PANICOUPON

Short List
TitlePANICOUPON
BrandCULTURE CONVENIENCE CLUB
Product / ServicePANICOUPON
CategoryA06. Events & Experiential (incl. stunts)
EntrantHAKUHODO Tokyo, JAPAN
Entrant Company HAKUHODO Tokyo, JAPAN
Advertising Agency HAKUHODO Tokyo, JAPAN
Production Company TC.MAX. Tokyo, JAPAN
Production Company 2 MCRAY Tokyo, JAPAN

Credits

Name Company Position
Kazuhiro Suda HAKUHODO INC.  Executive Creative Director
Airo Takanohashi  HAKUHODO INC.  Executive Creative Director
Takahiro Eguchi  HAKUHODO INC.  Creative Director
Masako Shimizu HAKUHODO INC.  Copywriter
Kei Nakamura  HAKUHODO INC.  Copywriter
Keita Kojima  HAKUHODO INC.  Art Director
Masateru Kametani  HAKUHODO INC.  Project Curator 
SHINICHIRO INABA IMJ Creative Director
TAKUYA SATO IMJ Technical Director
TOMOSHI ARAI IMJ Technical Director
YURI NAGANO IMJ Designer
KOJI GOTO IMJ Art Director
KOJIRO FUKUSHI IMJ PR Director
TAKESHI ANZAI CRAY Production Producer
TAKAAKI MIYAZAWA CRAY Production Manager
SATOSHI TANAKA CRAY Director
DAISUKE MAEDA MCRAY Technical Advisor 
TOMOYUKI TANAKA MCRAY Editor
MUNEAKI SHIBUYA MCRAY Sound Design Arrangement
AYA HIRAGA MCRAY Editor

The Campaign

Horror was one of the most popular movie categories in Japan. But these days, its demand is decreasing year by year. Tsutaya, the most famous DVD store in Japan, had too large of a stock of horror movies. We needed a plan to attract consumers and increase sales, by updating the frightening experience. We invented the oculus rift 360° horror movie, you could only experience at the store. We also invented the world’s first interactive coupon, “panicoupon” which discount rate rises up in response to the people’s heart rate. Uncountable number of zombies approach you from all around in the closed space of oculus rift. On the day of the event, people’s screams and reactions encouraged people to come. In total thirty thousand people rushed in. This world’s first approach was widely reported by the media. Social media activity increased by 367%. Sales increased over 26 times. From “fear” to “pleasure” panicoupon shocked people’s feelings. It directly stimulated their buying motivation. Key PR elements: ・Using people's screams and reactions as media, at "Shibuya scramble intersection," the most crowded place in Japan, people actively spread "Panicoupon" all over.(Social media activity increased 367%. ) ・This world’s first approach was widely reported by the media including TV etc. ・By updating the frightening experience, we could bring fresh news to the low demand horror movie category and stimulate new conversation throughout Japan.

The Brief

Make fresh news and stimulate the decreasing demand of horror movie, by updating the frightening experience. Increase DVD sales of horror movies.

Results

It’s a special experience and a special coupon, you only could get at the Tsutaya store. On the day of the event, people’s screams and reactions encouraged people to come. In total 30,000 people rushed in. This world’s first approach was widely reported by the media. Social media activity increased 367%. Sales increased over 26 times. We could hear comments like "it was the most frightening experience ever," "it totally renewed my horror experience," "my love of horror movie was reheated!" from “fear” to “pleasure” panicoupon shocked people’s feelings. It directly stimulated their buying motivation.

Execution

We invented the oculus rift 360° horror movie, you could only experience at the store. We also invented the world’s first interactive coupon, “panicoupon” which discount rate rises up in response to the people’s heart rate. Uncountable number of zombies approach you from all around in the closed space of oculus rift. We strongly utilized the feeling "fear" as a media. By oculus lift, we changed the usual store to the newest fear experiencing place. We published “panicoupon,” discount coupon which discount rate rises up in response to the people's heart rate of fear. It attracted a great amount of costumers. On the day of the event, people's screams echoed throughout Shibuya interjection, one of the most crowded place of Japan. The irresistible sound, "scream", and the "reaction" of the fear experience, encouraged 30,000 people to come. A great number of media came to report it.

The Situation

Horror was one of the most popular movie categories in Japan. But these days, it's demand is decreasing year by year. Tsutaya, the most famous DVD store in Japan, had too large of stock of horror movies. We needed a new plan to attract consumers and increase sales, by updating the frightening experience.

The Strategy

The strategy was to increase sales and demand of horror movie by updating the frightening experience in a totally new way that no one has ever experienced. We wanted to maximize spreading this new experience by choosing the most crowded place in Japan, "The Shibuya Intersection." As we planned to use people's screams and reactions as media, it was the most ideal place. Also, it is a place where people come from all over Japan, and all over the world, so we planned that the news could spread widely to people all over. Target audience was people who liked horror before and people who are open to new experiences, so the place and experiment was suitable.