before all at one time. I thinks its great to see the celebrities having fun making commercials. Has anyone noticed that Bruce Willis is butchering the Japanese language in those Diahatsu Ads....very funny.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Looking forward to these! The Boss commercials are just about the best thing on Japanese TV right now.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

TLJ is great, and "Oku no Hosomichi" is awesome.

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I also love the BOSS canned coffee commercials. They always put a smile on my face. I also wish they still had those Sapporo Kuro Label beer commercials from way back. They were funny and cool; especially the one with the two guys fighting over a barbecue in between a volleyball match. Or who can forget the Matsudaira Real Estate commercial with the golfer and his compact swing; funny and creative.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

BOSS commercials are indeed genius strikes. The long running series with TLJ is as successful as ever, and there is no reason to stop it. The marketing people starting and supporting it did they homework well..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

i'd love to see Bill Murray doing one!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I never drink canned coffee and seldom watch TV, but I've always been a fan of Tommy and the Boss commercials are cool!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This latest ad is not as good as most of the previous ones.

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I love this TV commercial! Tommy Lee Jones is acting funny role as an alien. And Ariyoshi Hiroaki, he is acting nice follower and straight man. When I saw Ariyoshi’s cold tsukkomi to Lee looks strange at first sight, but I like their atmosphere of acting because we can see rarely such duo.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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