The drop-sheet not only contained a description of the video files sent to ITN, some of which were used on the show, but also the "news story" for their presenter to read out. The script included lots of mistakes (Negatron, Takara Tommy) and a few others. I've corrected some of the grammer, but left 99% of it intact. If you look through the information, you'll find some interesting quotes from Japanese retailers, stating how well the items have sold. It's also very interesting to see that TakaraTomy have focused on female collectors of Nike Shoes in Japan.
Here's the drop sheet (which is basically information for the broadcaster to use).
LIFE!3-APR30-JAPAN-(R)SH
ROBOT:
LIFE!3-APR30-JAPAN-(R)SH
ROBOT
LIFE!3: STORY L!797
(R)SH ROBOT
TOKYO, JAPAN
RECENT
NATURAL SOUND WITH
JAPANESE SPEECH
DURATION: 2.26
SOURCE: REUTERS/
PARAMOUNT PICTURES HANDOUT
TV AND WEB
RESTRICTIONS: NO ARCHIVE OR WIRELESS USE FOR USE OF TRANSFORMERS
FILM CLIPS AND MUST COURTESY PARAMOUNT PICTURES
FEED HISTORY: R
REPEAT L!2 (0830GMT)/L!3 (1445GMT)
INTRO: In Japan,
Nike's latest sports shoes transform into small robots. A Japanese
toy company and sports wear maker Nike launch a line of sneakers that
transform into miniature "Transformer" robots.
SHOWS: (L!2) TOKYO,
JAPAN (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
1. WOMAN SHOWING SOLES
OF NIKE SH AND SH TRANSFORMER
2. SIZE 7.0 NIKE SH
(LEFT) AND NIKE SH TRANSFORMER (RIGHT)
3. VARIOUS OF WOMAN
TRANSFORMING A NIKE SH INTO A ROBOT
4. ROBOT FOOT WITH NIKE
SHOES
5. TILT UP OF
TRANSFORMER ROBOT "MEGATON"
7. (SOUNDBITE)
(Japanese) MASAHIKO YAMAZAKI, CHIEF OF MARKETING GROUP AT TAKARA
TOMMY SAYING: "We do make products which transform into robots
and that is primarily for children. We thought that if we make a toy
which can transform into something adults are interested in, they
would take interest in our products."
(L!2) VARIOUS FILM
LOCATIONS (FILE)
(PARAMOUNT PICTURES
HANDOUT - NO LIBRARY OR ARCHIVE USE/ MUST COURTESY 'PARAMOUNT
PICTURES')
8. FILM TRAILERS OF
"TRANSFORMERS"
(L!2) TOKYO, JAPAN
(RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
9. EXTERIOR OF
APPLIANCE AND TOY RETAILER SHOP 'BIG CAMERA'
10. SHOP CLERK
ARRANGING BOXES ON SHELF
11. BOXES OF NIKE SH
TRANSFORMER TOY
12. (SOUNDBITE)
(Japanese) HIROKI KIMURA, CHIEF SALES ASSISTANT OF THE TOY SECTION
AT BIG CAMERA SAYING: "A lot of customers queued up to buy the
toys from early morning. I think the reason is because both the
brands of Transformers and Nike are well known all around the world."
13. VARIOUS OF WOMEN
TAKING BOX OF NIKE TRANSFORMER TOYS IN THEIR HANDS
14. (SOUNDBITE)
(Japanese) TOMOMI OTA, 30-YEAR-OLD HOUSEWIFE SAYING: "As I am a
fan of Nike shoes, this toy is very interesting for me. "
15. CHILD LOOKING AT
TRANSFORMERS TOYS STORY: You can't wear the latest Nike shoes to be
launched in Japan, but you may be able to have just as much fun
transforming it into a toy robot. That's what the creators of the
robot, Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy, are hoping.
In the
past, toy robots have transformed into aeroplanes, tanks or cars.
This is the first time the company has attempted to pair up
robots with something ordinary, like a shoes. But the toy maker
expects chemistry between its popular toy and Nike brand which is
popular especially among young adults will help expand its customer
base to young men and women in their 20s and 30s who used to play
with Transformer toys in their childhood.
"We do make
products which transform into robots and that is primarily for
children. We thought that if we make a toy which can transform into
something adults are interested in, they would take interest in our
products," said Masahiko Yamazaki, the chief of a marketing
group at Takara Tomy.
Their idea seems to
have paid off so far as the products were almost sold out soon after
going on sale throughout Japan. The shoe robots, which cost 2,625 yen
(22USD), were snapped up mainly by adults.
"A lot of
customers queued up to buy the toys from early morning. I think the
reason is both brands of Transformers and Nike are well known all
around the world," added Hiroki Kimura, a chief sales assistant
at Big Camera, one of the biggest toy retailers in Tokyo.
The shelf with the
shoe-robot display has a constant stream of customers. "As I am
a devotee of Nike shoes, this toy attracts mevery much. " said
one of the customers, 30-year-old Tomomi Ota who was admiring the
robots with her friend.
The products were made
partly to promote incoming a Hollywood action film featuring the toy
robots "Transformers: Autobots and Transformers" which is
due out this summer in Japan and The United States.