Did Shohei Ohtani become the unexpected punchline in the Dodgers’ clubhouse banter? Even if that’s the case, it’s clear he’s still the heart of the story in Los Angeles. When Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández recently shared a few playful remarks about Ohtani’s distinctive on-field gestures, it offered a glimpse into the lighter side of a star-studded team. Nothing too sharp. Just the kind of behind-the-scenes humor that reminds us these athletes are having fun while chasing greatness. So what exactly sparked the laughter this time?

If you have been watching any Dodgers games in the past week, you may have found a new viral celebration. Following a home run or other significant hit, the two-way star would pinch both fingers in front of his face and then push them close to eye level in a salute. And his celebration had some similarities with a commercial, and soon it became the talk of the town.

Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez called it a “decollete pose”. Calling it a copy, Hernandez said, “I didn’t know what it meant,” while Betts also joined him in the batter, saying, “He has 1000 partnership contracts.” Not to mention that the commercial pose is used on T-shirts that are already on the market and for sale.

Now, does that convince you to buy one?

During a recent “On Base with Mookie Betts” podcast episode, Betts asked about how the idea came up; referring to the Shohei Ohtani celebration, Hernandez said, “I didn’t know what this meant. Everyone started doing it, and the press came to me asking what it meant. I was like, ‘I don’t know. I knew it was something to do with Shohei, but it might be from HUGO BOSS… he has a lot of partnerships.” True that. 

Shohei Ohtani does have several partnerships with major brands. Hernandez immediately verified that the video of Ohtani performing his trademark move was a parody of the “Kose” commercial for a Japanese cosmetics company. Mookie Betts quickly recalled the incident that took place when the Dodgers were up against the Atlanta Braves in their home game.

The conversation continued, as both Betts and Hernandez remembered how Shohei Ohtani started the commercial pose celebration, and soon everyone followed. Hernandez, completely unaware of this thing, said, “Yes, everyone was doing it.” And it soon became a celebration for all, injecting a little bit of humor during the game. Simply iconic. 

While many of us know that, other than being one of the best players in MLB, Shohei Ohtani has several contracts with major brands. But do you think his celebration is inspired by a commercial? Let’s delve deeper. 

Is Shohei Ohtani’s celebration really inspired by an ad? 

Every brand wants to have Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers superstar, because he is a marketing powerhouse. His most recent celebration is based on an advertising campaign Ohtani did with the Japanese skincare and beauty brand Decorte, even though many people assume it was inspired by Kose or Hugo Boss. Featuring the product in an advertisement, Ohtani was seen holding the tube near his face, then moving to the side, which resembles the actual celebration that he did. His teammate, Teoscar Hernandez, said, “We just say that it’s because of Shohei, but I don’t know. I didn’t investigate why we’re doing this. We’re just trying to have fun and make everyone feel good.”

Although no one seemed aware of the celebration, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “Well, Ohtani’s got a lot of sponsorships, so I’m not aware of that one.” As per Forbes, Ohtani is involved with multiple brands, including Kose, Hugo Boss, Salesforce, Seiko Watch, Japan Airlines, Ishikawa, Panini, and many more. He was even the first Asian player in MLB who used to be a cover athlete for MLB The Show in 2022. Add to it—his addition to Fortnite as an icon.

During the game against the Braves, his solo strike was followed by him rounding third base while making the new gesture from the commercial he did earlier. Fans began cheering for him shortly after, and the teammates gathered around him and began to celebrate similarly. And that’s it! The celebration came into existence from then onwards.

What are your thoughts on Ohtani’s celebration? Would you like to replicate the same whenever the Dodgers win the games?