Desperate to revive the Walkman brand and push its struggling MiniDisc format in the U.S., the company launched one of its strangest marketing campaigns ever. At the center was Plato, a fuzzy blue alien with a blank stare who somehow became the $30 million face of Sony’s last big swing in portable audio.
He didn’t talk. He wasn’t famous. He just vibed. Plato lounged on college lawns, ripped tracks from a laptop while hanging upside down, rode mechanical bulls, and let dogs chew on his Walkman. Part Muppet, part fever dream, he was Sony’s weirdest attempt to stay relevant.
Does anyone remember this? I wasn’t in the US so never heard of Plato until today. I do like a good MiniDisc though.