A Washington, DC-based sushi chain recently released a promotional video about shooting a sushi roll into space. Getting sushi into the stratosphere should be easy enough. A weather balloon was used to take a chair into space for a very similar commercial. Still, the video seemed a little fishy.
I called the DC location of the small chain and spoke with a general manager, who had no knowledge of the project. A manager at the Richmond location was also clueless. The Baltimore location hooked me up with Jonathan Martin of BARK Marketing, who partnered with the sushi company and claims the video is real.
Martin told me they used a Kaymont weather balloon to launch the sushi plate. The project commenced in in Vesuvius, Virginia, and the balloon and sushi plate were recovered more than 60 miles away in Dillwyn, Virginia. He says pictures and information regarding the launch are being kept secret because the marketing company is enjoying the mystery that surrounds the project.
The video features a small red plate holding a lacquered sushi roll in an ascent that climaxes with the balloon exploding into latex ribbons before plummeting back to earth. Check it out and give us your thoughts in the comments.
