PLAY THE GIFT

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Presentation Image

TitlePLAY THE GIFT
BrandSKY PERFECT JSAT CORPORATION × PIZZA OF DEATH RECORDS
Product / ServiceHI-STANDARD "THE GIFT"
CategoryA09. Media / Entertainment
EntrantDENTSU INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Idea Creation DENTSU INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Production DENTSU CREATIVE X INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Production 2 D2C Tokyo, JAPAN

Credits

Name Company Position
Kenji Oda DENTSU INC. Creative Director
Tetsuya Tsukamoto DENTSU INC. Art Director
Seino Akiko blessyou.inc Agency Producer
Daisuke Takahashi D2C dot Web Producer
Rem Fukao Dentsu Creative X Production Producer
Daisuke Sugawara Dentsu Creative X Director
Kansuke Akaike Freelance Illustrator
Toshichika Ono Dentsu Creative X Designer
Akira Ozawa Dentsu Creative X Designer
Toshiyuki Imura Dentsu Creative X Designer
Ryosuke Harashima Dentsu Creative X Creative Technologist
Takuya Ichimura D2C dot Technical Producer
Junichi Hashimoto D2C dot User Experience Designer
Production Manager Dentsu Creative X Production Manager

The Campaign

Leveraging the fact that this band has been copied by more people than any other, we surprised fans by releasing the sheet music to their new song before it went on sale. Although no one had yet heard the song, many fans recorded their own version of it, which they uploaded to the internet in video format that created a buzz online leading to a social phenomenon that spread beyond music fans.

Creative Execution

Before the new song went on sale, the sheet music (score for a three piece band) was used to create a giant OOH advertisement unexpectedly appearing in urban (Tokyo and Osaka) subway lines used by large numbers of young people. The sheet music was also distributed for free on the nationwide convenience store Network Print Service as a surprise present to ensure those living in other areas could get their own copy. Using the keyword #playthegift, we strongly encouraged fans on social media to copy the new song and upload videos of themselves playing it. We also launched a mysterious countdown teaser website, and when the countdown reached zero, the original promotional video in which the band themselves show how the song should be played was released for the first time online, further encouraging fans to post videos of their own version of the song.

As soon as the giant sheet music OOH appeared in the subway, fans were surprised and spread the news immediately. Fans came from across Japan, even at the convenience store Network Print, sharing the joy of a new activity when getting the sheet music before the song was released. Social media and other websites were swarming with fans and bands playing their version of the unreleased new single. The CD album sold 400,000 copies in just the first three days after it went on sale and 400,000 people applied for a chance to purchase tickets, a great success far surpassing seating capacity and numerical targets. Old fans got out their musical instruments for the first time in years, and new fans were created who rushed out to buy musical instruments. Engagement with this campaign led to a level of success unmatched in the history of the Japanese music scene.

Leveraging the fact that this legendary band continues to be the most copied ever, massive OOH advertisements featuring the sheet music for the new single before it was released were placed in train stations in Shibuya and Osaka used by the largest number of young people in Japan. Many fans saw the score for the new song they had never heard before, played it themselves and shared it as a video online, which created a buzz of information surrounding the new album and tour leading to a social phenomenon.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Hi-Standard are powerful communicators with an impact on a multitude of music fans and amateur musicians on social media as influencers mainly on Twitter. Fans came to adopt the same state of mind as the band, who have regularly stated that, rather than just listening to music, it is also fun to play it yourself with friends. Leveraging the relationship between artists and fans to the fullest extent possible became the strategy and focal point of measures used during this campaign.

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