And Now, a Message from Ichiro

Unfortunately, I’m not sure what exactly that message is, other than an endorsement of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone. His photos are all over the NTT site, featuring questionable fashion…

Awkward poses…

And this…

Ichiro’s Latest NTT Ad

Ichiro Pitches for Yunker Once More

Ichiro and some actress appear in these new promotional pics and videos for the popular energy drink here. Also, see his previous Yunker endorsements here and here.

Ichiro Pitches for NTT (Yet Again)

Whoa.

Watch the commercial here.

Ichiro Pitches for Nintendo

Ichiro Pitches for Nissan Again

Here’s the first ’90s Ichiro Nissan ad I posted.

Ichiro Pitches for Oakley

Official site.

Ichiro Pitches for SMBC

That would be the Sumimoto Mitsui Banking Corporation.

Ichiro’s Alien Abductions!

At least three times he’s been swept up into a spaceship to have his mind probed for his thoughts on Nippon Oil, aka Eneos.

This isn’t the first time he’s pitched for Eneos — look.

2013 Spikes Update

This is what he’ll be wearing at home…

And on the road…

He wore these last year…

Ichiro Pitches for Orix — Now on TV

Ichiro played for the Orix BlueWave from 1992 to 2000, then signed an endorsement deal with Orix Bank in 2011. He began appearing in their ads last year, and now he’s the star of the first-ever Orix TV commercials — read this press release for details.

Both spots feature the Yardbirds’ cover of Bo Diddley’s “I’m a Man.”

Ichiro Pitches for Morinaga Yogurt

Another Ichiro Kirin Commercial

Ichiro Pitches for Yunker (Again)

Last year I did a post on Ichiro’s ads for Yunker energy drinks, but none of ’em are as amazing as their new ones. Above is an embeddable behind-the-scenes clip; the actual ads can be seen here.

Weird Ichiro Mystery Ad

This appears to be a print ad for Steinway pianos that I found online awhile back, but I don’t remember exactly where. I’ve never heard of Ichiro playing piano, but I don’t think this is Photoshopped, either. The man on the right looks like some Hugh Downs/Charles Kuralt TV host-type guy who I can’t quite place. Nutty.

Ichiro Pitches for Tongari Corn (Again)

Last year I posted this, but the video has since been removed. So here are a couple other bizarro ’90s commercials for the same product, both featuring a clean-shaven Ichiro and his cohorts beating up on some malevolent corncobs, somehow turning them into the Japanese equivalent of Bugles.

Ichiro Pitches for Flet’s

Flet’s appears to be a subsidiary of NT&T… Be sure to watch the bizarro video in the upper-right corner.

Ichiro Pitches for NTT (Again)

Nice moves. Here are some of his other NTT spots.

Ichiro Pitches for Orix

Last September, Ichiro signed with Orix — not to play baseball, as he did for the Orix BlueWave from 1992 to 2000 — but to endorse their financial services.

Link.

Ichiro Pitches for Pepsi

Brian Setzer wrote and performed the song heard in the above ad. Apart from the lyrics, it’s the same song as Sexy, Sexy, though I’m not sure which one he did first. At the beginning of the below video is a different version of the ad, and Setzer talks a bit about it as well…

And here’s some Pepsi-sponsored “Refresh Project” highlight reel…

This post might also be classified as Ichiro Rock.