Japan Airlines and Kentucky Fried Chicken have collaborated on the 7th installment of the popular AIR SERIES in-flight meal on board select international JAL flights, and will be serving on board, [AIR KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN] from December 1, 2012 to February 28, 2013.

During this period, customers traveling in Premium Economy and Economy Class on JAL from Narita to New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego*, London, Paris and Frankfurt, will be served KFC’s Original Recipe two-piece chicken meal during the second meal service. It includes one drumstick, one boneless chicken breast fillet, a piece of complementing flat bread made especially for AIR KENTUCKY, a cup of coleslaw and lettuce leaves. Customers can savor the same, unique taste of KFC’s trade secret recipe of “11 herbs and spices” as it is, or as a sandwich by sandwiching the fresh lettuce leaves and fragrant fillet in the bread, and topping it off with special mayonnaise.
*Available on the San Diego route from the inaugural flight on December 2, 2012.

JAL and KFC have created an exquisite packaging just for this tie-up. The design features JAL and the famous founder and mascot of KFC, Colonel Sanders on a special box and tray mat, unavailable anywhere else but on board these JAL flights.

KFC is widely popular in Japan particularly during the Christmas season. This year end, JAL and KFC will bring customers a festive cheer on board with the original [AIR KENTUCKY FRIEND CHICKEN], and will continue to offer innovative, quality services in the New Year.
Press via: JAL

The Japanese struggle sumo has no analogues in the world.

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Credits:
Creative Advertising Agency: TBWA\HAKUHODO, Japan
Executive Creative Director: Kazoo Sato
Associate Creative Director: Takahiro Hosoda
Copywriter: Motonori Sugiyama
Art Director: Hirohumi Nakajima, Keisuke Shimizu
Experience Designer: Kaname Aratame
Production Company: ROBOT Communications

Deep presidential bow

The Japanese bloggers are solidary with the American president

Molson Canadian and "The Canadians" new ad created by the creative folks at Rethink is something for all us wild and fun Canadians to be proud of. In it, people from South Africa, Australia, Japan, German and Ireland share stories of entertaining experiences they've shared with us Canucks. They end the ad by asking "So, what happens when Canadians get together?"....well you are just going to have find out for yourself.
The spot features the song "Where I'm From", it was made specifically for the ad.

Credits:
Creative Agency: Rethink, Canada
Production: Industry Films / Egg Films
Country: Canada
Director: Kim Geldenhuys
Creative Director: Aaron Starkman
Creative Director: Dre Labre
Creative Director: Chris Staples
Art Director: Vince Tassone
Art Director: Christian Buer
Art Director: Joel Holtby
Executive Producer: David Cranor
Executive Producer: Kerry Hosford
DoP: Paul Gilpin
Agency Producer: Dave Medlock
Editor: Marc Langley

A sexy new commercial for the 2013 Toyota Auris (aka the Corrolla) that features 19 year old model Stav Strashko, will have men shaking their heads...enjoy.

The spot, entitled 30 seconds of common sense to betrayal is airing in Japan with the tagline: "Not in trend, not casual, not for everyone."

Jamaica's multiple gold medal winner Usain Bolt stopped at Nissan's GranDrive testing track and Yokohama headquarters, bringing his record speed and excitement to Japan and becoming Nissan's Director of Excitement. I'm sure the fact that Nissan team is developing a special "Bolt" version GT-R.

Bolt appeared at Nissan's world headquarters, saying: "Racing is my inspiration, and I want to help Nissan become an even more exciting brand for everyone."

In recognition of Bolt's contribution to sports and his automotive enthusiasm, Nissan's Chief Operating Officer unveiled a unique gold-painted GT-R, which will be auctioned to benefit the Usain Bolt Foundation (http://usainbolt.com/foundation/).

Bolt, who was picked up Tokyo's Narita Airport in a GT-R driven by F1 racer Mark Webber (below), is expected to contribute further to Nissan's "WHAT IF_" global brand campaign.

To continue building brand momentum at Nissan, TV commercials featuring the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle, called "What if you could drive the future, today?", will also start airing.

But here's what really caught my eye about the big production
Nissan and the new Director of Excitement...

At about the 1:00 minute mark Bolt enjoys a delicious doghnut during a
brief interview of the "To the World: Usain Bolt in the Nissan House" video.

Not just any doughnut, but a magical creation of warm gooey goodness from
Krispy Kreme. An obvious product placement? Maybe, maybe not...

Everyone loves a good biff, especially when it has absolutely nothing to do with The Footy Show. Here, I’m speaking about the one and only Brisbane International Film Festival also known as BIFF. The Gold Coast, being the cultural vacuum that it is, us film geeks eagerly await the annual BIFF where a selection of films from around the world are screened over the course of one and a bit weeks. This year I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the BIFF crew by putting together articles on various films for the website and daily newsletter. With dozens of movies crammed into the 11-day event it would be easy to miss some of the real gems. The good news is I’ve taken a look at the complete line-up of films screening at this year's festival and even watched some of them early. So, the following is my list of the films you MUST SEE or die at this year's BIFF.

For you international readers this can be a handy guide of limited release films you should keep an eye out for in the coming weeks/months.

• An Education — the opening night film starring Peter Sarsgaard and set in the 60s. The Sars-man in a film with romance, drama and intrigue sounds like too rare an opportunity to miss.
• BALIBO — the notorious tale of five young, Australian journalists who were executed while reporting on Indonesia’s invasion of East Timor in 75. An impressive Aussie cast including Gyton Grantley, Nathan Phillips and Anthony LaPaglia expose the Australian and Indonesian governments shameless efforts to cover-up this important story.
• Coraline — has been covered extensively on this blog given its beautiful visuals and dark storyline. Directed by Henry Selick, director of the classic Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline follows the adventures of a young girl who discovers a secret door leading to an alternative reality.
• 500 Days of Summer — a last minute addition to the festival line-up, this quirky, nontraditional love story deserves to be seen purely because it features the talents of my favourite Joseph Gordon Levitt. It also stars everyone’s favourite indie film star Zoey Deschanel.
• CHE: Parts One & Two — director Steven Soderbergh’s stunning two-part opus based on the life Che Guevara and starring Benicio Del Toro in the title role. You’ll be hard pressed to catch this screened back to back anywhere else in Queensland.
• Away We Go — highly peculiar, yet, interesting film which looks at the journey of two thirtsomethings who discover they’re going to have a baby. Instead of settling down and preparing, the couple take to the road to visit old friends. This is the latest thing from the amicable Sam Mendes and marks a return to his off-beat indie roots.
• The September Issue — one of the most anticipated documentaries of the year, this film delves into the life of legendary Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in the lead-up to the massive September issue.
• Jules And Jim — this French film from the 60s is a classic love-triangle with arguably the most recognisable face in French cinema — Jeanne Moreau.
• Moon — one of the films I’m most looking forward to, this sci-fi thriller i s the debut feature from David Bowie’s son Duncan Jones and stars Sam Rockwell in what is said to be the performance of his career.
• The Missing Person — a private detective is hired to follow a missing person but what started as a simple job rapidly develops into a complex mystery. Full of double-crosses and classic noir moments, this is a film not to be missed by lovers of all things noir.
• The Strength of Water (below) — having Maori parentage, I like to pay special attention to films from indigenous New Zealand filmmakers. The Strength of Water is definitely worth the gaze. A unique look at the complexity of grief through the eyes of a 10-year-old living in an isolated Maori community. Beautiful, naturalistic, creative and moving. A must-see.
• Van Dieman’s Land — the infamous tale of Australia’s very own Hannibal Lecter gets the big screen treatment from a filmmaker heading for the stratosphere.Subdivison — Brisbanite Ash Bradman (from Nova radio fame) wrote and stars in this appealing comedy set in semirural Hervey Bay. Fans of Aussie films like Crackerjack, The Castle and Kenny are likely to enjoy this.
• The Cove — along with Cathy Henkel’s The Burning Season, this has to be one of the most important documentaries of the year and looks at the culling of dolphins in the picturesque town of Tokyo, Japan. Part horror film, part espionage thriller and part environmental documentary, The Cove is all part's essential viewing. It Might Get Loud — there’s no time for air guitar in this documentary which takes the audience on a candid trip into the world of three of rock’s most iconic electric guitarists; Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin), the Edge (U2), and Jack White (The White Stripes).
• Black Dynamite — if I even have to explain to you the plot of this film, given the sheer volume of posts about it on this blog, then you deserve to be pimp-slapped into a China cabinet. Here’s your chance to see what all the fuss is about.
• Dead Snow — Tarantino and Rodriguez fans, like myself, are likely to adore the work of the Norwegian lads behind this low-budget, horror slapstick about Nazi zombies. Writer/director Tommy Wirkola and writer/star Stig Frode Henriksen have been pipped for big things since their debut short Kill Buljo and their first feature doesn’t disappoint. Catch their work before it explodes as their next film Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters has been picked up by The Weinstein Company (bada-boom).
• Storage — a tense, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller from Brisbane filmmaker Michael Craft and starring Gold Coast actor Matt Scully in the lead role. An impressively clever debut from Craft who shot the film in storage facilities in and around Brisvegas. Creepy.
• The Horsemen — containing what is said to be one of the `most amazing fight scenes captured’ is there really any other reason to see this?

Ticket prices are cheap as chips compared to a normal outing at the movies and BIFF is running a series of workshops where you can meet the director, producer, writer and/or stars of some of the films.

In some respects the business world has never been smaller. Globalization, mass communication and the internet have all put new markets within reach for businesses of all sizes. But linguistic and cultural barriers still remain, and marketers need to take care when venturing across these divides.

Lost in translation There are numerous instances of companies whose message has been lost in translation. When Pepsi took their slogan “Come alive with the Pepsi Generation” to Taiwan it was mistranslated as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead” — a claim that even the staunchest of Pepsi fans might have difficulty backing up. Not to be outdone, Kentucky Fried Chicken's famous “Finger lickin' good” was translated into Chinese as “Eat your fingers off.”
Companies are advised to check that their actual brand and product names give the right impression abroad. Ikea, for example, brought out a mobile work desk for kids. The name 'Fartfull' suggested speed and mobility in Swedish, but caused more of a stink elsewhere.
Good quality translation is clearly essential when taking your brand abroad. This ideally means working with native speaking translators. They will not only avoid linguistic errors, but can also identify any cultural issues and nuances that might otherwise be missed.
Attention to detail is obviously important in a major international marketing campaign, but the same rule should also be applied even if you are just localizing your website. Automatic translation tools such as Google Translate can be useful for getting the gist of foreign texts. But they’re prone to misunderstandings, contextual errors, and do not deal well with colloquialisms, slang, linguistic variations or commonly used acronyms and abbreviations.
English might remain the single most widely used language online, but it still represents only around a quarter of total usage. Studies have shown that customers place far more trust in websites in their own language. Localization can help you break into new markets, but a badly translated site can do as much harm as good.
Cultural issues There can also be issues arising from a lack of cultural understanding or foresight. As well as translating the language, consider the use of images carefully. Sexually charged images and innuendo can end up being more risky than risqué, and even images that may be considered relatively innocuous in your home market can cause grave offence in another.
Even the use of color can have different connotations within different cultures. In most of the western world, for example, white is associated with weddings and purity, while in India, Japan and China it is more likely to be associated with death and mourning. In Ireland, orange can have political and religious connotations. Using an inappropriate color scheme is unlikely to cause rioting in the streets but it can set the wrong tone and trigger a negative subconscious response in viewers.

A knowledge of slang, colloquialisms and naughty words in particular can also come in handy. Like many other companies, Swedish medical suppliers Locum sent Christmas cards to their customers. It's a little touch that can mean a lot — but their seasonally loved up logo took on a different meaning in North America and the UK.
The above example might have been no more than a faux pas that raised a chuckle and provided a few red faces, but some mistakes are far more serious. They can also occur not just when dealing with foreign markets but also within a single multicultural market.
In 2002 the British sportswear company Umbro (which would later be bought out by Nike) was forced to withdraw its Zyklon range of running shoes and issue a hasty apology. 'Zyklon' means 'cyclone' in German, which may have been an appropriate name for a running shoe if not for some unfortunate and horrible connotations. Zyklon B was the trade name of the poison used by Nazis to murder Jews and other concentration camp victims during World War II.
Dr Stephen Smith, co-founder of the Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre in Nottinghamshire, said: "Commercial appropriation of words carrying connotations of mass murder is utterly unacceptable.”
It’s important to give careful thought to potential cultural oversights and misunderstandings. Native-speaking translators can again help avoid mistakes and faux pas and, at the very least, material should be tested with a sample group from the target market. Without a little attention to detail it can be relatively easy for a company to either make itself a laughing stock or, even worse, to cause serious offence and alienate a huge swathe of potential customers.
About the author Christian Arno is the founder of Lingo24, a top translation service in the USA. Launched in 2001, Lingo24 now has over 150 employees spanning three continents and clients in over sixty countries. In the past twelve months, they have translated over forty million words for businesses in every industry sector, including the likes of MTV, World Bank and American Express. Follow Lingo24 on Twitter: @Lingo24.

2011 Nissan Leaf

Nissan company presented the competitor for electro-car Renault Twizy which has been shown for the 1st time in October of current year on motor show in Paris. The Japanese car received name New Mobility Concept and, according to representatives of the manufacturer, electrocar is the prototype created for studying of possible use variants in the future. Thus, unlike Renault, Nissan does not declare possibility of start of the similar car in mass manufacture.

The New Mobility Concept by Nissan

Nissan novelty is equipped by the same electric power-plant, as Renault Twizy. Renault Twizy sales begin in the European car market in the end of next year, and representatives of the company promise that such car will cost not more expensively the usual scooter.
At Nissan mark the 1st serial electro-car is model Leaf, whose manufacture in Japan began in the end of October. The cruising range of such car makes 160 kilometers, and charging of batteries occupy 8 hours. In Europe Leaf will cost about 30,000 euros.

All-Girl Rock Band the Runaways

Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning prove they are the Queens Of Noise in a biopic about 70s all-girl rock band The Runaways. The career of The Runaways was short lived, spanning only five years, but the impact they had on the music industry was immense. The all-girl teenage rock band helmed six albums and several hit singles such as Cherry Bomb, Queens Of Noise and Born To Be Bad, and helped shape female rock icon Joan Jett. Yet it was a dirty, tumultuous ride as shown in The Runaways, the directorial debut from Floria Sigismondi.

Set in Southern California in the mid-70s, Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) is a shy and sulky glue-sniffer who dreams of becoming a rock star like Suzi Quatro. She takes that burning ambition to music promoter Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) and after pitching him the idea of starting an all-girl rock band, he starts to recruit teenage girls for The Runaways. He and Jett find their front woman in the stylish and dreamy Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) and the young women are soon subjected to a rigorous training regimen where Fowley teaches them how to handle rowdy crowds, deal with hecklers and howl, wail and strut in a passionate brand of macho feminism.

Despite their musical talent, they all play their own instruments and write their own songs, Fowler sees an opportunity and promotes The Runaways as a cocktail of empowerment and exploitation. Dressed in hot pants, heels, jumpsuits and lingerie, the teenage girls become both a fetish and a rebellious rock `n' roll band, and subsequently take off. From homegrown success to global domination, including a huge fan base in Japan, the girls begin to struggle with their meteoric rise to fame, the easy availability of drugs, predatory men, lack of supervision and group dynamics.

The focus of the film is the individual stories of Jett and Currie, who are key members of the group and share an intimate relationship as friends and sometime lovers (which cumulates in a pash between Stewart and Fanning). Coming from a background as a photographer and music video director, Sigismondi has an eye for visuals and her competency in creating this grungy 70s world is similar to Catehrine Harwicke's effort in The Lords Of Dogtown. Her direction of the music scenes, which are all sung and performed by the actors, really captures the electricity of the band and their music. However, that is also her downfall because The Runaways retains a glossy sheen that seems out of place given the events unfolding on screen. The story too has been trimmed and moulded from Currie's autobiography, so that it is just rebellious enough, while skipping over some of the more confronting and compelling issues.

But the crux of The Runaways is the performances, with Shannon delivering a suitably sociopathic turn as Fowley and Alia Shawkat makes the most of her small supporting role. Yet it is Stewart and Fanning who steal the show. In case you did not know already, they make this film their declaration that they are no longer child stars, but rather young-adult actresses who deliver tour de force performances. Fanning's David Bowie-esque Currie is as beautiful contradiction, a vulnerable and undecided teenager off stage and a fierey sex kitten on it. Besides her uncanny resemblance to Jett, Stewart ozzes the rock `n' roll mentality and her brooding, attitude-filled performance is reminiscent of a young James Dean.

Flashy and feisty, The Runaways is an entertaining piece of pop art, but it fails to delve deeper into the real story. For an accurate account see former bassist Victory Tischler-Blue's documentary Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways. Sure, from a technical perspective it may be one of the worst documentaries I’ve seen, but she captures the band’s truly amazing story in interviews and mind blowing revelations. Watch it. In other news, I interviewed her a few weeks ago and she describes Jett as a “fucking c#nt” so she deserves your props for that.

Strike Anywhere worked directly with Pinterest’s in-house creative team to develop and execute the campaign, coming up with a concept that would portray the exchange of ideas and share of discoveries in action. Strike Anywhere weaves three narratives across the globe to deftly illustrate the creative applications of Pinterest messaging, from the simple domestic tasks to complex technological feats.

We watch as one couple partners to create that night’s dinner, a pair adventures on the maiden voyage of a handmade canoe, and one team swaps spaceship concept art to create tomorrow’s blockbuster. The directing collective infuses the spot with a feeling of warmth throughout, as the dulcet tones of the stirring backing track give the action a dynamic drive.

With “Say Hello,” Strike Anywhere crafts a spot that simply and effectively communicates a sense of possibility and celebrates the collaborative imagination of the Pinterest network.

Credits:
Client: Pinterest
Production Company: Strike Anywhere
Director: Strike Anywhere
Line Producer: Laura Smith
Director of Photography: Michael Gioulakis
Director of Photography Japan: Jay Keitel
Editor: Josh Rosenfield
Editor: Matt Sklar
Colorist: Ayumi Ashley
Sound Design & Mix: Snap Sound
Track: Kishi Bashi “Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!”
Writer & Content Strategist, Pinterest: Kim O’Rourke
Creative Director of Product Marketing, Pinterest: Skip Bronkie

The Tattooed Jeans

Japanese Jeans by Levi's

The company suggests to bring the unique design of drawings in any jeans shop Levi's (only in Japan) and to make for itself exclusive jeans from Levi's.

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Standard Advertising, Osaka, Japan
Production company: THE DIRECTORS ALLIANCE
Producer: Nick Uemura
Director: Yuji Shiota
Director of Photography: Martin Ahlgren
Sound: Jónsi ”Grow Till Tail”
Cast: Keisuke Honda

The problem: the bluefin tuna ought to be on the endangered list. It's not, because Japan and China have bribes to keep it off that list. If asians don't take bluefin off the menu, it's likely to go extinct pretty soon.

Our solution: we wanted people to realize that eating bluefin tuna is like eating panda. We offered panda meat for sale online (www.panda-meat.com) and through sampling booths set up in supermatkets, street markets and travel fairs.

The response: "You sick bastards." "How could you kill pandas?" and "I'm calling the police." were the most common initial reactions. But once we pointes out the double standards, it was "really? I didn't know." and "I'll never eat bluefin again." 171,467 people pledged to give up eating bluefin. Needless to say, no pandas were harmed in the experiment.

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Ogilvy, Singapore
Chief Creative Officer: Steve Back
Creative Directors: Juggi Ramakrishnan, Richard Copping
Art Directors: Richard Copping, Anthony Tham
Copywriter: Juggi Ramakrishnan
Producers: Amarjeet Kaur, Alvin Chin
Sound: The Gunnery
Post Production: Critica, Hogarth
Photographer: Teo
Studio Stock Images: Getty, Corbis
DI: Procolor