Why is this work relevant for PR?

Asahi Kasei Home Products Corporation has clarified the social issue "underprepared for disasters at home" in Japan, a disaster-prone country, and has led society by proposing "#DisasterPreparednessTraining #StayHome" in collaboration with KOL, more than 20 companies and the media. This new training attracted tremendous interest across the country, and 42.3% of people who were aware of the campaign participated in the training.

Background

With the effects of climate change, Japan is a country prone to many natural disasters. The spread of COVID-19 is another crisis affecting Japan. What if a natural disaster strikes while people are staying home? Surveys found that an astounding 48% of people in Japan (61,120,000 people nationwide) say that they are "underprepared for disasters at home" and spend only 10.1 minutes per year on disaster preparation and training. The goal of the campaign was to popularize "disaster prevention methods at home" that anyone can easily practice using Saran Wrap (R), which is available in every home.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

Japanese consumer goods manufacturer Asahi Kasei Home Products Corporation turned to the idea of transforming everyday kitchen products into items you can use in emergency situations. "#DisasterPreparednessTraining #StayHome" using Saran Wrap(R), a plastic food wrap found in any household, was proposed.

Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)

The target audience is families restricted to spending days at home during the pandemic. Using the common household product of plastic food wrap, new methods of disaster preparedness training at home were developed with experts. They included the following methods: conserving water by lining plates with plastic wrap to eliminate the need for dish washing, mitigating smells by wrapping up odorous materials, maintaining hygiene by creating makeshift disposable gloves, creating makeshift versions of other household products like string or sponges, protecting against cold by wrapping newspaper and plastic wrap around the body, and enhancing communication by creating a makeshift message board. These methods were introduced to various media outlets and shared on Twitter. The idea of utilizing everyday household items to train for emergency situations transformed the target audience’s view of disaster training as distant and inaccessible to something personal and easy to do.

Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)

The campaign was executed from the end of August to the beginning of September 2020 during Japan’s Disaster Prevention Week. Training methods were shared through media outlets and social media. Sections dedicated to disaster preparedness were also added to food media sites for the first time. This transformed familiar recipe sites into sources of information on preparedness and encouraged people to participate in training. Discussions with other makers of everyday household products led to over 20 companies joining the "#DisasterPreparednessTraining #StayHome" movement along with involvement from KOLs and the media.

List the results (30% of vote)

Development of new ways to use Saran Wrap(R) has contributed to increasing disaster preparedness levels in homes across Japan. Over 20 companies collaborated in this effort. The story was picked up by major domestic media outlets with 136 articles published about the campaign. On Twitter, the campaign garnered over 30,000 tweets and 45 million impressions over the course of Disaster Prevention Week. “Intent to use Saran Wrap(R) (Occasions/Frequency)" increased by 15%. Of those who saw the campaign, 42.3% took part in disaster preparation and training exercises at home.

Please tell us about the social behaviour that inspired the work

In Japan, many people prefer to stay at home rather than evacuate to a shelter in any disaster, but the fact is not well known. On the other hand, according to experts, the rate of death of evacuees at home is about twice that of those who go to shelters. With this initiative, "#DisasterPreparednessTraining #StayHome" have spread as a social activity.