17 replies to this topic

[keaine]

This is a thread to gather your promotional ideas for H!P, whether they would be done by H!P themselves, or by the fans. Remember the title of the topic: "PR ideas for Hello!Project". Ideas, not wishes. That is, that would be better if you could give some form of background. Just saying "I'd like another TV show for H!P" isn't enough. Imagine you're in a brainstorming meeting for a new promotional gimmick. You can't just say "I want another TV show". You may not go into the little details (like "should we add balloons to the stage?"), your idea can be a little vague, but you have to give the core idea behind your project. I'll say it again, but keep that in mind: "Imagine you're in a brainstorming meeting for a new promotional gimmick." So of course, even if you haven't any ideas, you can discuss the ideas of others.

 

If you could think of your idea in relation with the current status of H!P, that would be better. For example, "I'd like another H!P sports festival for MM 20th anniversary" is a good idea, but keep in mind that this sort of thing is expensive, so either you believe UF has a lot of money to spend on that, or you believe UF could gather sponsors, either of them being not necessarily true (to say the least). I'm not saying you should only do very realistic ideas with accountability done and all, but just keep this sort of logistic problems in mind.

 

Apart from these very technical aspects, your idea can be absolutely anything related to promotion, from the most basic ideas, to very sophisticated views. Let's be creative.

 

To be clearer, I'll begin with an example I've thought of myself. This is only an example, you don't have to follow it, you don't have to follow the structure of my explanation.

 

A sort of "what's in the box" roulette

Well, I've already given this idea in another forum, but I'll say it here. The idea is simple: you have a box, in which there could be either a present, a treat, or... a "batsu game", but we don't see it. The players (here the members) will discuss if they should take the box for themselves or not, given that of course, only one person can have what's inside the box. To spice things up, we can give hints (misleading ones are the best) to help the players. At the end of the day, we ask "who'd like to take the box?"

- If exactly one person raises her hand, she takes the box (and either she's happy, or we're having a good laugh)

- If more than one person raises their hands, there has to be a game to decide who will take it (preferably not a long game, something really short)

- If noone raises their hand, then the box goes to noone, and if there was a present in there, well... too bad.

 

Variations:

- We can make the audience see the box, just for the game to be funnier for them

- We can add a "let's make a deal" type of game afterwards. The person who has the box can be given the choice of taking another box, which can be worse, or better than the one she curently holds. Just to add another sense of frustration. Of course, the best would be that this sort of deal doesn't appear each time, and you can't know when it will, so that if a member is given a "batsu game" box, she won't automatically escape that one.

 

More details:

- I think that for the game to be funny, there sometimes has to be a really great gift, like tickets to Disneyland, or being treated to a very good restaurant with your family, or something like that. Of course, there should be some teasing, like "there could be tickets to Disneyland in there, you know???". That is to ensure some sort of incentive to take the box. Well, if there were only modest presents and batsu games, noone would take the box in the end, wouldn't they? But of course, these sorts of greats gifts shouldn't be too common (giving like 2 tickets to Disneyland every week becomes expensive in the end, you know?). On the contrary, you can make absolutely any batsu game.

- One other aspect we could develop is to make it "periodically". Not at given dates, but, like once in a while. That could be another thing to take into account when discussing whether to take the box or not. 

 

Where and when to do this:

Absolutely anytime and anywhere. You've seen the idea, it doesn't require a lot of things: a box, a present or a batsu game, and this is it. You can do it as a surprise MC, for a "The Girls Live" segment, during handshakes, in DVD magazines, in birthday events, or other events, in some TV shows when they have an appearance etc. One very positive aspect of this game is that it doesn't cost a lot. I can really see them doing it like, right away. And I don't think it comes against the Japanese culture, well, maybe giving presents like that isn't that Japanese, but I don't think it will hurt. Plus, and that's another good point, that's short.

 

May I give an example of how it could turn out?

 

Spoiler

What follows is pure fiction

 

So during an MC in a Morning Musume。 concert, someone (yeah, I think it would be better if someone outside the group is hosting, maybe a KSS would be fine), let's say Ichioka, comes with the box and introduces the new game's name (I don't know how to name it actually...) She presents the game: "In this box, there is either a great gift, perhaps even some tickets to Disneyland, or a batsu game. You can't see it. But I can show it to the audience. *shows it to the audience* Only one person can win the fanstatic thing that's inside the box, so you'll have to decide between yourselves. We'll have a little game if you can't decide."

Kudou: "Can't we have just a hint of what's inside?"

Ichioka: "Mmm. Let's say a hint is 'Mouse'"

Kudou: "Mmm, I don't feel it. There may even be a dead mouse in it." *audience laughs* <- well, they know what's inside

Satou: "Hey, she talked about Disneyland, so mouse -> Mickey -> Disneyland, that's possible. You talked about Disneyland, did you? Are you sure there really could be tickets to Disneyland in there?"

Ichioka: "Yes"

Satou: "Well, let's try it. Even if it's a batsu game, it can't be that bad a batsu game, can it?"

Everyone: "..."

Satou: "You're not going to let me have this alone, are you?"

Ikuta: "Okay, I'll follow."

Iikubo: "Me too."

Ogata: "Me too."

Nonaka: "Me too."

Makino: "Me too."

Fukumura: "Me too."

Kaga: "Me too."

Haga: "Me too."

Yokoyama: "Me too."

Ishida: "Me too."

Everyone except Ishida: "We'll let you" <- that's a famous gag, I just wanted to put it here. See https://www.youtube....h?v=j0iqZW-LjKs

Ishida: "What's this? Come on, everyone..."

Ichioka: "Then, we'll come to the decision. Those who want the box raise their hands."

Ishida raises her hand alone.

Ishida: "Like, yeah, there could be tickets to Disneyland, could they?"

Ichioka: "So the box goes to Ishida-san. Congratulations! Now open it to see what's inside."

She opens it, and it turns out, there's a mouse costume in there. Expect a Daiishi face.

Ichioka: "The batsu game is: "you have to perform the following songs with that costume.""

She goes off a second to wear it, and comes back:

Iikubo: "It suits you very well!"

Ishida: "Really? Yokoyama?!"

Yokoyama: "Yes, yes, very well."

Ishida: "Look at what you're making her say..." *laughs*

Fukumura: "And next song..."

 

End of the sequence

[keaine]

That topic isn't really taking off...

 

But anyway, another idea:

 

A kind of a different kind of variety show. That would be a quiz show with fans.

 

In fact I have two different ideas of that thing, that are different enough to justify two parts to my post:

 

First idea

 

A sort of casual quiz show with fans and members. More precisely, there would be two teams with one fan and two or three H!P members. That would make kind of a different interaction with idols compared to what we usually see. One problem would be that maybe not all fans would be delighted being seen in front of a camera, but come on, two people isn't that difficult to find, is it?

 

I don't have a more precise idea of the format, but I'd say that I'd like some funny questions. Like, I don't know how they do it, but they manage to make the quiz segment on H!S not really interesting, because they made it a cultural thing whereas in Japan, quiz have always been the support for comedy (and that's why "Who wants to be a millionaire?" didn't really work there); strangely enough, the quiz is always serious and they build comedy on it. Why couldn't we add some silly questions? Maybe some questions where the answer is obvious but the question itself is funny.

 

 

 

Second idea

 

A "Who is the best wota?" type of quiz. Again, no idea of the format, but, I don't know, the history of H!P is long enough to justify something like that.

[Otak48]

I like this thread already! I have some ideas about HP, because I almost can't find anything interesting about them beside their performances.

 

Dancing Queen

 

It is a popular gimmick in Kpop to showcase the group's ability to dance with songs in random order (reference Weekly Idol) or in fastened play (like 2x speed). This corner can be used as gimmick in concert or TGL or DVD magazines. One group in the camera will try to dance their dance routines from their discography, but also other groups' songs (like Angerme try to do Momusu's Mukidashi) and have fun with it. The idea also come with a competition of random dance ability between 2 members from different groups. Some of the game that I already think are:

 

1. Random songs dance

2. 2x speed dance

3. Random speed dance (They try to dance one entire song with different playback speed)

4. Random dance queen (Two groups will try to compete who are the best dancer. Extra points will be given to the group who can dance another group's dance routine)

5. Without BGM live (They try to dance to a song without a BGM and try to sing live)

 

But I think those games will be too easy to HP, isn't it? But I think kind of games like this is so fun and make pride of fan because it may shows how talented HP girls are (or even more praise like Kpop fans crazed about in comment section for every gimmick like this)

 

"I'm in the MV" ~Have Fun with Your Chores~

 

Who like to cleaning their home, washing clothes, and other house works with earphone plugged in the ears? Like listening to a ballad song in the bus while seeing rainy-gloomy-scenery from the window, it is like a MV, isn't it? I imagine this will be one of games in DVD magazine, or bonus variety in single or album. The idea is, the girls will be separated into two teams, and do a chore like cleaning bathroom, watering plants, or get ready to school, as a song will be played. They have to lip-sync of it while doing their activity, however in the chorus part, they have to go to a wide spot to dance. The winning team is the one who can finish the work before the song ends. 

 

The fun point is they have to be ready as possible to take a dance position while maintaining their work's quality. 

 

Hello! Project Super Mix Encore

 

In many HP concerts, we can find a clip when member from different groups perform one song together. This is the unprepared version. Before the concert, all members will learn three or four songs that already decided for encore, but in the D-day, no one knows when or who the song will be played. So in the Encore corner, all members will sit in the stage while MC speaking, and in the moment, fans in concert will vote what song will be played and who will perform it. 

 

It is look like a hell, but it is a challenge to show that HP girls can have a charm and chemistry between other members. The difficulty is how to decide the singing parts, so I think it will be better if the fan voting will take the time between first minutes or first MC in the concert, while the singing parts will be decided behind the stage. Quite a work, I know.

 

Judge My Song!

 

Members may produce their own song with HP's staffs to produce it. It will be shown in one concert, where they can perform their produced songs. In the end of each performance, a commentary from judges will be given. The end prize is, fans can vote their favorite performance. All songs will be included in album, and Top 3 songs will have a music video.

 

I want to remake the MV!

 

Remember how fans irritated by how HP makes their MV? Now it is the time to fix that! HP will open application for detailed concept of MV to a song, and the Top 10 will be decided in a variety show, with commentary from the group whose the song applied to have a remake. Top 10 will be a MV DVD, and the fun thing like the group try to experimenting of the concept, while the fan will be the director, will be a fun part of the gimmick. The application will be opened each year, with different "challenge" each year. Like for example, you have to imagine a MV concept with total budget of 10,000 yen, or you have to make a MV with mockumentary concept.

 

One Day with Graduated Lady

 

We like to see our favorite member doing well after they graduate. The idea is pretty simple, will be one of event in Girls Night Out, when the current member will visit and accompany a graduated member for one day. The event will follows how is the effort that the graduated member have to put to finishing her day. A nice closing with her commentary about HP, their current day, and their future will be featured. The aim of this event is to gain more graduated fan to give one more chance to know their favorite oshimen and try to reconcile with the idea of being a fan and have fun in HP for a moment.

 

MV Parody

 

Each group will be showcased together in separate place and try to remake the other group's song's MV. Can featured in Hello Station, how the idea and fun things developed by the members, and the finished product will be shown together in the group's YT channel.

 

... and what's nice if they start to make eng sub for some weekly shows in YT. 

[keaine]

^ On the contrary, it's because I love them that I'm frustrated that they aren't more recognized. I can understand the feeling that promotion here and there can feel "dirty" in a sense, but there has to be some.

 

But I'll comment your ideas (or ideas you took from Kpop):

 

Dancing Queen

 

That's not easy to pull off a dance like that. I think this would need quite some preparation beforehand, and maybe they won't have it. Contrary to Kpop idols, not every H!P idol is an excellent dancer. To do this, I think you need a group with no average dancer in it. The only group I can see doing it easily is °C-ute at the moment.

 

In fact there was a corner on H!S where Sayashi and Ishida were learning choreographies from other groups:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=zLMLOcBrM2A

 

"I'm in the MV" ~Have Fun with Your Chores~

 

I'm not convinced to be honest. That may be something in Korea, but I don't really see it as really funny in Japan, because idols don't have the same image in the two countries.

 

Hello! Project Super Mix Encore

 

That could be a thing if the songs aren't too difficult, but I think that in a way, H!P has, if not an image, at least an idea of serious performances. MCs don't count obviously, but I think that they want to preserve that. So, although I think it's quite a good idea, I don't think it fits. And, yeah, you really can't do that with songs that are too hard to perform.

 

Judge My Song!

 

That also takes some time, and producing a song is like a real job. What I mean is that not a lot of people can pull that off. We know Satou Masaki can do it, but would you imagine, I don't know, Ozeki, Haga doing it?

 

And actually, if I remember correctly, I think Fudanjuku did a song production contest once, with a public vote. I'd need some confirmation here.

 

I want to remake the MV!

 

I think everyone remembers the MV directing contest for Morning Musume。'14. I think everyone agrees that was a good idea. But at the same time, UFP has been very conservative about that, listing the resulting MV (https://www.youtube....h?v=GtboKJ4D8zg) as "another ver.". While it could be described as a bit disturbing at times, or a patchwork, it had some good ideas. The thing is I think they want to keep control of the artistic aspect of the production. Plus, I think you can't do proper MVs with 10,000 yen. Really.

 

One Day with Graduated Lady

 

The first question that comes to mind is: is it a good idea to divert attention from the current H!P to concentrate on OGs? I think they have enough promotion by themselves. I also don't think it will do what you want it to do, because I don't think OG fans will come back to current groups just by putting them together.

 

MV Parody

 

It can be a good idea, but it takes some time and space. I'm feeling there's something like the "Idol dance club" in Pussuma in it.

 

There's a great difference between subbing a 4 or 5-minute long MV once in a while and subbing a 50 or 60-minute long show every week. I think they would have to hire more people to translate it. Then again, they could let fans do it (you know there's a "add subs" option in Youtube), but that's not really professional and maybe a bit risky.

 

 

 

If you take a pre-existing concept from another country, you have to pay them for that concept. Plus with the current relations between South Korea and Japan, I'm not totally sure that would be viewed positively.

[Otak48]

^ Yeah I'm convinced with how Kpop fans always making such a positive commentary over some of their variety, and in other theme, I praised how Neo Dokkiri with '14 can showing their dance and singing ability really well. And thank you mate for the comment.

 

The main idea of several events that I wrote is mainly how fans can get more connected to their artists, and having fun with them. The gimmick is quite handful in AKB, but HP is just ... , even I never know they have a fun corner in DVD magazine. Kpop fans really make a hurrah over MR removed and random dance videos, so I thought the same concept will be interesting.

[keaine]

^ The thing is, people pay to buy DVD magazines and not when they watch television. So UFP earns more money by putting variety on DVDs than on TV. I think that's their way of thinking.

[keaine]

Why couldn't Morning Musume songs be promoted on nightclubs?

[miyooooons]

I like this thread already! I have some ideas about HP, because I almost can't find anything interesting about them beside their performances.

 

Dancing Queen

 

It is a popular gimmick in Kpop to showcase the group's ability to dance with songs in random order (reference Weekly Idol) or in fastened play (like 2x speed). This corner can be used as gimmick in concert or TGL or DVD magazines. One group in the camera will try to dance their dance routines from their discography, but also other groups' songs (like Angerme try to do Momusu's Mukidashi) and have fun with it. The idea also come with a competition of random dance ability between 2 members from different groups. Some of the game that I already think are:

 

1. Random songs dance

2. 2x speed dance

3. Random speed dance (They try to dance one entire song with different playback speed)

4. Random dance queen (Two groups will try to compete who are the best dancer. Extra points will be given to the group who can dance another group's dance routine)

5. Without BGM live (They try to dance to a song without a BGM and try to sing live)

 

One Day with Graduated Lady

 

We like to see our favorite member doing well after they graduate. The idea is pretty simple, will be one of event in Girls Night Out, when the current member will visit and accompany a graduated member for one day. The event will follows how is the effort that the graduated member have to put to finishing her day. A nice closing with her commentary about HP, their current day, and their future will be featured. The aim of this event is to gain more graduated fan to give one more chance to know their favorite oshimen and try to reconcile with the idea of being a fan and have fun in HP for a moment.

 

MV Parody

 

Each group will be showcased together in separate place and try to remake the other group's song's MV. Can featured in Hello Station, how the idea and fun things developed by the members, and the finished product will be shown together in the group's YT channel.

 

... and what's nice if they start to make eng sub for some weekly shows in YT. 

I really like these ideas. Especially the Random Play Dance and the Random Speed Dance. 
I think it would be cool to start out groups with RPD and RSD with their own songs, and as the weeks go on they start playing other groups' songs.
The game can cycle between each group weekly. Would be cool if the segment lasted 10-15 and there was a fun host like Makoto. The one on Weekly Idol with KPOP idols is really fun to watch and the members can showcase their personalities really easily. They don't have to be amazing dancers, it's even more fun to see them stumble around and mess up when the song changes. It would be fun to watch even for non-Japanese speakers.

[keaine]

I have an idea which comes from the idea of cheki events. But instead of describing which pose to do with the member(s), saying something more vague. For example, a "summer pose". And then you wait for their poses and comment them.

 

(Yes I know it's near impossible to do at a real cheki event, but I'm just telling a "global" idea, "inspired" by cheki events)

[keaine]

ok, now that UFP officially asked for viewers' requests concerning their youtube shows, couldn't we put our ideas here, so that people could comment and improve them?

[Muyim Pimoup]

i think many games in DVD Magazine should be done in their show,, as for example, i find from the latest HP DVD Magazine vol.57, the random character short skit is entertaining,,

they could introduce various characters to pick at random draw,, members will improvise the story,, 

[Juandalyn]

Yes. Their DVD content is often quite enjoyable, but too bad that it's just on DVD. That's not how you reach non-fans. It doesn't have to be much, but skits or games could easily be added to Hello! Station.

Personally for me, I don't care about interviews or readings or such. Rehearsals neither. 

 

What could also be fun: Challenges. Not dares, mind you, but challenges. Let the girls talk about their concert destinations, like what they like about the city/prefecture, whether or not they have something they'd recommend (a certain park, a speciality dish, etc.). What I also liked was when they learned dances of another group (I remember Dawa teaching Taiki Bansei to Riho and Ayumi). Do silly puns. Develop characters - not exactly idol personas like Momochi or Sayumi the poison tongue, but something like Eric Kamezou. Let them have short group battles where the winner gets something tasty and the loser some bitter juice or tea. Karaoke battles, minigame battles, something like this isn't as language heavy either so it can also be interesting to non-Japanese viewers that speak little to no Japanese.

[Fall]

This is from left field, and would have an initial cost of more than they'd be willing to spend, but I do think it would be effective to port the Space Venus game to PC for steam.  That as part of the whole 20th anniversary thing would be interesting, and say what you will about the content, but people would certainly buy it the moment it went on sale.  For that matter, the digital distribution aspect of steam and other online platforms would be an excellent way to start distributing their media (including concert DVDs) without the additional distribution costs of physical media.  If they reached some kind of partnership or active promotional agreement, that could also put a lot of eyes onto them.

[Juandalyn]

Oh, I totally forgot about Space Venus. Is Steam popular in Japan?

[Fall]

It's just now starting to become a bigger player as the attitudes of Japanese companies are becoming ever so slightly in favor of more digital distribution and streaming services.  That makes partnerships more in-demand for both the western and Japanese sides of such deals, but also far more risky in pay-off since both don't necessarily know how successful such ventures will be.  At present, a lot of that onus is left to the western companies to pay a larger cut to break into the Japanese market compared to the established Japanese companies that have their own domestic presence.  That's where it becomes more of a potential investment for companies trying to expand their own reach on the efforts of those western companies.

[Nayok-Kihara]

What could also be fun: Challenges. Not dares, mind you, but challenges.

Karaoke battles.

While I do enjoy interviews and (especially) rehearsals, the idea of challenges seems like it could be fun. I'd be interested in seeing girls do things like produce small performances for concerts, maybe style a set of special store-only photo goods, or even shoot a digital mini-photobook featuring a member of their choosing. Karaoke battles of all sorts have, are, and will always be a favorite of mine - I would take those any day of the week.
---- ---- ---- ----

I spoke to a friend a while back about the girls being split into working groups for longer creative projects (specifically a single development project that would involve small groups of girls working with the pros to develop different aspects of a special single and produce a final product), as it would result in a fun reveal and sellable product while also offering the chance to be presented as educational, but something like that would be far too time consuming and shcedule intensive to be realistic as a suggestion here.

[keaine]

Related to "konya dake ukaretakatta", a Tsubaki matsuri (even small) could have been a good thing

[core2quad]

^ I was in Japan for summer festivals 1 week ago. Whenever I saw people wearing yukata on the street, I thought about TF's Konya Dake.