THE JAPANESE CRAFT

TitleTHE JAPANESE CRAFT
BrandSUNTORY
Product / ServiceTHE JAPANESE CRAFT SPIRITS & LIQUEUR
CategoryB03. Posters
EntrantHAKUHODO INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Idea Creation HAKUHODO INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Production HAKUHODO PRODUCT'S INC. Tokyo, JAPAN
Production 2 SESAMI Tokyo, JAPAN

Credits

Name Company Position
Hiroki Sugano Suntory Creative Director
Yuka Sugaya Suntory Creative Director
Takeshi Ogasawara Hakuhodo Inc. Creative Director
Takeshi Ogasawara Hakuhodo Inc. Copywriter
Takayuki Ichida Hakuhodo Inc. Art Director
Tetsuhiro Kiyota SESAMI Inc. Designer
Natsuki Akasaka SESAMI Inc. Designer
Ayano Yanagisawa SESAMI Inc. Designer
Masakazu Hirata Hakuhodo Product's Inc. Photographer
Shuji Kakinuma Hakuhodo Product's Inc. Retoucher
Kakunosuke Mizusawa Hakuhodo Product's Inc. Producer
Kana Ogashi Hakuhodo Product's Inc. Producer
Akihiro Takeda Hakuhodo Inc. Account Director
Hiroki Takebe Hakuhodo Inc. Account Manager
Taisho Matsuguma Hakuhodo Inc. Account Executive

Background

“THE JAPANESE CRAFT Spirits & Liqueur” series is crafted by meticulous and detailed Japanese artisans, using pure water and unique botanicals in Japan. However, most people think of European or American-made when it comes to craft spirits and liqueur. And Japan-made was not well known.

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

The idea is to visualize the “spirit” of Japanese craftsmanship. Through the visual, we tried to let viewers take notice that they are Japan-made despite that Western-made spirits and liqueur dominate. We thereby aimed to impress the series as a representative of Japanese liquors.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

To impress the series as a representative of Japanese liquors, we chose a motif of “Zen garden”. It's made with raked gravel or sand to represent ripples and make you feel and imagine water without water. This brand poster takes on such an approach. We made an elaborate miniature landscape with painstakingly composed arrangements, only the shadows of floating Japanese seasonal leaves and flowers in the air express a stream flowing below without water. It makes you feel these spirits and liqueur are made of pure crystal-clear water from Japan. This poster has been exhibited in liquor stores, duty-free shops at airports, etc.

List the results (20% of vote)

This visual demonstrated the dignity of this brand and improved the reputation of Japan-made craft spirits and liqueur. Servings at hotel bars and the number of cocktail fairs increased by about 120% year-on-year. And both the brand affinity rating and purchase intention showed 90% positive.