Why is this work relevant for Creative Strategy?

Because this work has its transformative strategy based on the brand purpose of the railway brand to escalate its social meaningfulness in the arrival of the era of MaaS(Mobility as a Service).

Background

In metropolitan Tokyo, 13 million people use Japan Railways everyday for commuting. Office workers spend an average of 1 hour and 40 minutes a day in trains. In the era of MaaS(Mobility as a Service), East Japan Railway Company, the biggest railway brand in Japan, aims to add a value of their trains which contributes to people’s life, beyond just transportation.

The Interpretation of the Challenge (30% of vote)

People all equally live 24 hours a day. People living in metropolitan Tokyo spend nearly one twelfth of one day on trains. East Japan Railway Company can contribute more to the "one twelfth of their day". What if trains become the best opportunity where they can pursue their universal desire in hectic weekdays? What is their universal desire in this aging society?

The Insight / Breakthrough Thinking (30% of vote)

The insight of this work is "However old we are, we have a natural desire for health and growth". Especially as the aging of society is progressing, self-improvement for mind and body gets a more natural desire . However, working life in metropolitan Tokyo makes it difficult. Office workers who spend an average of 1 hour and 40 minutes on everyday commuting in trains are too fatigued especially weekdays to pursue their desire for self-improvement. So we came up with the thinking that the geo-fencing technology available only in trains can make a train space the best place for their health, wellness and growth.

The Creative Idea (20% of vote)

Introducing ‘TRAIN’ing, a smartphone app turning the value of trains from a place for travel into a place that enables passengers to become healthier and stronger. By utilizing the iBeacon geo-fencing technology, the app connects with a device placed in train carriages and provides each passenger optimal coaching instructions by calculating their interests and real-time train information. Each personalized instruction is compiled from hundreds of mindfulness/workout exercises all of which have been developed by professional trainers. East Japan Railway, making travel time more meaningful for health.

The Outcome / Results (20% of vote)

In less than one month since the introduction, the app reached: - 600M media impressions (11 countries) - 22M twitter impressions - $2.5M media equivalent cost East Japan Railway Company is on the process of expanding the app to its other lines nationwide. A variety of responses came from media and social networks: “Turning an ordinary commute into an opportunity for health and wellness”(campaign) “Harness the geo-fencing technology for health”(TECHABLE) “Makes travel time more meaningful”(TBS) “The frustration of crowded trains, now an enjoyment”(Twitter)

Please tell us how the brand purpose inspired the work

East Japan Railway Company has its brand purpose of contributing to the growth and prosperity of the East Japan area by providing quality leading-edge services, with train station and railway businesses at its core, to customers and communities. The purpose helped us come up with a strategy which highlights not functions of the brand, but its meaningfulness for people living in the aging society.