Those who take up the challenge will get a free ice cream in return.

Nobody does marketing in Japan quite like Burger King. After poking fun at its main competitor through cryptic posters, the chain continues to surprise and delight customers with ideas that come from left-field, including its latest campaign, dubbed “Trick or Treat“.

Available only from 2-6 p.m. on 31 October, the campaign aims to promote the Halloween custom of trick or treating, which is yet to catch on in Japan. To take part, all you have to do is say the words “Trick or Treat” to the staff member outside a Burger King store during the campaign period, and you’ll receive a free soft serve in return.

The only catch is you have to be aged 18 or younger to receive the free treat, and it will only be available to the first 30 customers at every Burger King store around the country.

 

One other catch is there may be some stores where the campaign isn’t available, and the Shibuya Center-Gai branch is one such location. It’s not like the Center Gai branch doesn’t want to take part — it simply can’t, due to it being closed on 31 October. The one-night closure is part of its alliance with Shibuya’s desire to clamp down on Halloween celebrations due to unruly behaviour, and though it shuts its doors to customers, who would otherwise gather in and around the store, the Center-Gai branch still celebrates the holiday by giving its frontage a creepy makeover during the closure.

▼ The taped frontage, with the words “臨時休業” (“rinjikyuugyou” or “temporary suspension of business”), gives the store an eerie, abandoned look.

The nightmarish storefront is like a gift to passers by looking to be spooked on Halloween, and if it helps to frighten people away from the area, all the better, as far as Shibuya City is concerned. After implementing measures to keep the area safe on the unruliest night of the year, Shibuya is keen to polish its tarnished image, and initiatives like this help to strike a good balance between strict measures and maintaining goodwill amongst visitors.

As the king of marketing in Japan, Shibuya might want to take a leaf out of Burger King’s book and create some new campaigns of its own to keep the peace on its streets. Perhaps a rewards-based “Trick or Treat” stamp rally that extends away from the scramble crossing and Center Gai district would help to disperse crowds and encourage good behaviour while shining a light on lesser-known areas and businesses, where participants can pick up free vouchers or rewards. That’s an idea I could totally get behind, so if you’re reading this and you work for Shibuya City, message me and we can make it happen!

Source, images: Press release
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