The maker’s of Japan’s famous ice candy Garigari-kun have released an ad apologizing for a 10 yen price increase.
The new commercial, titled “Garigari-kun Neage” (Garigari-kun Price Increase), features Akaginyugyo President and CEO Hideki Inoue along with the company’s executive brass and the staff of the Fukaya City factory headquarters.
As the one-take segment nears the end, some titles appear on the screen. The text reads “We’ve worked hard for 25 years but,” followed by a discreet “60→70,” in reference to the price of a single soda flavored Garigari-kun bar going from 60 yen to 70 yen.
Now, you might be thinking this is a kind of tongue-in-cheek joke, but rest assured that it is not.
There’s no way the company’s president would put himself out on the line like that for what would be a lukewarm gag at best. The cute music you can hear was likely added because without it the tone of the commercial would have been much darker than a 10-yen more expensive candy would have warranted.