WTF?! Would you be tempted to join the police force if characters from Street Fighter were used in the advertising campaign? That’s the thinking in Japan, where Ryu, Chun-Li, and other famous names from the series will appear in flyers and ads.
Capcom announced that the game’s characters are being utilized as mascots in the Osaka Prefectural Police's recruitment advertising for cyber-crime investigators.
Capcom has been working with the force since 2013, along with police from neighboring prefectures, to implement crime prevention awareness campaigns, but this marks the first time Street Fighter characters have been used.
“Selected for the brand's powerful image, its popularity among a broad range of age groups, and the affinity that esports has with cyberspace, the characters will be featured in investigator recruiting advertisements with the aim of boosting awareness of and the number of investigators specializing in cyber-crime,” writes Capcom.
"Capcom hopes its characters will contribute to crime prevention activities in Osaka and throughout Japan by broadening the reach of police investigator recruitment. Capcom is committed to serving as a responsible corporate citizen and will continue to conduct proactive CSR activities that include the use of its games to invigorate communities and contribute to society."
The campaign will include the distribution of 3,000 flyers along with 1,000 posters that will be placed at Osaka Prefectural Police stations, police boxes, and train stations.
While the tough, hard-hitting fighters from the franchise seem like the ideal mascot for recruiting police, it is a little strange to see them used to recruit cyber-crime investigators, an area not known for its physicality.
