takamisakari campaign + Takanohana answers your ce

[Kintamayama 47,130]

Takamisakari has been chosen by the Kyokai to promote a blood donations campaign, sponsored by the Japan Red Cross. The RC guys said his "courageous, animated style" and immense popularity suits their needs perfectly, since the main problem they need to overcome is people afraid of needles.

Takanohana has lent his voice to the answering machines on cellphones using I-mode. The Kyokai has a site you can access by cellphone, which has torikumis, banzuke, etc. You can also use Takanohana's voice saying " Hey! You have a phone call!", "This is Takanohana! Come quick!!". He also announces arrival of e-mails- " Hey! Mail has arrived!!". These are the actual things he says, I am not making this up..

After Nagoya, Asashouryuu and others are slated to add their voices as well.

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

That's interesting about Takanohana. AOL (America Online) here in the US has recently hired celebrities to do the same things. They did similar things in 2001 and 2002 as well:

2003: Contest Site

2002: article

2001: article

Same idea here it looks like. I don't use AOL, but I have to admit it's kind of cool to have a celebrity voice saying these otherwise boring greetings... (You got mail #2...)