Hirose Suzu and Yamashita Tomohisa reappear in McCafé's new TV commercial in summer outfits! "I had a frappe (heart)"

■ “(How to survive the summer) For me, it’s cold baths. Cold baths really do make you feel refreshed.” (Yamashita Tomohisa)

McDonald’s “McCafe” (the official spelling of the “e” is with an acute accent)’s new TV commercial “I Made a Frappe (Heart) Watermelon & Pineapple” will begin airing nationwide from July 30th.

McDonald’s will be selling three fruit-focused products for a limited time from July 31st, along with the message “How about summer with watermelon and pineapple?” – the refreshing “Watermelon Frappe,” the juicy “Golden Pineapple Frappe,” and the “Banana Macaron,” which goes great with the frappes.

In the new TV commercial, the famous duo Suzu Hirose and Tomohisa Yamashita, who serve as ambassadors for McCafe, reappear in summer outfits. With the summer sea as a backdrop, Hirose and Yamashita are seen drinking McDonald’s limited-edition frappes while dancing rhythmically to the song with the animated characters of Hirose and Yamashita, enjoying the summer frappes by saying “I’ve had a frappé (heart)”.

In addition, there will be an X-Campaign in which 100 people will be chosen by lottery to win a 1,000 yen McDonald’s card. For details, see the campaign page.

■ Filming episodes
◇Hirose and Yamashita’s third co-starring role is off to a smooth start
Hirose and Yamashita, who are appearing together for the third time following the McCafe’s first anniversary TV commercial featuring the “OREO(R) Cookie Chocolate Mint Frappe,” exchanged greetings with refreshing smiles and the shoot began in a natural flow.

This is the third film in the series and the previous two films had received a great response, and Yamashita revealed that it was easy to concentrate on filming because “everyone on set was in sync and it was easy to work with.”

On the other hand, Hirose confided, “I’m feeling kind of excited…I’m in a different mood than Yamashita-san, so is that okay? (laughs),” but she delivered a well-matched performance and filming progressed smoothly.

◇ “It makes me want to make a funny face.” Is her playfulness and her own facial expressions a big hit?
Hirose showed off many different expressions in this short story, including the action of coolly removing her sunglasses and showing a playful reaction while looking directly into the camera. In one scene where she makes a powerful expression while chanting the lines “Fu~ra~pe~…”, she said, “Ahh, I can’t help but want to make a funny face~~ (laughs),” and looked towards the camera with a unique expression that was not planned, drawing laughter from everyone around her.

After checking her own footage on the monitor, Hirose remarked with great amusement, “There’s a really suspicious person there! (lol),” but thanks to Hirose’s playfulness, the set was filled with a harmonious atmosphere throughout.

◇Even after a take was OK, Yamashita requested a second try. He showed his strong commitment to his acting.
During the filming that day, Yamashita stood out for the way he was able to switch his mood for each scene and his sharp concentration. Even though he was chatting happily while on standby, he switched on the switch inside himself just before the actual shoot, and it was clear that he was immersed in his acting even during short takes.

In the scene where he quickly removes his sunglasses, Yamashita’s smart movements and refreshing expression quickly earned him the OK take, but he also asked for another try, saying, “I’m sorry, but can I do it one more time?” Yamashita showed off his full-body acting with soft movements that included twists of the body and a perfect facial expression, and the director praised Yamashita’s “seriousness” by saying, “That’s amazing!”

◇ “Please come to our shop (lol)!” Hirose’s cool response caused laughter on set…
The filming of the new TV commercial took a long time, but Hirose showed no signs of fatigue and was always smiling, saying, “I regained my energy while taking a break (laughs).”

The scene where she drinks the watermelon frappe came at that exact moment, and perhaps the refreshing watermelon smoothie and the sweetness of the whipped cream matched her mood and body, as after the camera stopped, she expressed how delicious it was with a natural expression, saying, “It’s delicious!”

While checking her outfit, the friendly stylist exclaimed, “Is that watermelon? It looks delicious!” to which Hirose coolly replied, “You should definitely try it at the store (lol)!”, causing laughter on set.

◇A simple yet difficult dance scene. Yamashita and Hirose join forces to take on the challenge
Yamashita was in a scene where he was trying to express the “guilt of being too happy” by drinking a Golden Pineapple Flap in one hand and eating some McDonald’s French fries in the other, and it was impressive to see him checking his own facial expression on the monitor while perfecting his acting.

In addition, in the filming of the scene where she moves her shoulders quickly to the rhythm, Yamashita, who is good at dancing, showed off some smart actions that are typical of her. “I have no experience in dancing, so it’s difficult for me to move only my shoulders without moving my hands,” said Hirose. While staying close to her, they checked each other’s movements and timed them together, and successfully completed the filming of the highly difficult dance scene.

■Interview with Suzu Hirose and Tomohisa Yamashita
Q: What are your thoughts after finishing filming the new TV commercial?
Yamashita:The movements are a bit summery… Summer is a time when people feel more open-minded, right? In that sense, I think the combination of the dance and the commercial makes it a bright and cheerful one.
Hirose:Not only our costumes but also the colors of the frappes suddenly became brighter, so it was a moment when we really felt the season of summer.

Q: What did you think of the new frappe?
Yamashita:Once you take a sip of the Golden Pine Flap, you’ll want to take another sip right after…it’s a bit addictive, and you’ll want to keep going back for more, one more sip! (laughs)
Hirose:Both the Golden Pineapple Frappe and the Watermelon Frappe really tasted like fruit. Summer is a time when we feel physically exhausted, so I think that’s when you’ll want to drink these because they give you a refreshing feeling. They were really delicious.
Yamashita:I hope you enjoy the differences between the two.

Q: This is the third time that Hirose and Yamashita have acted in a commercial, but did you feel it was different from the previous two?
Yamashita:(The previous work) was very well received. It was even on some rankings (laughs).
Hirose:Congratulations (lol).
Yamashita:What do you think is different from the previous work?
Hirose:Linking the movements was something I’d never done before, so it felt really fresh.
Yamashita:Yes, that’s true. Many of the staff team were the same as last time, so we were able to get along a bit better and it was easier to work together.

Q: You have the memorable phrase “I had a frappe,” so please tell us about some “summer staples” that you can’t help but do.
Yamashita:I really want to have a barbecue. Grilling something outside… that’s something I want to do. Preferably near the sea. It’s my personal summer staple. This summer, I might be abroad, so I’d like to experience a different summer than in Japan.

Q: In keeping with the “Awesome” Golden Pine Flap, please tell us about a recent incident where you felt like “Awesome!”
Yamashita:I had plans to go to Macau and Shanghai, and there was a performance in Macau, but the energy of the audience was so strong that I thought, “This is amazing.” Of course, the Japanese audience is also very energetic, but there was a different kind of energy. I thought, “This is amazing,” including the cheers and cheers, in a good way.
Hirose:I like garlic, and I was given some garlic with chili oil as a souvenir… It was really tasty. In the summer, I want to eat something light, so I put it in everything (laughs). It’s really tasty and goes well with a lot of things. I eat it as a condiment.

Q: Frappes are the perfect product for getting through the hot summer, but could you tell us your “ways to get through the hot summer,” Hirose and Yamashita?
Yamashita:For me, it’s cold baths, yes. Not only in summer, but cold baths really do make you feel refreshed. But it’s perfect for summer, isn’t it? A cold shower in the morning might be quite good too.
Hirose:I also exercise more in the summer. I like to sweat a lot all at once, so in the summer I often go running outside, and when I go to the gym I often go running rather than walking. It’s because of the high temperature that I sweat so much, so in the summer I try to be especially conscious of eating and sleeping properly.

Q: Please give a message to viewers who will watch the new TV commercial.
Hirose:McDonald’s has a limited edition summer frappe!
Yamashita:A watermelon frappe with a refreshing sweetness that makes you feel like you’ve bitten into a whole watermelon…
Hirose:Golden Pineapple Flap made with golden pineapple juice that has an enchanting tropical aroma.
Yamashita:Furthermore, Macaron Banana, which has a mellow flavor due to the inclusion of banana puree, goes perfectly with frappes!
Hirose:It’s summer! That’s unfair! Watermelon frappe and…
Yamashita:Refreshing! Awesome! Pineapple frappe.
Hirose:Come enjoy the “Frappe (Heart)” at McDonald’s restaurants nationwide this summer!