Interest
Cup Noodle Goes Deep to Develop Slurp-Cancelling Fork
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Cup Noodle is no stranger to unique campaigns to promote its quick meals in a cup. Its nostalgia-focused "Hungry Days" ads showed interpretations of classic female characters aged up as high school girls. Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service and the classic Heidi, Girl of the Alps appeared so far and the project is even getting exhibitions in Japan and Taiwan. The product's "mystery meat" was the subject of a Detective Conan mystery and the company thought up some pretty wild items when it collaborated with Final Fantasy XV.
Nissin's latest ad is a little more down to earth and focuses on the different customs of noodle eating between native Japanese and foreigners. Namely, slurping. A cursory search on the internet will reveal that slurping noodles in Japan is customary and some argue even enhance the flavor of ramen. In the ad, Nissin reveals the habit is uncomfortable for some and, after extensive research, the company has created a tool to keep both groups happy.
According to the ad, the Otohiko fork interacts with a smartphone app, detects slurping noises, and then signals the app to create a counter-noise that cancels the slurping out. In this way, slurpers can slurp but those nearby don't have to listen to it.
Otohiko is the first product of Nisshin's “Product X (PEKE)” series.There are currently plans to produce a limited 5,000 utensils for 14,800 yen (US$130) each. The item has to receive the 5,000 preorders by December 15 to be produced at all. Orders will then ship approximately three months later.
[Via Hachima Kikō]
