Koukoku-kun

Emotion

anticipation

473 articles

The creative team who dreamed this up, and the client who approved it — what fools! / Cup Noodle "Spring Has Come to OBAKA's University"
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日清食品カップヌードル | OBAKA's大学に春が来た！ | 2016

The creative team who dreamed this up, and the client who approved it — what fools! / Cup Noodle "Spring Has Come to OBAKA's University"

"If you try something, people mock you. If you fail, people pile on." In an era like that, Beat Takeshi stood frozen as a bronze statue of the university president, while Sachiko Kobayashi, Mutsugoro, Mari Yaguchi, and Takashi Niigaki served as the professors at the newly opened "OBAKA's UNIVERSITY." People said there probably aren't many companies in Japan that could greenlight a commercial idea like this — and no wonder. The moment I saw it, I had to take my hat off.

A Quiet Night of Longing Over a Trampoline / John Lewis "Buster The Boxer"
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John Lewis | Buster The Boxer | 2016

A Quiet Night of Longing Over a Trampoline / John Lewis "Buster The Boxer"

John Lewis's annual Christmas ad is a tradition by now. The star of 2016 is a dog named Buster. He wants, more than anything, the trampoline hidden in the garden—but it's actually a present for a little girl named Bridget. Night after night, wild animals sneak out to bounce on it, and Buster just watches. On Christmas morning, it's Buster who bolts outside before the girl even gets there.

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.

In This Case, the Target Must Be the Parents / CALORIEMATE "Yume no Senaka" (The Back of Dreams)
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カロリーメイト | 夢の背中 | 2016

In This Case, the Target Must Be the Parents / CALORIEMATE "Yume no Senaka" (The Back of Dreams)

This CALORIEMATE commercial cheering on students taking entrance exams follows a year in the life of a son grinding through a second attempt at university entrance exams, from the mother's point of view—from the day he decides to repeat the year to the day of the exam itself. Niiro Murakami, who shaved off his long hair for the role, plays the son, while Misuzu Kanno plays the mother who watches over him with quiet warmth. The soundtrack features Ryota Fujimaki's own cover of Remioromen's song "March 9th."

Pushing Through on Pure Vibes and Energy / Kirin "Mets"
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キリン | メッツ | 2015

Pushing Through on Pure Vibes and Energy / Kirin "Mets"

Just go with it. That's basically the whole approach, and there's something refreshing about how committed it is. When Kirin Mets relaunched in 2015, this "Entrance" ad is what came out of it. Dragon Ball, Dempagumi.inc, Nobunari Oda, Gachapin... pop culture icons dance, burst with energy, and belt out "We want Mets!" over and over in this 30-second spot. It strips away almost every detailed message, throwing nothing at you but the sheer presence of "This is Mets!"

At the end of the year on this planet, Miyuki Nakajima hits you right in the heart / Suntory BOSS "Headlight, Taillight"
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サントリー BOSS | ヘッドライト・テールライト | 2015

At the end of the year on this planet, Miyuki Nakajima hits you right in the heart / Suntory BOSS "Headlight, Taillight"

Less weirdness, more love — that's what I felt watching this commercial when it aired at the end of 2015. The Alien Jones series started out as a bit of an odd concept, but it's been quietly turning into "the way things just are," and honestly, I'm starting to think it's heading toward becoming a truly moving epic. I'm looking forward to it. Really looking forward to it.

Job hunting isn't a solo sport / Recruit Rikunabi "Yuko Yamada's Job Hunt"
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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.