Twenty CoroCoro readers were randomly chosen for Pokémon’s 1996 Mew promotion.
Mew was a hidden Pokémon added to the original Red and Green games late in development. It was not normally obtainable through ordinary gameplay, which made its existence a source of rumors and speculation among players.
The May 1996 issue of CoroCoro Comic announced a “Legendary Pokémon Offer.” Readers entered by sending a postcard, and 20 winners were selected at random. Those winners sent in their game cartridges so Mew could be uploaded to them.
The promotion helped keep attention on Pokémon after the games’ release. Mew’s secrecy, limited distribution, and connection to a popular magazine created a powerful word-of-mouth effect. It also became an early example of Pokémon linking video games, media promotion, and special-event distribution.