Background

【Expand Wagyu beef consumption for producers in the face of COVID - 19】 Our client, ZEN-NOH has been working for many years to increase the consumption of Wagyu beef. Increasing the total consumption is a fundamental issue for agricultural producers in terms of maintaining food security. In 2020, because of COVID-19, people have been restraining themselves from going out of their homes and the consumption of Wagyu beef, which has been supported by eating out, has decreased. The decline of inbound tourism also had a tremendous impact on the domestic beef industry. Wagyu producers have been severely damaged, and urgent measures were required. The challenge of this project was to “increase Wagyu consumption " amidst the headwind of the COVID-19 crisis. Our budget was $173,000(USD) for the entire project, inclduing the production cost $24,000. Within a limited budget, we had to spread the message in a nationwide scale.

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

【Publish a newspaper advertisement that turns home barbecues into a big feast】 In Japan, people put newspapers under the griddle when enjoying home barbecues to avoid grease splattering on the table. We focused on this custom as a key element that would encourage people to eat Wagyu "at home". On August 29th, Japan’s Grill Beef Day, we placed a newspaper advertisement that turns into a tablecloth intended to be put under the electric griddle. The advertisement depicts 178 people who worked their best during COVID-19, including medical doctors and nurses, baseball players whose games were cancelled, and so on. Using the newspaper, we encouraged the public to remember the enjoyment of having grill beef dinner parties without holding one in person, and reward themselves with delicious grilled Wagyu for living through this rough summer.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

Our objective was to let people enjoy Wagyu beef "at home" during the quarantine days, and cheer the public with the power of Wagyu. To make this happen, we had to change the perception of Wagyu, from a luxury that belongs to restaurants, to something that could be enjoyed at home. We applied hand-written illustrations that convey a warm and approachable image. The newspaper itself also brings an intimate feeling of families and homes. The illustration depicts 178 people who fought the pandemic, including medical doctors and nurses, baseball players whose games were cancelled, and so on. The massive crowd not only brings out emotions that people went through during the pandemic, but it also reminds the enjoyment of having grill beef dinner parties without holding one in person. Using the newspaper, we encouraged people to reward themselves with delicious Wagyu, just like those who appear in the paper.

List the results (20% of vote)

【 Wholesale Beef Price by Grade raised 2,500yen/kg to 3,057yen/kg / No.1 Twitter Trend in Japan / Advertising Conversion Value: $2,869,510 / 195 media coverage + 9 TV programs / Boosted Wagyu consumption】 Once WAGYU NEWSPAPER was published in major newspapers across the country, it triggered the media to cover this new movement, and as a result, the campaign gained 9 TV programs + 195 media coverage. As a result, the Domestic Wholesale Carcass Price by Grade raised 2,500yen/kg (July, 2020) to 3,057yen/kg (November, 2020). ※Tokyo Market The news attracted people’s attention and the campaign hashtag became the No.1 trend on Twitter (in Japan) as well. The advertisement encouraged people to create a heart - warming memory at the end of a difficult summer, and most importantly, provided an opportunity to boost the Wagyu beef consumption, which brought hope for the beef industry.