Videos: Darth Vader Promotes The Galaxy S In Japan

Serkan Toto

Dr. Serkan Toto is an independent consultant and advisor focusing on Japan’s web, mobile and social gaming industries. Based in Tokyo, he works together with financial institutions and startups worldwide. Serkan has been the Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com since 2008. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. → Learn More

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Back in April, Japan’s largest cell phone carrier, NTT DoComo, began running a bizarre promotion campaign in Tokyo (which prompted me to go out and post this photo report on MobileCrunch). Docomo used Darth Vader in a number of weird posters and viral video clips, without saying why and what Vader was supposed to promote.

Now it turns out the campaign was part of a bigger marketing strategy to boost awareness in Japan for a specific phone: the Samsung Galaxy, which is provided exclusively by Docomo in this country (Galaxy-Star Wars-Darth Vader, get it?).

Another big stretch: Darth Vader is supposed to act as a representation of the cell phone, as he is “always with you” – well, OK.

Here’s a Darth Vader/Docomo promo clip for the Galaxy S:

Here’s him appearing during a Docomo press conference in Tokyo a few days ago (jump to the 2.00 min mark)

Via Wall Street Journal Japan

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