Can you spot the hidden darkness in this Japanese dating service ad?

Inadvertent or not, it’s a sobering reminder that not all relationships last forever.

A unique way of advertising in Japan is to hand out what’re called “pocket tissues,” free plastic-wrapped packets of tissues bearing the name, logo, and website of the company distributing them. You’ll often see people passing out pocket tissues to passersby in front of train stations, at busy intersections or other places where there’s a high volume of pedestrian traffic.

Because of their low cost to produce, pocket tissues are an especially popular marketing choice for companies that don’t have the budget to put up billboards or air ads on TV. Dating services, for example, are fond of passing out packets emblazoned with photos of alluring singles or happy couples, and it’s the latter that seems to be depicted on this pack picked up by Japanese Twitter user @2nd_noho.

It’s actually a pretty sweet image, and the use of silhouettes allows both men and women looking at it to project themselves and their ideal match onto the shadowy couple. Plus the way that they’re holding hands, as opposed to pressing their bodies together or locking lips, suggests a comfortable and accepting relationship, not just a momentary flash of physical attraction.

However, maybe the image’s graphic designer isn’t really sold on the idea of love lasting forever, because should you ever open the packet to get at the tissues inside…

…the once-loving pair is forcibly and irreversibly separated.

“The person who thought up this design holds a deep darkness in his heart,” concluded @2nd_noho. We don’t know if we’d go that far, but at the very least, it looks like the designer could use a little romance in his life, so hopefully in addition to getting paid for his artwork, the company also hooked him up with a free trial of their dating service.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he probably won’t break your heart. Probably.

Source: Hamster Sokuho
Images: Twitter/@2nd_noho (edited by RocketNews24)

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