Tokyo has seen some strange collabs over the years, but this one may take the cake: Ed Sheeran has officially teamed up with the Oedo Line. Why? Because “Edo” sounds like “Ed” and the train line’s signature magenta is the same shade as Ed Sheeran’s new album, Play. That’s literally it. Welcome to “Oh! Ed!” — a month-long campaign of stamps, trains, merch and seeing Ed Sheeran’s face on the Oedo Line as you groggily head to work.
Oh! Ed! Museum Train, Stamp Rally, Merch and More
From September 8 to October 20, the Oedo Line is going all-in with this Ed Sheeran collaboration. There will be a digital stamp rally across six stations, where participants can scan QR codes to collect digital stamps. The Pokémon stamp rally is cute, but instead of catching Pikachu, at the end of the stamp rally you get a clear file folder with Ed’s face on it. Once you collect all six stamps, you also get a chance to win a non-retail T-shirt (cue distant thundering footsteps of die-hard fans).
Then there’s the pièce de résistance: the Oh! Ed! Museum Train, an entire 8-car Sheeran-verse rolling through Tokyo like a mobile gallery of Ed Sheeran lore. Each car has a different theme. Car 1 covers his humble beginnings, car 3 is a dissertation on his new album Play and car 7 is a quiz-style car where you, too, can get your PhD in Edonomics.
If that’s not enough, fans can buy merchandise throughout the campaign period: T-shirts, towels and keychains with the Oedo Line logo transformed to say “Ed” (kind of genius, not going to lie), to take home as Sheeran subway memorabilia. The official Oedo Line all-day pass is now a collector’s item as well, featuring the album cover.
Play: The Reason for This Fiasco
Of course, none of this would exist without Sheeran’s new album, Play, dropping September 12. After completing his mathematically-themed era (+ ÷ = –), Ed has moved back to his foundations. Play is inspired by his Irish folk roots, global musicality from countries like India and Persia and a more carefree energy that draws from his experience.
To celebrate, Ed himself has blessed Tokyo with a cheery message: “I’m so happy this collaboration could happen, and I hope everyone enjoys it.” Which, of course he is — but I’m not totally sure he imagined his discography being turned into a subway car museum that daily commuters will blankly stare at on the way to their office jobs.
Still, there’s something undeniably perfect about it: a city that once gave us Godzilla, AKB48 and Shinjuku Robot Restaurant has now given us the Ed Sheeran subway. Congratulations, Tokyo, on another bizarrely incredible branding campaign.
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AloJapan.com