Since March 8, you may have been seeing umbrellas around Tokyo printed with graphics for a new Xbox 360 and PS3 mahjong game.

An ad agency came up with the idea, providing the umbrellas for free to participating stores. If it rains, customers get a free umbrella, and the stores get to provide a friendly service at no cost and can even encourage customers to come back by attaching coupons.

From the perspective of the sponsors, they not only get an advertising opportunity each time it rains, the ads can blanket the whole city, not just one area. Further, as the umbrellas work as coupons, the users will hang on to them, reducing waste. Looks like a win-win situation all around.

Source: zenryoku.co.jp via Akiba Keizai Shinbun (Japanese）
Photo: mantan-web.jp(Japanese）