I told myself I would avoid more of the gossipy articles, but there’s no denying they’ve been a huge part of being a SMAP fan since the disbanding uproar in 2016.
Shelved Monster Strike CM for Tsuyoshi
Shinchou Weekly originally reported Tsuyoshi Kusanagi had a commercial for the popular game, Monster Strike. The CM was to air in December, however it has since been shelved.
Why?
It turns out SMAP’s former company opened a criminal investigation into TicketCamp for copyright infringement. TicketCamp facilitates the selling of concert/play/etc tickets between parties. TicketCamp belongs to Hunza, whose parent company is Mixi. Mixi just happens to also be the parent company of XFlag, which is responsible for Monster Strike.
It’s speculated that SMAP’s former company decided to bring up criminal charges against TicketCamp due to the timing of Tsuyoshi’s Monster Strike commercial.
An anonymous entertainment reporter says the events and jobs for the three (Goro, Tsuyoshi, and Shingo) have to be kept in complete secrecy as a precaution from J&A interference. If the news is leaked beforehand, the chance of that the former company will interfere is high.
A representative of SMAP’s former company denied any interference on their part.
Source: Thanks to Former Company, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi is without a CM (Japanese)
Source: Wikipedia – Mixi (Japanese)
Personal Comments
True or not, this paints the picture for other companies to not work with Goro, Tsuyoshi, or Shingo. Sure, that former company denied it… but considering they said that they wouldn’t interfere with the ending of any of Goro/Tsuyoshi/Shingo’s shows and allow the shows to continue if they as individuals wanted them to… and then we lost SmaStation. I mean, Shingo went on live apologizing to everyone they all wanted (himself included!) the show to continue, except it couldn’t since he picked a new path…
I’m not going to believe a representative from a company that has consistently lied.
Successful Suntory CM deal for Shingo & Goro
Daily Shinchou spoke with the someone from Suntory PR department about the new All Free commercial starring Goro and Shingo. Quotes from the interview are below.
What is your reason for choosing those two?
The contents and design underwent a major renovation. With the All Free message of taking a new step forward, we found it appropriate to select Mr. Katori and Mr. Inagaki, who are also taking new steps forward.
Did you not select Tsuyoshi Kusanagi due to him still having the image of a drunk since the 2009 incident? (Daily Shinchou assumed that Suntory PR would say ‘I cannot talk about the specifics of the contract,’ but the rep did not say that.)
No, no. It’s because Tsuyoshi Kusanagi is working with a rival company, Asahi Group.
Mr. Kusanagi has been appointed to “Ippon Manzoku Bar” since 2010, and it’s continued since leaving Johnny’s & Associates in September of last year. Since the Yamasa “Kombu Ponzu” contract ended last June, when it became known that the “Ippon Manzoku Bar” [deal] would continue, Asahi heard the approving voices of SMAP fans. Nonetheless, it looks like the continuation of the contract has greatly perplexed Dentsu.
Appointing them is a risk to Suntory, why do it?
For Suntory, we have sharp ideas without thinking about the good or bad. For example, in 2015, there was an uproar about Sanoken (Kenjiro Sano) and plagiarism over the Olympic emblem. Even so, we used him the next year without fearing viewers. Hikaru Utada became a topic in the Suntory Spring Water advertisement. That’s why even now, we acted without caring about criticism from Johnny’s. I feel we do a good job too with another product using [Johnny’s] Kondo Masahiko.
Source: Daily Shincho