au is the Japanese cell phone company with the best reputation amongst consumers for handset design. A couple of years ago they opened the spiffy four-story KDDI au Designing Studio in Tokyo to showcase each season's new models and to host special promotional events.
If it isn't already clear from the above picture, au's latest promotion involves a tie-up with Sony Pictures (Columbia) and the movie Spiderman 3. In addition to the life-size model of Spidey scaling the au building, a number of exhibits related to the film are on display inside.
The benefits to Sony are obvious, since this structure is located at the mouth of Takeshita Doori, one of Japan's most famous youth-oriented shopping streets where thousands of people pass by every hour. For au, not only does the eye-catching display lure consumers inside where they can encounter new products, thanks to special arrangements with Sony, au is also using the tie-up to promote its new auction site which has a number of original Spiderman 3 promotional items up for bidding. On the PR front, both companies win since proceeds from the auction have been promised to charity.
BTW, Spiderman 3 opens in Japan on May 1.
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