If companies sold ad space on mawashi

[sumojoann 1,266]

****** ATTENTION EVERYONE ******* THE FOLLOWING IS A JOKE.  I THOUGHT IT WAS OBVIOUS BUT APPARENTLY NOT TO EVERYONE ******

If companies sold ad space on the mawashi used by Makuuchi rikishi, this would turn the sumo world upside down.  Why hasn't the NSK formed a committee to investigate this great idea?  It would be a financial windfall!   No more begging the Japanese government for a bailout to make up for lost revenue due to the COVID pandemic.  The mawashi with ad slogans would be only on mawashi used by Makuuchi since they are the only ones televised.  The basic equipment to implement this plan would not cost very much.  Some screen-printing equipment similar to what's used to print slogans on t-shirts.  Some colorful inks.  And after all, the rikishi have to wear their mawashi anyway, so no additional items of clothing would be needed.  However, the ads could be expanded by printing some coordinating cotton kimono fabric to be made into kimono or yukata.  Each Makuuchi rikishi would have his own ad slogan and custom design.  The NSK would hire one person to coordinate with each participating company, recruit new companies, handling contract negotiations, ad, mawashi and fabric design, payment, etc.  The payments for the ads would be split, with part going to the NSK and part to the rikishi.  The Yokozuna would have the most lucrative contracts with the most prestigious companies, like Coca Cola and Nike.  The companies could "bid" on which rikishi would wear their ad slogan with the rikishi's Oyakata and the rikishi himself having the final say.  Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?!  As a sumo superfan, I have taken it upon myself to volunteer to research popular American ad slogans from the present and past that would generate the greatest interest among fans, both male and female, gay and straight, young and old!  Not being educated in ad slogans for Japanese companies, I will have to leave that to another person (employee of NSK or another superfan volunteer like me) to research.  As much as American companies like to expand their use of advertising to reach new demographics and to remain competitive, I believe they would be interested in this new concept of mawashi advertising.  Since there are quite a few elderly fans who attend the sumo basho, new ad campaigns would need to be implemented to appeal to these consumers.  The company that makes Depends disposable underwear for men and women would be ideal, as well as companies that make canes, etc.  The ad slogan itself would be printed on the front of the mawashi with the company's name printed on the back vertical "strap" (I don't remember its name).  Rhinestones could be used to make it stand out more.  Without further ado, here are the ad slogans, both present and past, that I believe would be the most appealing and have the most impact -----

"I'm Lovin' It" -- McDonald's (great for Hakuho!)
"Just Do It!" -- Nike (right up Terunofuji's alley!)
"It's Finger Lickin' Good!" -- KFC
"Where's the Beef?" -- Wendy's
"Betcha Can't Eat Just One!" -- Lays Potato Chips"
"Got Milk?" -- California Milk Processing Board
"The Quicker Picker Upper!" -- Bounty Paper Towels
"Think Small!" -- Volkswagen (**** NONE of the Rikishi would want this one! lol ****)
"We Try Harder!" -- Avis Car Rental
"It's the Real Thing!" -- Coca Cola
"M'm! M'm! Good!" -- Campbell's Soup
"Two great tastes that taste great together!" -- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
"Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hand!" -- M&M Candies
"Smell Like a Man, Man" -- Old Spice
"Have It Your Way!" -- Burger King
"The Ultimate Driving Machine!" -- BMW
"Cats Ask for it by Name!" -- Meow Mix Cat Food
"Let Us Guide You Home!" -- Compass Homes
"Imagination at Work!" -- G.E. (General Electric)
"Because You're Worth It!" -- L'Oreal
"It's Everywhere You Want to Be!" -- VISA
"Don't Leave Home Without It!" -- American Express
"The Happiest Place on Earth!" -- Disney
"Snap! Crackle! Pop!" -- Rice Crispies
"It Keeps Going! And Going! And Going!" -- Energizer Batteries
"They're Grrrrreat!" -- Kellogg's Frosties
"Taste the Rainbow!" -- Skittles
"Eat Fresh!" -- Subway
"Think Different!" -- Apple
"Look Ma, No Cavities!" -- Crest Toothpaste
"Good to the Last Drop!" -- Maxwell House Coffee
"Connecting People!" -- Nokia
"Makes Quitting Suck Less!" -- Nicorette Gum (to quit smoking)
"Reach Out and Touch Someone!" -- AT&T

Any of these ad slogans would be great on the front of a mawashi, don't you think??!!  I know this idea is not "traditional" so it might fail.  However, one of these decades, the NSK, made up of wizened old men, might actually get dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st century. It will be a new world and sumo will never be the same. 

Feel free to add your own ideas!

 

Edited August 2, 2021 by sumojoann
To add: THIS IS A JOKE!

[Kaminariyuki 499]

Oh, no, with the reduced ticket revenues, they might actually go for your idea!

This isn't too far from kensho, though. Might cut into the turf they've already carved out. I wonder if there's a kanji or other connection between kensho and "keshoo" in Kesho-mawashi?

[Eikokurai 3,437]

I’m guessing this was just a joke, but just to be *that guy* who takes it too seriously, advertising on a mawashi would never work because of how they wrap it. You need to know exactly where to print the ad and then make sure the rikishi wrapped it that exact same way every time, or else it could be cut off or lost in the folds.

[Asojima 2,874]

6 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

I’m guessing this was just a joke, but just to be *that guy* who takes it too seriously, advertising on a mawashi would never work because of how they wrap it. You need to know exactly where to print the ad and then make sure the rikishi wrapped it that exact same way every time, or else it could be cut off or lost in the folds.

Replace the sagari with a colorful flag. 

[sumojoann 1,266]

3 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

I’m guessing this was just a joke, but just to be *that guy* who takes it too seriously, advertising on a mawashi would never work because of how they wrap it. You need to know exactly where to print the ad and then make sure the rikishi wrapped it that exact same way every time, or else it could be cut off or lost in the folds.

Yes, it was a joke!  But regarding wrapping the mawashi to make sure the ad was centered, that really shouldn't be a problem.  You would first wrap up the rikishi in the mawashi, then mark off where the design should go.  As I understand it, the mawashi is a 30 ft X 2 ft single piece of cloth which is folded lengthwise 6 times and then wrapped around the rikishi 4-7 times, depending upon his girth.  So if it's wrapped properly, the area where the design is marked off would be noticeable.  If you mark the ends of the mawashi "A" and "B", you would need to always remember which end to start the wrapping.  That would prevent the ad from being lost in the folds.  The ad would end up being very close to the end of the mawashi. 

Very similar to wrapping an Indian sari, I imagine!  I'm a seamstress so I'm used to working with fabric.

(I see that a couple of replies have come in while I've been typing this so I'll send it now).

[sumojoann 1,266]

****** ATTENTION EVERYONE ****** THIS IS A JOKE.  I THOUGHT IT WAS OBVIOUS BUT APPARENTLY NOT TO EVERYONE ******

Here's an excellent video showing how to tie a mawashi.  The ad could be put on either 1) the front part that goes under the rikishi OR 2) along the "belt" part  (front center). 

Option 1 is the easiest.  You would simply mark the end of the mawashi fabric "A" & put that end under the rikishi & part way up his back as shown in the video.  Then you put the ad right in front of his privates.  When it's time to put the mawashi on, make sure you place end "A" part way up his back and then you would see the ad at the front where it's supposed to be.  Continue wrapping until done.  (End "B" will be the end that's tied off at the back).

Option 2 is more difficult to describe.  The ad will go on the "belt" at center front but the mawashi will be almost completely wrapped before you see the ad.  This is doable because I believe that the mawashi is put on in about the same manner each time to avoid discomfort for the rikishi.  I don't believe it's folded randomly each time.  Just be sure to always start with end "A".  For option 2, (to determine where to place the ad), start wrapping at end "A" and wrap as normal.  The ad will be put on the mawashi about X-number of inches from end "B" where it's tied off in the back.  (The "X" -- in inches -- is determined by the rikishi's girth).  To measure this for the purpose of determining where to place the ad on the "belt" part at center front, wrap the mawashi until you have end "B" of the fabric centered in front of the waist (see video).   Stop at this point and measure the distance from the end of end "B" to the center back.  To THIS measurement, add the distance from the center back to the center front where the ad will be placed.  (The total measurement will be approximately the circumference of the rikishi's waist).  Finish wrapping the mawashi by taking end "B" around to the back & tie it off.  Mark the center front.  That's where the ad will be placed. 

To wrap the mawashi after the ad has been placed, start at end "A" & wrap as normal.  As shown in the video, you'll know if you wrapped it correctly if the fabric (end "B") ends right in front of the rikishi's waist.  That end is taken back around to the center back & tied off (see video).  You should see the ad right in front of the rikishi on that top layer.

To have the name of the company along the vertical "strap" in the back, add it after having folded the mawashi fabric 6 times lengthwise.  Then when you are ready to put the mawashi on the rikishi, make sure when the "strap" is placed partway up the back, that the name of the company is shown. 

Anyway, this is supposed to be a joke.  I thought people would figure it out when I suggested using rhinestones on the mawashi in my first post. lol  Also, the ad slogans I suggested using sound innocuous by themselves but seem sometimes quite risque on a mawashi.  I am a retired person, a sumo fan with some free time so I thought I would have some fun.  It's absurd, I know ........

Edited August 2, 2021 by sumojoann
To add: THIS IS A JOKE!

[Kaminariyuki 499]

1 hour ago, sumojoann said:

Here's an excellent video showing how to tie a mawashi.  The ad could be put on either 1) the front part that goes under the rikishi OR 2) along the "belt" part  (front center). 

Option 1 is the easiest.  You would simply mark the end of the mawashi fabric "A" & put that end under the rikishi & part way up his back as shown in the video.  Then you put the ad right in front of his privates.  When it's time to put the mawashi on, make sure you place end "A" part way up his back and then you would see the ad at the front where it's supposed to be.  Continue wrapping until done.  (End "B" will be the end that's tied off at the back).

Option 2 is more difficult to describe.  The ad will go on the "belt" at center front but the mawashi will be almost completely wrapped before you see the ad.  This is doable because I believe that the mawashi is put on in about the same manner each time to avoid discomfort for the rikishi.  I don't believe it's folded randomly each time.  Just be sure to always start with end "A".  For option 2, (to determine where to place the ad), start wrapping at end "A" and wrap as normal.  The ad will be put on the mawashi about X-number of inches from end "B" where it's tied off in the back.  (The "X" -- in inches -- is determined by the rikishi's girth).  To measure this for the purpose of determining where to place the ad on the "belt" part at center front, wrap the mawashi until you have end "B" of the fabric centered in front of the waist (see video).   Stop at this point and measure the distance from the end of end "B" to the center back.  To THIS measurement, add the distance from the center back to the center front where the ad will be placed.  (The total measurement will be approximately the circumference of the rikishi's waist).  Finish wrapping the mawashi by taking end "B" around to the back & tie it off.  Mark the center front.  That's where the ad will be placed. 

To wrap the mawashi after the ad has been placed, start at end "A" & wrap as normal.  As shown in the video, you'll know if you wrapped it correctly if the fabric (end "B") ends right in front of the rikishi's waist.  That end is taken back around to the center back & tied off (see video).  You should see the ad right in front of the rikishi on that top layer.

To have the name of the company along the vertical "strap" in the back, add it after having folded the mawashi fabric 6 times lengthwise.  Then when you are ready to put the mawashi on the rikishi, make sure when the "strap" is placed partway up the back, that the name of the company is shown. 

Anyway, this is supposed to be a joke.  I am a retired sumo fan with some free time so I thought I would have some fun.  It's absurd, I know (but doable!)........

OK, next trip to Japan I'm getting a mawashi! I'd better start working on my 63 year-old shiko.

[sumojoann 1,266]

53 minutes ago, Kaminariyuki said:

OK, next trip to Japan I'm getting a mawashi! I'd better start working on my 63 year-old shiko.

I'm all out of reacts for today so I'll just have to laugh at you!  Hahaha!!

[sumojoann 1,266]

1 hour ago, Kaminariyuki said:

OK, next trip to Japan I'm getting a mawashi! I'd better start working on my 63 year-old shiko.

https://www.usasumo.com/shop/sumo-equipment/

You don't have to wait until you get back to Japan to buy a mawashi!  Here's 2 official ones you can choose from.  They even have package deals you can purchase.  This way, you can be prepared BEFORE you get on the plane to Japan.  I know you can hardly wait!!

[Ahokaina 44]

We already have Kensho system for ads, and why they want to contaminate the sacred Dohyo with gross ads? 

Plus, practically, since Mawashi is just the simple  smooth silk belt, how the ad banner is attached to the belt? It can't be sewn to the belt, because it will gets on the way to tie the knot , and each Rikishi is not fighting for the sponsor. Kensho is enough. Gross idea

[Morning 84]

Aren't the ceremonial aprons much better since larger for this and don't companies already use them as ad space?

[nagora 88]

3 hours ago, sumojoann said:

This way, you can be prepared BEFORE you get on the plane to Japan. 

That'll give them something to talk about when you go into the scanner booth at security. I suppose you could slap it to show that you don't have any weapons.

[sumojoann 1,266]

2 hours ago, Ahokaina said:

We already have Kensho system for ads, and why they want to contaminate the sacred Dohyo with gross ads? 

Plus, practically, since Mawashi is just the simple  smooth silk belt, how the ad banner is attached to the belt? It can't be sewn to the belt, because it will gets on the way to tie the knot , and each Rikishi is not fighting for the sponsor. Kensho is enough. Gross idea

It was an elaborate joke, as I explained twice!

[sumojoann 1,266]

29 minutes ago, nagora said:

That'll give them something to talk about when you go into the scanner booth at security. I suppose you could slap it to show that you don't have any weapons.

Hahaha!!  Actually, I hadn't meant for it to sound like he should WEAR the mawashi to the airport!!!!  I guess the way I phrased it did make it sound that way!  I meant that he could practice his shiko, etc ahead of time and be prepared rather than waiting til he got to Japan to purchase a mawashi.  I liked your comment about him slapping it to show that he didn't have any weapons!  Hopefully that would be enough and security wouldn't decide to do any further searching.

[Kaminariyuki 499]

14 hours ago, sumojoann said:

Yes, it was a joke! 

 

9 hours ago, Ahokaina said:

We already have Kensho system for ads, and why they want to contaminate the sacred Dohyo with gross ads? 

We so appreciate the confusion, but I've noticed that humor does not translate well between Japanese and English (maybe some culture and some language issues). Like the British comedian James Mae, I've found I'm at my most hilarious in Japan when I'm not trying to be funny. And when I'm trying to be funny? Dead silence.

[nagora 88]

1 minute ago, Kaminariyuki said:

 

We so appreciate the confusion, but I've noticed that humor does not translate well between Japanese and English (maybe some culture and some language issues). Like the British comedian James Mae, I've found I'm at my most hilarious in Japan when I'm not trying to be funny. And when I'm trying to be funny? Dead silence.

Do you mean James May? From Top Gear/Grand Tour?

[Kaminariyuki 499]

10 hours ago, sumojoann said:

https://www.usasumo.com/shop/sumo-equipment/

You don't have to wait until you get back to Japan to buy a mawashi!  Here's 2 official ones you can choose from.  They even have package deals you can purchase.  This way, you can be prepared BEFORE you get on the plane to Japan.  I know you can hardly wait!!

LOL, I am buying two! One for me and one for my travel buddy who also loves sumo. He'll be floored when he gets this in the mail!

*Not joking. And, thanks fort there link. I also found from that site the the US Sumo Open is on October 2 in Los Angeles. ESPN should televise it! Or maybe they should do a livestream.

 

[Kaminariyuki 499]

5 minutes ago, nagora said:

Do you mean James May? From Top Gear/Grand Tour?

Yes, sorry. That wasn't a typo. I actually remembered the nonexistent odd spelling. I don't know Top Gear/Grand Tour, but his short series on Japan is the best travel series to date on my favorite destination. I've watched all six episodes at least twice. Priceless.

 

[Gaijingai 1,579]

Well, if this were true, all we’d get on TV would be long shots since NHK does not take ads and always pulls way back when the kensho banners parade around the dohyo. 

[Yamanashi 3,861]

12 hours ago, Morning said:

Aren't the ceremonial aprons much better since larger for this and don't companies already use them as ad space?

Geez, the kesho mawashi are already effectively advertisements -- for prefect and local tourism, country of birth, etc.  It's just that nobody from Ozumo takes in any money from that.

[Athenayama 1,042]

Why bother with "where to print the ad on the mawashi and how to wear it"? Haven't you heard how the ads work now? All is computerized. In football (soccer) games and actually in most sports events. All the ads you see are generated by computer and displayed on blank boards. So it can be done on the mawashi too. They're not even the same depending on which country you're watching from so you can aim all markets and viewers.

There you go Sumojoann, you have all the tools now !

 

[shumitto 418]

On 01/08/2021 at 19:18, sumojoann said:

"Just Do It!" -- Nike (right up Terunofuji's alley!)

They should be careful with where they place this message. But while we are at it, why get just one sponsor if you can have dozens.

 

The women’s team going viral for the sheer number of sponsor logos on their kit – Thick Accent

[Seiyashi 4,097]

47 minutes ago, shumitto said:

They should be careful with where they place this message.

At the risk of being risque, that reminds me of a mate in the army who had boxer shorts with Spongebob's face on them over the whole front - with the nose missing.

[Yamanashi 3,861]

2 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

At the risk of being risque, that reminds me of a mate in the army who had boxer shorts with Spongebob's face on them over the whole front - with the nose missing.

Risk and risqué duly noted.

[hakutorizakura 629]

Sponsorship costs:

Front part of mawashi, horizontal -- 1M yen

Front part of mawashi, vertical -- 750k yen

Back part of mawashi, horizontal -- 1.5M yen

Back part of mawashi, vertical -- 300k yen

Crotch part of mawashi -- depends if you're a falling-all-over type of rikishi or sure-footed; call to ask!

 

And guys like Terunofuji or Aminishiki can get extra cash from their mummified parts.