リクルート | 山田悠子の就職活動 | 2015
Job hunting isn't a solo sport / Recruit Rikunabi "Yuko Yamada's Job Hunt"
A crowd in blue uniforms is shouting "Yamada! Yamada!" at a giant screen, just like soccer fans cheering on Japan's national team. But what's on screen isn't a match — it's Yuko Yamada, in a job-hunting suit, going through her job search. Her awkward face during an interview, getting her ID photo taken — it's all up there on the screen, and the crowd is cheering for every bit of it.
The insight
Rikunabi is one of those tools people don't really love or hate — it's just cold and functional, something you use because you have to. This idea turns it into something with a heartbeat: a "support squad" cheering you on, and tells the story from the point of view of the person being cheered for. Whether you watch the commercial or not, you're going to use Rikunabi anyway — but if, in some quiet moment, you remember this story, maybe the dry, mechanical process of filling out job applications gets a little warmer. That feels meaningful.
The idea
The ad follows job-hunting student Yuko Yamada across two parts, from the moment she signs up on Rikunabi, through her interviews and struggles, all the way to the tears when she finally gets a job offer. Meanwhile, a group of "job-hunting supporters" watches from a separate venue on a huge screen, cheering her on nonstop — just like fans rooting for Japan's national soccer team.
What happened
The campaign won the Gold Award at the 47th ACC Awards and the Gold Award in the TV Commercial category at the Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (AdFest 2008).
Afterthought
Whatever else you take away from this, you have to see her "thank you so much" moment — that face and that voice the second the phone call comes in with her job offer. Job hunting can feel so lonely and uncertain, but the truth is, so many people are quietly rooting for you. Making that support visible like this is just so kind. Honestly, it makes me want to go cheer someone on too.
