Comedians Yu Akagi and Kimura Band of the duo Takuro appeared Tuesday at a Domino's Pizza brand renewal event in Tokyo [1].

The appearance served to promote the company's updated branding and a new promotional message, "Because you love it, right?" [2]. This strategic shift comes as the company maintains its position as the No. 1 share holder in the domestic market [3].

During the event, Akagi discussed the bold nature of the new marketing message. He said, "Of course I love it. I think a strong message is good" [4]. Akagi then transitioned the conversation to his personal preferences in partners, saying that he prefers women who are assertive.

"I like women who are like that. It is easier that way. I want to be pushed. It is better if they are that assertive" [5], Akagi said.

His partner, Kimura Band, responded to the unexpected personal disclosure by asking, "What are you talking about?" [6], Kimura Band said.

The event highlighted a significant corporate milestone for the pizza chain. The upcoming brand renewal, scheduled for June 29, 2026 [7], marks the first major overhaul of the brand in approximately 14 years [8].

Akagi also joked about the potential rewards for his participation in the promotional activities. He said he hopes for a reward consisting of one year of free pizza [9].

“"I want to be pushed. It is better if they are that assertive"”

The use of high-profile comedians like Takuro for a brand renewal suggests Domino's Pizza is leveraging variety-style humor to soften the delivery of a 'bold' new marketing direction. By tying the brand's assertiveness to Akagi's personal anecdotes, the company attempts to create viral, relatable content to maintain its domestic market leadership during its first major image update in over a decade.