“Dating” is a sensitive keyword when talking about idols. However, the Japanese idol group named AeLL. (Activity eco Life with Love.) actually encourages idols to date fans as a way to sell albums.
When AeLL. released their second album titled “4/4 YON BUN NO YON,” the group offered dates with members as incentives for fans to purchase albums. Fans who bought 30 albums would receive a meal prepared by the group, while those who purchased 50 albums could enjoy an hour of karaoke with all four members. For those who bought 100 albums, the reward was a 90-minute date with their favorite member.
Member Ai Shinozaki revealed that nine fans had purchased 100 albums to go on a date with her. The cost for 100 albums amounted to 230,000 yen (approximately $1,600 USD). These dates were guaranteed to be safe, as they were supervised by AeLL.’s managers who accompanied the idols.
However, this album-selling tactic did not lead to success for AeLL. The group was formed on January 1, 2011, and disbanded on September 14, 2014 – just a few months after releasing their second album. The most popular member of the group, Ai Shinozaki, continued her career as a singer and gravure idol.
Source: K14
