Brief Explanation

The final qualifier for the World Cup – a must-win to earn a World Cup berth. As an official sponsor and supplier, adidas Japan wanted to turn the event into an opportunity to make a connection with its audience using the unifying theme of football. The objective of this campaign is to create an event that Unites and Engages football fans throughout Japan in support of their national team. During football matches, football fans in Japan rely on their ever-present smartphones to stay connected with each other – whether at home, in sports bars, or even at the arena – and communicate real-time, collecting information and sharing reactions. The strategy was to generate dynamic connections among football fans in support of their team. To achieve this, we needed to create an event that was both impactful live but could also be shared and engaged with via smartphone. Our solution was an interactive projection 200 meters above the ground in Tokyo on the day of a crucial game for the national team. Fans could use their smartphone to virtually ‘throw in’ a soccer ball towards the projection – a massive video of Japan star forward Shinji Kagawa, projected on the wall of a high-rise building. With each throw-in, Kagawa received the ball and made a shot on goal, using 11,700 different shot patterns. We developed a simple flow for smartphones to provide the users with maximum usability. In addition, we tried to give a dynamic impression by using a creative with a sense of speed expressing the great feeling when a player throws in the ball. The thrower’s Facebook profile photo and support message were also projected. Further, the event was broadcast live online so that football fans all over Japan - and the world - could participate.