Play
Station
Everyone knows PlayStation as a gaming console, but fewer realized that the PS3 was also a versatile entertainment hub—capable of playing YouTube videos, Blu-ray DVDs, and even recording TV. Our mission was to highlight this multi-functionality in a way that felt playful and uniquely Japanese.
In Japanese, “multi-purpose” translates to banno. And in the world of food, there’s a green onion called banno negi—the “multi-purpose onion.” We imagined a talk show where PS3 and Banno Negi compared their versatility: PS3 boasting features like YouTube and Blu-ray, while Banno Negi countered with grilled onion or onion ramen.
The conversations were deliberately random and seemingly meaningless, yet they effectively highlighted PS3’s lesser-known functions and generated significant buzz. The series of commercials was voiced by comedians BAKARHYTHM (as PS3) and Seiko Ito (as Banno Negi). Though we never explicitly revealed the casting, audiences quickly recognized their voices, adding another layer of humor and engagement.
Live talk show
To extend the idea beyond commercials, we organized a live talk show featuring the PS3, Banno Negi, and guests known for their “multi-functionality.” The event was streamed online and allowed viewers to interact in real time through Twitter—a setup that was quite ambitious in 2010 and far more challenging than it would be today.
As part of the experience, we created an onion-growing machine powered by social media. Every time someone tweeted with a specific hashtag, water was dispensed onto pods containing onion seeds. The concept sounded simple, but the backend system was complex. Together with Rhizomatiks, we made it work—fresh onions were literally grown through social media interaction.
Finally, these young onions were harvested, prepared by a sushi chef, and served to the show’s guests. And yes, they were delicious. 🍣