Shohei Ohtani Appointed as ITO EN's "Oi Ocha" Global Ambassador to Promote Japan's Tea Culture Worldwide; Ohtani: "Everyday, There's a Green Tea That Stands by My Side"

ITO EN, Ltd., the Tokyo-based producer of the world's No. 1 unsweetened green tea beverage brand "Oi Ocha" (*), has signed a global contract with Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers player. The company is pleased to announce his appointment as ITO EN's "Oi Ocha" Global Ambassador and unveil a new key visual.

The main copy, "Every day, there's a green tea that stands by my side," features words used on the back of the bottle in the message advertisement from ITO EN to Ohtani, which went viral on Japanese social media.

ITO EN will work with Ohtani to spread Japan's tea culture worldwide and contribute to the earth's future through green tea. Beginning on May 20, the first activity as ITO EN's "Oi Ocha" Global Ambassador will be the "#OiLAOhtani-san" campaign, which invites people to visit LA to watch Ohtani's match. (Please note that this campaign will be conducted in Japan only.)

Images:

https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108169/202405140733/_prw_PI9fl_63Q1P0M5.jpg

https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108169/202405140733/_prw_PI8fl_tdeVtFpH.jpg

Special landing site: https://www.itoen.jp/oiocha/ohtani/en.html

For more information, please visit: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202405140733-O1-Iln510ep.pdf

-"Shohei Ohtani" × "Oi Ocha" New Key Visuals Released

The new key visual features Shohei Ohtani, one of the world's top baseball players, and "Oi Ocha," the world's most consumed green tea. Ohtani stands in a tea field holding a bottle of "Oi Ocha" with the main copy, "My green tea, My soul." The new key visual will be used in stores, social media, special landing pages, and various advertisements.

- Shohei Ohtani's Statement on Becoming ITO EN's "Oi Ocha" Global Ambassador Released (newspaper ads released simultaneously)

The newspaper advertisement commemorating the appointment of Shohei Ohtani as ITO EN's "Oi Ocha" Global Ambassador includes his statement, which follows below:

"My green tea, My soul.

So much is happening these days.

It makes sense to take a break for green tea

to soothe both mind and body.

I want to share this experience with everyone around the world.

The next step, the goal for Oi Ocha.

ITO EN's 'Oi Ocha' Global Ambassador Shohei Ohtani"

The ads will appear in Japanese newspapers, including the Nikkei, Asahi, Sankei, Mainichi, and Yomiuri, and worldwide, including the Financial Times, LA Times, and Honolulu Star-Advertiser. ITO EN will also publish the ad in all five major newspapers in South Korea, where Ohtani is particularly popular, including the Chosun Ilbo and the Dong-A Ilbo. Stay tuned for this grand-scale advertising campaign.

- Shohei Ohtani's Inaugural Comment:

"My name is Shohei Ohtani, and I am honored to be appointed as ITO EN's 'Oi Ocha' Global Ambassador.

When the global partnership with 'Oi Ocha' was announced on April 30, I myself saw the newspaper ad in the LA Times and got a sense of the scale of this partnership. I was also surprised at the response I received from social media and people around me.

The first phase of my activities as ITO EN's 'Oi Ocha' Global Ambassador is a campaign to invite everyone to a drawing to watch a game in LA. I would be thrilled if you could watch the game at the stadium in LA while drinking 'Oi Ocha.'

In the future, as ITO EN's 'Oi Ocha' Global Ambassador, I am preparing new initiatives such as a project to spread Japan's tea culture to the world and further contribute to the future of the earth with green tea together with everyone around the world. I hope you are all looking forward to it.

ITO EN's 'Oi Ocha' Global Ambassador Shohei Ohtani"

(*) Guinness World Records (TM) Certified

Intage SRI+ Unsweetened Tea Beverage Market Data January-December 2023 "Oi Ocha" Brand Sales Value

Record name: "Largest unsweetened green tea beverage brand (latest annual sales)"

Official English record name: Largest unsweetened green tea RTD brand - retail, current

Recorded brand: Oi Ocha brand (excluding Oi Ocha Hojicha products)

Year covered: January-December 2023