Why is this work relevant for PR?

YOHO Brewing, Japan's largest craft beer company, has a brand philosophy "Drinking is about relaxed enjoyment free of stress and to expand it throughout Japan." In order to improve the recognition score and favorableness score of the corporate brand as a brewery, YOHO focused on a social issue occurring at drinking sessions inside Japan. There is always a level of disconnect between senior and junior co-workers caused by senior's bossy behavior at drinking sessions. YOHO aimed to create buzz around this topic by creating a real experience for businessmen so that they would change their mind and also their behavior.

Background

YOHO Brewing, Japan's largest craft beer company, believes that drinking is about relaxed enjoyment free of stress. Yet in Japan where drinking sessions among company colleagues are important bonding rituals between seniors and juniors, they can be anything but stress-free for junior staffers – especially when senior co-workers who are bossy in the office behave the same way outside when alcohol is served. To tackle this stressful interaction between senior workers and their juniors, YOHO aimed to create buzz around this topic and in the process, help differentiate itself in the crowded Japanese marketplace for beer.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

In Japanese companies there is always a level of disconnect between senior and junior co-workers, but after YOHO conducted a survey to determine some root causes, it discovered that 65% of junior co-workers had experienced sitting through a senior boasting about their past glories, a practice it labelled as ‘Bossy-Talk’. Moreover, some 67% said that they had pretended to hear a repeated story for the first time. By highlighting this Bossy-Talk, the root cause of the discord, YOHO aimed to spotlight the problem and capture sympathizers, mainly office workers. At bars and other drinking establishments frequented by these groups, the company set up a contraption that recognizes and responds to what YOHO identified as ‘Bossy Wind’.

Describe the strategy (30% of vote)

Playing on the Japanese idiom “Blow a Bossy-Wind,” YOHO developed the ‘Bossy-Talk Detector’, a device consisting of a tree of small fans which begin circulating when a sophisticated microphone located nearby detects Bossy-Talk. Using AI powered by IBM Watson, Google Cloud Speech API and Empath, the apparatus can recognize more than 2,000 ‘bossy’ phrases, emotions, and traits uncovered by a survey of actual drinking sessions. When activated, the Bossy-Talk Detector blows weak, medium or strong Bossy-Wind at the senior staffer.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Coinciding with International Beer Day on August 3, 2018, YOHO released a concept video on YouTube and Twitter and a Bossy-Talk Detector was placed in a beer bar so that businessmen could experience Bossy-Wind for themselves. Fifteen private and government organizations also inquired about having the Bossy-Talk Detector. The device was loaned to several companies including Sega Sammy Holdings and Grange Inc. for their year-end parties.

List the results (30% of vote) – must include at least two of the following tiers:

There were posts from both sides. Younger folks chimed in, saying that bringing to light BOSSY TALK in such a fun way can lead to a good relationship and BOSSY TALK isn't always a bad thing, while older colleagues added that it made them realize what constitutes BOSSY TALK and was a trigger to look back on their everyday chats. Advertising Equivalency Value : US＄ 7+million Total media reports: More than 400 - Featured 5 times on Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, including a seven-minute special - Featured on Yahoo! Japan, Japan's biggest portal website's top page - Reported on by popular newspapers such as Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei Media Impressions: More than 720 million Brand Lift Score increased 20% (Internet survey, year-on-year) Fifteen private and government organizations inquired about leasing Bossy-Talk Detector. The device was loaned to Sega Sammy Holdings and Grange Inc. for their year-end parties. The concept video created buzz on social media.