Tokyo - Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon Tokyo recently launched a viral campaign for Citi Cards aimed at young adults offering credit cards that have an array of special rewards and bonus features. The campaign involves six short films around characters named Itarery & Tsukusery.
If you understand Japanese, you may already be laughing. That's because the names are derived out of the Japanese phrase 至れり、尽くせり [Itarery tsukusery] which literally implies "service or treatment so good that it leaves nothing to be desired". The only way to describe turning this phrase into the actual names of two animated cartoon characters that happen to be odd-duck foreigners living in a big city is outrageous.
Of course, to reach young adults who spurn traditional advertising campaigns, especially those from banks and credit card companies, outrageous is probably the way to go. That's why the films are so unusual, full of plays on words, hidden meanings, hard to notice visual jokes and a graphic style that is very edgy.
Supporting the campaign effort is an online game run in partnership with Naked and Twitter activity supported by Dentsu.
Three of the six films have been released so far on the Citi Cards Japan website so you can view them here at: http://www.itarerytsukusery.com
Versions with English subtitles available for viewing upon request.