Is Ayu still with Kosé?
 

Her contract was dropped ages ago. Around 2004.

She was replaced by Beni Arashiro then Anna Tsuchiya. And then after that Koda replaced Anna after a few CMs/campaigns. Which was lame.


Lame.

was it dropped because it expired? or was it becuz they didn't want Ayu anymore?

and ew Koda Kumi may be a great singer but she is not model material.

I agree. The degree of lameness must be emphasized XD

No Ayu>Beni>Anna> Kumi

Kumi is the new Visee Spokes Model

I edited for correctness.



IMO, Koda's VISEE ads have nothing against Ayu's. Psh.

All hail the Kosé Moments cm.

(the only cm I know of that Kuu did with them was the one that feautured Puppy...)

The diamond... IMPLODED.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5KV2PVJ6Yc

I think Namie did a different line..

Ayu, Beni, and Anna all look like models (Anna IS a model), but Koda does not.

Not that this has anything to do with her. I think they could've renewed ayu if they wanted to, they just didn't.

They really should've. Ayu was the only model who had them set records for makeup sales. XD

Yeah But I guess it's just about what's in Now, even if some people don't think Kumi is a good enough model she's the new "it" model now.

Not really. :shakehead

are you saying that because you don't like Kumi? or are you saying that because you don't think she's what's "in" at the moment

wow I didn't know namie did ads for kosee!! how cool!

So will replace koda kumi? who do you have in mind ppl?

It's a little hard to say I haven't seen any new divas come out that alot people are into. I wouldn't mind Hitomi Shimatani I think she's pretty.

They'll probably get some nobody to replace her.

Once Koda loses her appeal in the next year or so [the other VISEE models didn't last as long as Ayu..]

but hitomi is...

*searches for age*
1 minute later...

OMGAD!!! HWAT hitomi is 27!????? I thought she was 34 35yo"!!!! lol!!!... eaither way she's to old for kose.

^ Lol

yes
both VISEE and LUMINOUS

ummmmmmmm ... WTF!?! Koda is totally model material ¬_¬

Her facial structure isn't model-like at all. Just because she does model stuff doesn't mean that she's cut out for it.

I think it`s sooo bad that they kicked Ayu!! (or whatever) She really has style and she`s pretty.. More than Kumi. Ok, she is sexy and that, but that`s all. Ayu can be cute, fancy and all what that Kose needs... Kumi just isn`t for that..

Hm... Do you know how long Ayu was there? So, Kumi will last for about a year or so?

but ... she's so pretty!!!

I loved Ayu in their CMs though .... -_-"

Around 2000-2001 is when she started and she was booted in 2004.

Yeah... Koda Kumi is very very popular and all, and she's the it girl of the moment, but she just isn't a very pretty girl. She's not hideous in anyway, but I won't buy make up if she advertises it! I'd be afraid of looking like her in the end! *shudders* That being said, I still admire Kumi for being able to be no.1 without being classically "pretty". Proves she got charisma.

After viewing Namie, Kumi, and Ayu's KOSE cms, I must say that Ayu's are the most amazing and memorable. And I'm not being biased! Her eyes... and the CM concepts are the best. So powerful!

^ agree with you. I think Koda Kumi is scary with the long long monstrous nails. Koda kumi is "in" right now yea, but she didn't get there in a way I don't agree with ^^ and just look at this pic, isn't it amazing!!! :D <333

EDIT ^ no offense but, that pic, amazing?
Yeah, it is, if she had black or neutral nails and if they didn't at the shine thing on her lips!
Oh, yeah, and if they didn't use the blue eyeshadow :D

No offense, but Namie looks really scary with that make up
I'm gonna have nightmares...

Yeah, me to!
I hope she'll once do another CM where she sings engrish, that would be hilarious!!! wait - it already is hilarious

Yup! i think Kuu looks chubby without make-up...
in the Trust Your Love PV she looks ugly!

:thud , with or without make-up??? :lech

First CM - Mar 2000 - BGM: vogue
Last CM - Feb 2004 - BGM: Moments

^ **** i'm gonna go off topic for a while here but...


CLOUD... i absolutely love ur avatar and signature. okada junichi is soooo hawt and the izzue guy (i forgot his name!) tetsuyama something? is SOOOO hot too... my god. damn!!!! i was in hong kong and i saw his ad everywhere! ****!!!

K, back on topic.

Wow, Ayu was with Kose for four years? Amazing. Amazing CASH!!!

-AGRRED. what an unflattering pic -_-
-yes! Kuu looks totally natural WITHOUT make-up!

In the beauty/look department no girl in the world can hold anything against ayu xD.

I remember that when vogue was aired more than 1 million of that lipstic were purchased... it was amazing X_X these things never happens.

I don't think Koda is model material. She is pretty but just not the kind who'd make a girl want to buy her products imo. Her facial structure is just not as make-up friendly as Ayu's. I like the blue contrast with her dark eyes. Creates a statement.

yep ayu's CMs were really good, dunno 'bout sells but I'm sure she sold good enough to be kept 4 years. She was probably dropped because that's how her contract was made or maybe she was too old?

And I agree, Koda is not the perfect model for visee, mainly because she's not pretty,her facial estructure is not model quality, she might not be ugly (and have a fine bod), but she's more the exotic type.

on a side note:
... I once watched this sitcom, I think it was "suddenly Sussan" where the character that Kathy griffin played, explain to Susan the types of beauty?.. so koda is exotic!. lol.

Well, the name of this izzue guy is Masanobu Ando.
Did you mean Tamayama Tetsuji? He used to the izzue model like, 3 or 4 years ago.

no i mean the guy in ur signature!!! he's Tamayama Tetsuji, right?! are my eyes fooling me? omg... it's not him. They've switched guys and all this time I thought it was still tamayama tetsuji. geez, talk about retarded.

and, man, you sound so indifferent like "well, he..." like, so hardcore man :)

but gosh those two guys kinda look alike... but omg new hot dude to add to my list of potential hubbies.

wow...that pic is perfect!y do u guys think its bad?makes me think y they kicked her off.grr.

Yeah but you just showed a picture of a screencap & a photoshoot of course Kumi's was photoshopped, but so is Ayu's photoshots. But even though they use artist to advertise there products I wouldn't buy make up just because Kumi & Ayu were using since who's to say they even use it in real life. I would buy it if I think it really improved my looks , liked the lip stick color, or that there mascara brought out my eyelashes.

Loving the bias. Kumi's not model material because of her facial structure yet somehow Ayu's the most amazing model in the world despite being small enough to tread on if you don't look where your going. Come on, please.
Kumi's got more face to advertise make-up on. Put eyeliner on Ayu and there's no space for anything else.

There IS a reason why Ayu couldn't make it as a model before she was a singer...

But how did this turn into Kuu vs. Ayu, anyway?

:laugh LOVE IT!! I'm glad someone agrees about Kuu >_<"

Eh, I dunno. Ayu may be small but to me she just exudes more class. Kuu is fun and the It girl right now, but she's not particularly classy to me. Plus, based on this pic posted earlier, Kuu's got one funky brow bone.

But yeah. Kuu is not unattractive but for some reason I see her as a lingerie model more than a cosmetics model. Probably because of her image. *dodges tomatoes*

Plus, I think the size argument is a little irrelevant when it comes to PRINT MODELING. Runway modeling? Yeah, Ayu wouldn't stand a chance because of her size. However, print modeling is just taking pictures of one's face. If they downsize the 'shopping on Ayu's eyes more, she'd be no worse a candidate than Jpop Artist X.

I didn't see anyone say ayu was the best model in the world =\ *i'll double check after this post*

ayu's more fitting for kose imo anyways. not saying kuu isn't good, she's just not at ayu's level. just like how ayu isn't at *insert models name here* level. it's a whole chain. who know's who's next after kumi. it could be leah =D *crosses finger*

Eh? more face to put make up on? okay, she doesn't need to sell us foundation. We're not being biased here! Ayu's face is like THE ideal face of almost, like, EVERY Asian girl in Asia. She has the eyes, the nose, the lips. Asian girls would KILL for Ayu's face. But eh, Kumi? She's like... um, *okay, I PROMISED I wouldn't diss Koda Kumi, but* She's hideous! I would cry my eyes out if I looked like her! Yes, she is the fun "it" girl, and the fact that she's popular right now proves that people aren't shallow. So, in a way, that's a good thing. It baffles me that there are people (most English-speaking people) who think Kumi is beautiful. It's the same as Americans thinking Lucy Liu is hot (she's sweet and okayish, but not gorgeous). C'mon, now.

We're speaking about make up models. And seriously Ayu's great with make up and to advertise it. She's got a beautiful facial structure that any girl would die to own. Kumi just got it because she's the "it" girl right now.

Asian girls? As in all/most? There are a lot of Asian girls in Asia. Mind you, Ayu wasn't nearly as gorgeous as she is now in 1995 or something. I strongly believe she had cosmetic work done (even though it's not major, as eyelid splitting is very, very common in Asia), and there are a number of girls who are naturally pretty as they are. Ayu was pretty then, but she's BEAUTIFUL now.

"Ideal" has a lot of definitions. I'm rooting for Ayu too but I don't think the ideal face would need cosmetic corrections. Ideal to me is naturally pretty. And have you seen Ayu WITHOUT makeup? She looks just like any other Asian girl who would "kill" for her face. Ayu is a normal person, so I don't necessarily think it's fair to put her on that high a pedestal. But that's just me.

Back on the subject of Kose though, Demure_Dusk is right. Ayu is just good with makeup. Regardless of what she looked like pre-stardom, there's no doubt she has a good eye for what looks nice and is capable of pulling off different styles. Yeah, she has a team of stylists, but she herself seems very capable of doing her own makeup and still looking great. That's what I think makes her such a strong Kose spokesperson; her ability to not only wear the makeup, but to do it herself/know what looks good.

See, that's my point. People have been calling Kumi the 'it' girl since her career started taking off. Since the first BEST she's been the 'it' girl. She's 'peaked' several time's since according to some people. When she released Second Session, people didn't think it would sell well. It did. Then came last years singles which sold well. People said Black Cherry wouldn't sell well, because all of a sudden Second Session was her 'peak'. Black Cherry was incredibly successful, so that's her new 'peak' that people will be saying she won't beat come her next album ... She's been the 'it' girl for long enough now for people to give her some credit when she get's a lucrative sponsorship.

Ayu wouldn't have got the sponsorship if she hadn't been a successful a singer at the time either.

^ Most as in ALMOST ALL.

eyelid splitting? u mean double eyelid surgery. ayu already has double eyelids and she uses eyelid glue (it's a common cosmetic product) to give the lids a bit of lift (which results in many of those little fine creases). even I use it. but yeah she is ideal, make up only enhances her. make up is the ****. i don't believe in natural beauty - only old people stress that. i see so many white people in magazines and they NEED to use that eyelid glue too. i hate seeing droopy lids. Think britney spears and paris hilton. those two *****es don't have lids. and eww i really don't think Ayu is like a plastic barbie doll who's done like lots of surgery. i like how her nose a bit big and she has a little eye bag now and then. a little imperfect that she's perfect!

o ya abt that eyelid surgery being common: it's super common in korea (there were some krn chicks in my highschool that went away for summer break and came back with double lids, so lame) but like only really squinty people do it in japan and china... like real squinty people

Well, I didn't say LOTS of surgery; just one really, and a small one at that. Yeah, I noticed she already had double lids but they were more collapsed; she most likely underwent a small procedure to make them more pronounced, on top of using tape every now and then. Well, now that you elaborate, I see where you're coming from. :yes

^ haha omg i am always so rude (sorry if i'm like talking in incoherent bad grammar)


but i REALLy rilly rilly doubt a surgeon would perform a SECOND crease over the top of her original crease. c'mon, that's ridonkulus. i've done some research and i've found eyelid lifting, which results in a higher crease, and also a removal of the second crease (some people have many fold, kinda like ayu). but yeh i haven't heard of a surgery to create many many folds like ayu has. but i am able to get similar folds with eyelid glue. but yea i SOUND soooo rude!!!

oh oh btw tape sux... so ugly and obvious. glue is the way!!! there are some more expensive ones that are practically invisibile and hav no residue.

^ Well, not exactly. Instead of having another crease on top of her second one, he fixes the existing second crease and raises it up a bit so it's not likely to collapse under the first, natural crease of the eye. ;) I've seen it done actually, but yes, Ayu's many folds are a result of the glue/tape. Before she started using glue and her second eyelid was smooth (aka multi-creaseless), that's what I believe she had done. The world may never know, and we could probably keep debating this til the cows come home XD;

^ i agree. we may NEVER know!

Success is important but I think that avex has just been pushing Kumi to follow Ayu's footsteps in being a successful J-Pop artist and the formula just doesn't work that well in certain cases.

In Kose I think she really don't fit so well because her facial features are not her strongest point.

I think credit is given to Kumi in several cases, where it is due. For example, I like her Venus endorsement, because she has long and sexy legs which are exactly what the product is promoting. She fits the Venus image perfectly and I'm pretty sure a load of girls would love having those legs.

Same goes to the Diet Cola thing where her sexy slim body reflected how drinking the beverage will help you being slim and sexy. They fit her because a lot of girls like Koda's body.

Yep yep! :yes:yes

@ Demure_Dusk: Just gotta say sorry. The only people I ever pick a discussion with have seriously valid points, and I totally see where your coming from. It's just that reading through some of the posts, my Kumi fan-side takes offence to the idea that people don't find her as attractive as Ayu. The only people who ever respond to my long argumentative post's have good view's and aren't as 'Hit and run' as certain poster's (This thread isn't as bad as usual. No one's come in just to say 'Kumi is ugly', but that seriously does happen too often in other thread's)

So yes, Ayu probably does have what it takes to be the best Kosé spokesperson. My 'defend Kumi' radar was a bit too highly tuned :laugh

Haha it's okay :P I understand how you feel because sometimes I get annoyed too. I like Kumi too, though I'm not huge on her as other artists. Thus I don't like Kumi-bashing myself.

In the end yes you're right. I seriously believe Kumi is pretty in her own way but her asset is definitely her body, while Ayu's is her face. Which is why I think Kose was dumb not to renew their contract with Ayu.

The fact that ayu's stopped being with VISEE in 2004 was simply because of her age. VISEE's target market is young women under 25. And in 2004 ayu was already 26.

Plus, they used her for 4 years; the brand needed change to keep the appeal.

Was there any non avex spokesperson from the past? I can't think of anyone from avex to be the next kose spokesperson...as much as I like Ai, I don't think she fit as one. Non avex...I think leah or erika would be good.

you're right ^^

Because some people say something in the direction of negative about kumi and then the kumi fans' "defend ku" radar goes ballistic. Happens in all the forums, very annoying, while Kumi wasn't even bashed. People said Kumi doesn't have the face for Kose, and about Ayu someone said she's so small you could step on her if you don't look where you going. Well, do ayu fans go ballistic over that? No. Koda fans need to lay off and stop being so paranoid. >_< imo.

:yes I loved that CM. Amazing and Ayu was the ultimate hottness in that picture. I always wished I was that guy in the CM with her, haha.

I'm not sure it was really becouse of her age, but perhaps... I think the fact she was just too expensive to renew the contract was a strong reason too.

I was just about to suggest this too. I think we all realize she can't have the contract forever, but Kosé seriously downgraded from Ayu, the most well-known face of j-pop, to Beni Arashiro, a debuting nobody (she's still a nobody lol). I'm sure Beni Arashiro's contract with Kosé is worth a mere fraction of the price of Ayu's deal.

It could also have been an avex decision since they wanted to promote Beni...

Professionaly, I have to say that Koda Kumi is a good model. at least most of the shoots seemed to have gone pretty well. But she strikes me as one of those people that need so much make-up, editing and retries before there's any result, because Koda wasn't really blessed with good looks.

At any rate, if I remember correctly. Ayu designed the last visé/kosé-CM herself, using 'moments' as just a CM-song. But because her fanbase at TeamAyu told her they loved the song, she turned it into a single; making the single-version significantly different from its original CM-version.

Her photoshoots generally nowadays probably have good photographers.

Back then in Koda's beginnings.. oi. COME WITH ME = worst cover ever O_O

no wonder she seems *****y.. those 'good' photographers are somehow always SUCH asses! > < "

^ lots of singers have good photographers.. and they don't do the whole overtly sexy image that Kuu portrays, its just Avex wanting to make Kuu the leader of a new fad so they market her as being *****y.. if that makes sense lool

lol. That's funny. :/

I was simply expressing that the better the photographer, the more of an ass he seems to be, and thus the crankier you get... Trust me, it's hard sometimes not to kick the photographers great behind:headache

Koda's part in Visee compaign is just fine, that's all. I heard the whole 1 million (or was it half a million?) units of a lipstick sold after the mermaid Ayu CM went on air, that's something... I don't think any such thing happened when Koda started her Kose gig. Although Koda is the 'it' thing now, she isn't and probably will never be as big as Ayu used to be and thus the compaign starring her won't be much of a big deal, despite still quite recognizable, I guess.

I have to admit I don't quite get why Kose switched from Ayu to Beni, becouse just like Halla said, she was barely recognizable. It seemed more like they were trying to promote Beni by attaching her face to the cosmetics, instead of other way round. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Avex actually paid Kose to make Beni their new spokesperson...

I think it was 500,000. A million seems like it'd be way too many units, and I remember the number having six-digits..

You mean her paycheck?
Wasn't there some thread/article detailing certain idols' earnings?...

If they signed her in 2001, which was her top year I believe, then I guess they had to be near 1 million USD, at least 700,000, for a few years deal.

Nope, I believe 500,000 LIPSTICKS were sold after that mermaid CM :P

Lol, I thought truehappiness wrote about her paycheck :P

I meant I think her paycheck had to be close to 1 million USD, 700,000 at least - as for the units sold, I think it was half a million indeed.