資生堂 | あたらしい私になって | 2006
The Magic of Becoming a New Me Was at the Bathroom Sink / Shiseido "Become a New Me"
She just got dumped. She's on the verge of tears. But she washes her face, pats on some lotion... and little by little, you can feel her starting to turn hopeful again. This corporate commercial, released by Shiseido in the summer of 2006, talks about the value of makeup not from the "makeup" side of things, but from the "skincare" side. Kumaki Anri's simple, warm singing voice was as delicate and beautiful as the footage itself.
The insight
If there's some guy out there going "why do women even bother putting on makeup?", I feel like showing him this would help him get it, at least a little. It's that good. In this short span of time, it manages to capture the idea that makeup isn't just about "transforming" yourself — it can also be about "resetting" yourself. I especially love the word "mujime" (something like "pushing a little too hard") that shows up in the lyrics.
The idea
Built around a song by Kumaki Anri about getting dumped today, choosing to forget, and becoming a new person, the ad follows model MAIKO as she holds back tears, washes her face, applies lotion, and gradually turns more hopeful — all shot with the delicacy of a film. The lyrics, the vocals, the camerawork, the acting — every single part of it was wonderful.
What happened
On 8/28, 2006, a 90-second version aired twice during "Message: The Legendary Commercial Director Toshi Sugiyama," a drama special marking the 55th anniversary of Mainichi Broadcasting System. As soon as it aired, Shiseido and the TV station were flooded with questions like "Who's singing this?" and comments like "I was so moved!" — and the response was so big that an additional airing was decided.
Afterthought
This ran inside a drama about Toshi Sugiyama — and knowing that context makes it even more remarkable. For anyone watching that drama, it must have also landed as a tribute to that legendary commercial director. I couldn't track down detailed background on how it was actually made, but the "value of makeup" that comes through from the way the footage, music, and performance all come together still feels completely fresh today.
