Walk into a cafe in Tokyo later this month, and you may see a Western-looking mannequin holding a PSP unit and displaying an expression of shock. Don't fret -- this isn't the Japanese National Police Department's latest scheme at warning the Japanese public of the threat of foreign invaders. It's just Sony Computer Entertainment's new PSP campaign.
Starting on 11/22 and continuing on to 11/28, visitors at the Cafe At Ide in the upclass Minami Ayoyama region of Tokyo will be able to witness first hand the new marketing campaign. SCE will place mannequins in the cafe, with each mannequin holding a PSP. The mannequins will have a look of surprise and shock on their faces, suggesting that the PSP really is "all that."
Following the initial debut, the mannequin campaign will continue on to other cafes throughout the city, including Tsutaya Tokyo Roppongi, Maru Building and Marunouchi Oazo. These are all pretty up-class establishments, suggesting that SCE is going after a somewhat intellectual crowd (maybe we won't be allowed near the exhibit).
These aren't just generic mannequins, either. SCE hired a company called Yamato Mannequin to design 15 male and female mannequins for use in the campaign. Thirty mannequins were created from these designs, and each was given its own name and background story. Later this month, interested parties will be able to check out a PSP-related website to be introduced to the cast of the campaign
We plan on visiting Team PSP early next week when the display makes its debut. Afterall, we wouldn't want to miss out on what's probably the strangest campaign since Kenji Eno offered to hand-deliver copies of Enemy Zero to a few "lucky" players back in 1998.
