Tosh Zhang cosies up with Shiba Inu for new campaign, 'cos Toshiba

SINGAPORE - Who can resist a pair of puppy dog eyes? With the rise of pet influencers like Doug the Pug, Toshiba has now signed on a Shiba Inu alongside local actor Tosh Zhang as their new brand ambassadors

The Tosh x Shiba campaign aims to promote Toshiba's environmentally friendly Youme air conditioner in conjunction with World Environment Day on June 5.

The Toshiba YouMe, marketed as 'the world's best friend', works on sustainable technology to reduce the impact on global warming while delivering the lowest energy consumption for any '5-tick Inverter Multi-Split' air-conditioner in Singapore. The number of ticks indicates the energy efficiency rating, with five ticks being the most energy efficient.

The YouMe's new refrigerant system also claims to release less carbon emissions.

Tosh, best known for his roles in the Ah Boys to Men movie series, took to Twitter to tease the collaboration on June 3 by posting a picture with a Shiba Inu and inviting followers to guess which brand he was endorsing.

[embed]https://twitter.com/toshrock/status/1135560573930725377[/embed]

The answer - Tosh + Shiba = Toshiba, may seem like a clever albeit obvious wordplay, but some fans' guesses were hilariously off the mark: Don Don Donki sweet potato, Daiso and Shokubutsu were just some of them.

Putting the Shiba in Toshiba is a cute idea, although at this point, we don't even know its name. But this is not the first time that a well-known brand has engaged four-legged fluffballs to promote their products:

1. BUNCHA

Buncha isn't your average dog. With local youtuber and influencer Jian Hao Tan as her owner, she is destined to be a social media star. Buncha, who has over 100k followers, has worked with brands like Charles and Keith and The Woof Barkery.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/BrPB23iFqWL/[/embed]

2. DOUG THE PUG

Doug is the most followed pug on Instagram with 3.2 million followers. The Tennessee-based pup has advertised for Pizza Hut and even has his own line of merchandise.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/ByIiExnpDlj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

3. LOKI

This handsome husky-wolf-malamute mix with over two million followers has landed campaigns for Toyota and Sony. Loki's owner, Kelly Lund, has even given up his day job to manage Loki's social media full-time.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx5HbgBphxF/[/embed]

WIN A STAYCATION

For those of you who love giveaways, keep an eye out for Toshiba's Instagram contest (@toshibaacsea) in mid-June for an opportunity to win a unique staycation at Sentosa. The winner will get a chance to experience the YouMe first hand in a beautiful Big Tiny mobile house.

ALSO READ: Shut your hating a**: Tosh Zhang 'brags' about accomplishments after commenter mocks Ah Boys

kimberlylim@asiaone.com