Weekly Blog Parts: Sekai no NabeAtsu

Even bit comedians in Japan manage to get their own blog parts, so this week’s selection features funnyman 世界のナベアツ　(Sekai no NabeAtsu), known for his amazing ability to count and (in this case) act like an idiot for all numbers that are multiples of three or have a three in them. Other acts call for him to act as a dog for multiples of five…and so forth.

This embeddable clock widget for your blog tells you the time while demonstrating his shtick, though you’ll have to watch the video to get the full effect. Oh, the hilarity!

We haven’t checked on the existence of Hard Gay or Dondake?! blog parts since they may have missed this trend by a year or two, but keep your eyes open for the inevitable Sekai no NabeAtsu Kitchen Timer, coming to a UFO Catcher near you!

Tags: Blog Parts, Comedy, Sekai no Nabe Atsu
Category: DIGITAL LIFE
Other categories: MARKETING IDEAS, LIFESTYLE / FASHION, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS

Weekly Blog Parts: AU Fan Meeting

A little late on the Weekly Blog Parts, I know, but it’s time for the next AU Fan Meeting! KDDI’s AU mobile provider does this event online, where users register ahead of time, choose a character, and then all meet together at the agreed time at the AU Fan website. In this case, it’s June 3rd, 2008 at noon, Tokyo time.

New products, collaborations, and other news are given at the Fan Meeting first, giving online users unique connection to the brand. Kind of like debuting a new handset in Second Life, but in a much more practical way that resonates with more casual PC users. Above are the countdown blog parts you get when you register, and you can click on them to play three mini-games on the browser.

Tags: AU, Blog Parts, KDDI, Mobile
Category: DIGITAL LIFE, MARKETING IDEAS
Other categories: LIFESTYLE / FASHION, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS

Weekly Blog Parts: Uniqlo UT loop

Coming off of last year’s popular UniQlock blog parts, casual retail giant UniQlo has made a nifty little widget that you can customize with your own “beats” from their library. The UT loop has lot of claps, laughs, and other snippets to piece together with your keypad. Then, upload and share.

I made one under the name CScoutJapan, but it won’t embed correctly because Firefox and Wordpress, despite my love of both, do not reciprocate my affections.

Tags: Blog Parts, Uniqlo, widgets
Category: DIGITAL LIFE, MARKETING IDEAS
Other categories: LIFESTYLE / FASHION, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS

Weekly Blog Parts: Sekisui BlogHeim

Japanese pre-fab house builder Sekisui has created a nifty little blog part that allows you to create your own little Sims-like homestead for your blog. Of course your house is chosen from Sekisui’s digitalized collection of modern homes, and you can pick your own family, the weather, and a special message. There’s also a photo album feature that we uploaded a few to.

The marketing aspect is that you get to test out the house, kick the tires as it were, against the elements by the click of a button. Earthquakes and fires might destroy the neighboring homes, but not the Domani LX!

Build your own Sekisui digital pad here (Japanese only). However, there’s a burglar around as well, so don’t say you weren’t warned.

Tags: Blog Parts, Pre-Fab
Category: DIGITAL LIFE, MARKETING IDEAS
Other categories: LIFESTYLE / FASHION, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS

Weekly Blog Parts: Cup Noodle Timer

Nissin, maker of the classic Cup Noodle instant ramen that has helped keep students in beer money for a few decades, has now begun a campaign to modernize in an ECO-friendly way. Gone are the old polystyrene cups, and in are the paper cups that have been dominating the low-calorie instant ramen market as of late.

Nissin has already been producing it’s Eco Cup refills for some time now, but this doesn’t seem to have caught on well with consumers who prefer a cup with their Cup Noodles.

Above is an embeddable “blog part” widget that can be your private cup noodle timer.

Pour. Click. Eat.

Tags: Blog Parts, FMCG, food
Category: DIGITAL LIFE, MARKETING IDEAS
Other categories: LIFESTYLE / FASHION, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS