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Rising to the Top, Shot From a Camera Strapped to Your Head / Nike "Take It To The Next Level"
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Nike | Take It To The Next Level | 2008

Rising to the Top, Shot From a Camera Strapped to Your Head / Nike "Take It To The Next Level"

This film traces a soccer player's path from amateur beginnings all the way to the national team, all seen through his own eyes. Honestly, the idea of doing it in first-person view is something you might think of on your own. But the scale here is different, and so is the money behind it. The sheer luxury of lining up Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fàbregas, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and even manager Arsène Wenger. Of course it was directed by Guy Ritchie. Just picturing it is fun.

The Brand That Turned Plain Fabric Into Philosophy Has Become Just Clothes / earth music&ecology "Clothes That Bring Good Things."
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earth music&ecology | いいことある服。 | 2024

The Brand That Turned Plain Fabric Into Philosophy Has Become Just Clothes / earth music&ecology "Clothes That Bring Good Things."

To mark its 25th anniversary, earth music&ecology has gone all in on the word "purpose." After spending about a year with everyone involved rethinking what makes the brand "itself," they landed on this film: a woman wakes to her morning alarm, touches her clothes, and finds herself surrounded by flowers and butterflies. Honestly, I have no idea where I'm supposed to feel excited.

A Mom Shines Through Her Fandom, and Gas Barely Gets a Mention / TOKYO GAS "Mom's Fan Life"
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東京ガス | 母の推し活 | 2023

A Mom Shines Through Her Fandom, and Gas Barely Gets a Mention / TOKYO GAS "Mom's Fan Life"

There are a few ad series I look forward to every year, wondering "what will they do this time" — and Tokyo Gas's brand ads are one of them. Their "Family Bonds" series, running since 2008, has delivered one gut-punch after another straight to the Japanese heart, starting with the famous "Lunchbox Email" spot. I admire their work. The 2023 entry, "Mom's Fan Life," tells in 90 seconds the story of a mother who falls for a K-pop idol thirty years younger than her and watches her life open up as a result. It became a huge hit, racking up over 5 million views on Twitter within three days. This time, though, I found myself thinking "it's good, but..."

The Shock of Realizing This Was Even Possible / Ezaki Glico "OTONA GLICO 〜25 Years Later Isono Family〜"
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江崎グリコ | OTONA GLICO 〜25年後の磯野家〜 | 2008

The Shock of Realizing This Was Even Possible / Ezaki Glico "OTONA GLICO 〜25 Years Later Isono Family〜"

In 2008, Sazae-san got a live-action adaptation nobody saw coming. And the premise was wild: it was set 25 years in the future. Tadanobu Asano as Katsuo, Rie Miyazawa as Wakame, Eita as Tara-chan, Shun Oguri as Ikura-chan. The casting alone was enough to make people go "wait, you can actually do that?"—a real testament to the strength of the idea.

What really gets you swimming is everyone cheering you on / Aquarius "NEW YOU Campaign: I Want to Be Able to Swim"
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アクエリアス | NEW YOU キャンペーン 泳げるようになりたい | 2024

What really gets you swimming is everyone cheering you on / Aquarius "NEW YOU Campaign: I Want to Be Able to Swim"

This is a video following a 75-year-old grandmother over 30 days, starting from when she could barely even put her face in the water, as she works toward swimming 25 meters freestyle. It's lovely to see swimmer Kosuke Kitajima coaching her wholeheartedly, showing that age doesn't matter when you want to swim. But what really makes this commercial so moving isn't that part.

It Starts With "Dekushi!": Designing Buzz for the Lowest Common Denominator / KIRIN Plasma Lactic Acid Bacteria "SPECIAL STUDENT"
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キリン プラズマ乳酸菌 | SPECIAL STUDENT | 2016

It Starts With "Dekushi!": Designing Buzz for the Lowest Common Denominator / KIRIN Plasma Lactic Acid Bacteria "SPECIAL STUDENT"

Dekushi! Barrier! Short sleeves and shorts! There was always one of those kids in your elementary school class. The "Dekushi master" who whips out mysterious sound effects, the "short-sleeves-and-shorts kid" who shows up 365 days a year—snow or storm—in short sleeves and shorts, the girls who perform the hand-clapping game Alps Ichimanjaku at lightning speed. It's so nostalgic I can't stop laughing.

Why Did They Turn It Into a Song? / Tokyo Gas "Ganbare Watashitachi"
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東京ガス | がんばれ私たち | 2020

Why Did They Turn It Into a Song? / Tokyo Gas "Ganbare Watashitachi"

In November 2020 (11/2020), right in the middle of the pandemic, Tokyo Gas aired this commercial. A 25-year-old woman chasing her dream of becoming an actress lives through days that don't go the way she wants, all set to a song sung by actress Shizuka Ishibashi herself. Her father shows up in his little truck, her grandmother cheers her on through a smartphone screen, and that's when I gave up fighting the tears.

Taking Off the Roles to Reveal Just One Person / NTT Docomo "ForONEs 2017"
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NTTドコモ | ForONEs 2017 | 2017

Taking Off the Roles to Reveal Just One Person / NTT Docomo "ForONEs 2017"

This commercial, released by Docomo in 2017 under the name "ForONEs," shows people taking off colorful T-shirts to portray the diversity within each individual. Take off the actor, and there's a dancer. Take off the professional boxer, and there's a single mother. Take off the doctor, and there's a patient. Everyone has multiple faces, but behind them all is just one "self." At a time when everyone and their mother was talking about diversity, this 60-second spot boldly stripped away any sense of "Docomo-ness," and that choice itself feels like a kind of resolve.

Hit, then hit back / Eisai "Chocola BB"
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エーザイ | チョコラBB | 1991

Hit, then hit back / Eisai "Chocola BB"

"Doesn't it wear you out, how many idiots there are in the world?" The moment Kaori Momoi said that straight into the camera, all of Japan erupted. In 1991, complaints poured in right after the Chocola BB commercial aired, and within a few days it was swapped for a different version. But that may have been the plan all along. This is the story of an almost too-perfect "hit, then hit back" moment that's gone down in advertising history.

Was He Observing, or Just Left Out? / Apple "Misunderstood"
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Apple | Misunderstood | 2015

Was He Observing, or Just Left Out? / Apple "Misunderstood"

I'm seriously obsessed with this one. I can still vividly remember what I felt the first time I watched it. It shows a shy teenage boy who isn't exactly disliked by his family but definitely isn't the center of attention either, acting in his usual unimpressive way. The mood turns slightly sour, with a vibe of "come on, it's Christmas, put the phone down and spend time with the family" — and then the whole thing flips completely around. I love how skillfully it plays with your emotions.

BUYMA | A Kind Drone | 2015

What drones can teach you about why you need clothes / BUYMA "A Kind Drone"

Two completely naked ballet dancers move beautifully while four drones chase after them, covering up exactly the parts that need covering, for a solid minute and a half. This absurd little world is a perfect example of "doing something stylish." Maybe it rode the wave of a popular "don't worry, it's fine" catchphrase of the time, but this video, made by Dentsu, goes so far over the top it stops being a joke and starts being art.

Hikari Mitsushima, Just Singing / Otsuka Pharmaceutical CALORIEMATE "Fight" "Deliver the Heat" Campaign
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大塚製薬 | とどけ、熱量。 | 2016

Hikari Mitsushima, Just Singing / Otsuka Pharmaceutical CALORIEMATE "Fight" "Deliver the Heat" Campaign

This is one of those commercials where the casting and the song choice alone do all the work. The copy also plays on the word "calorie," turning it into "heat," which adds emotional weight and makes it feel like a truly great anthem of encouragement. Even now, if you look at the YouTube comments, you'll still find things like "I'm taking exams! This gave me courage!" It feels like the kind of ad that will keep being remembered, slowly, for a long time to come.