Oronamin C was introduced in February, 1965 and was initially sold in a 120 ml glass bottle sealed with a bottle cap. It contains isoleucine and many other essential amino acids as well as many vitamins such as vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. It is not only available in supermarkets and convenience stores in Japan, but also in Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. vending machines as well. The bottle cap was briefly replaced with a screw bottle cap, but following a nationwide scare during the 1980s regarding a large number of poisoned sealed bottled beverages, this screw cap was replaced with a one-time "pull-cap," which cannot be re-sealed after opening. Child welfare activist Osamu Mizutani ( Mizutani Osamu, born November 1, 1931) wrote that the previous screw caps allowed individuals to put in paint thinner and then re-seal the bottles.
In 2000 a "sister" product Oronamin C Royal Polis ( , Oronamin Sh Roiyaru Porisu?) was introduced. It contains royal jelly and propolis extracts.
While originally sold as a medical health drink with carbonation added, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare filed a claim resulting in the judgement that Oronamin C could not be labeled as a medical health drink. This was a difficult time for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., but before long, the Genki hatsuratsu (?) television advertisement featuring comedian Kon Omura ( mura Kon, born May 8, 1956) became recognizable nation-wide, and Oronamin C grew into a best-selling health drink in Japan.
In the past, many competing companies have introduced similar health drinks in an attempt to topple the current market oligopoly, but so far, none have been successful (see #Imitation Products).
Advertisements
Oronamin C's slogan is Genki hatsuratsu (?). The initial spokesperson for this campaign was comedian Kon Omura. This campaign appeared for about 10 years. In the mid-1960s television advertisements and enamel billboards were used for marketing Oronamin along with other Otsuka Group products. Japanese baseball players from the Yomiuri Giants also promoted Oronamin with the phrase "Oronamin is a small giant!" (, Oronamin Sh wa Chiisana Kyjin desu!?). The tagline "C power becomes G power!" (CG, Sh Paw ga J Paw ni Nareru!?) was also used in some advertisements.
The popular Japanese singing group SMAP's songs became featured in Oronamin commercials in 1994 and 1995. Around 2001, a television campaign called "Let's find the Yujiro of the 21st century!" debuted featuring actors from Ishihara International Productions, Inc.. Since then, many famous tarento have promoted Oronamin. Hideki Matsui worked as a spokesperson for sister product Oronamin C Royal Prolis during his career with the Yomiuri Giants.
Another version of Oronamin television advertisements were broadcast along with the Giants version, featuring Yuzo Kayama and the Southern All Stars. The campaign slogan was "Clear distinction Oronamin C" (, Akaruku kejimeru Oronamin Sh?).
Starting in 2004 a tie-in was established with the hit Japanese Kamen Rider Series. Actors Takayuki Tsubaki, Shigeki Hosokawa, Hiro Mizushima, Takeru Satoh, and Koji Seto, who appear in Kamen Rider Blade, Hibiki, Kabuto, Den-O, Kiva and Kamen Rider Decade have promoted Oronamin with special television commercials. In 2009, the animators who did the Fresh Pretty Cure! series also did the same.
Current television commercials feature Japanese idol Aya Ueto as the main cast appearing along with a costar sports athlete or other celebrity. Aya's conversations with each celebrity are the topic of these commercials. The slogan also changed a little, to Genki hatsurats? (??). Initially her co-stars answered "Of course!" but now answer Sug hatsuratsu! (!?).
Selected tarento who have appeared with Aya Ueto
Tsuyoshi Shinjo (Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters baseball player; first baseball player to promote in this campaign)
Bae Yong Joon (Korean actor)
Hideaki Takizawa (actor, tarento; from the 2005 NHK Taiga drama Yoshitsune; Hideaki appears as Yoshitsune)
Bobby Ologun (tarento, martial artist: in President)
Kamenashi Kazuya and Jin Akanishi (KAT-TUN: in School Headmaster)
Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic F.C. soccer player: in Sports Newspaper Reporter)
Michelle Wie (pro golfer: in Long Putt Knack)
Obi Tenaka (actor, tarento)
Kazuo Umezu (mangaka: in Teacher Umeza's Surprise)
Ryo Nishikido, Tadayoshi Ohkura (Kanjani: in Kanjani Can't Enter?)
Hakuh Sheki sumo wrestler
Daisuke Takahashi (figure skater: in Outside Work)
Tohoshinki (Acapella South Korean Boy Band)
Jackie Chan (actor, stuntman)
Genki hatsurats? advertisement battle
For about a half year starting May 9, 2005, the Genki hatsurats? advertisement battle was held for all young members of the Yoshimoto Kogyo Japanese entertainment conglomerate. Performers were to plan and create an original television commercial, and these commercials would compete against each other. The prize was 8,202 pesos and the possession of broadcasting rights in the winners hometown. Among the many contestants, NIBUNNOGO! was the winner with TTARUTENBOSU in second place. For a full list of participants see the Japanese Wikipedia Oronamin article.
Oronamin shake
In the late 1970s a television advertisement "Home Party" introduced the recipe for the Oronamin Shake; Oronamin C mixed with a raw egg. Even today that recipe is featured on the Oronamin C recipe webpage, though using only an egg yolk is recommended nowadays. The television advertisement introduced the shake with the copy "My older sister and I have Oronamin and juice. Mom puts in an egg and has an Oronamin shake. Dad has Oronamin and gin." In 2004 a television advertisement featuring model Ai Tominaga ( Tominaga Ai, born August 1, 1982) and singer-songwriter Shigeru Izumiya ( Izumiya Shigeru, born May 11, 1948) reintroduced the Oronamin shake.
Imitation products
Minnamin C Drink (Tamura Co., introduced 1991)
Bonnu C (Bonnu Corporation)
Vitamin C Drink (All Japan Drug)
Origomin C Drink (Daikyo Yakuhin, including oligosaccharide)
Vita Lemon C Drink (Okuda Chemical Industry)
Top Value C (Aiku, ON Co., Ltd.)
Vita Amin C (Automatic Sales)
Vita Shii (Vitakku) Drink / Vita Shii (Vitakku) Drink Z (Tokiwa Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.)
Vita To C (Sanbon Coffee)
Turbo C / New Turbo C (PepsiCo., same name as the C compiler Turbo C)
Baomin X / Dekavita C (Suntoryfoods Limited)
Miracle Body V (SANGARIA)
Real Gold (Coca-Cola Japan)
Dodekamin / Dodekamin V (Asahi Soft Drinks)
Nice C (Riken Pharmecauticals)
Royal Top (Nagoya Milk)
External links
Oronamin C Drink, official product site from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. (Japanese)
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Japanese)
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group (English)
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Categories: Energy drinks | Soft drinks | Japanese drinks | 1965 introductions
