Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

We produced original animated content to convey the appeal of local ingredients and specialties from Saga Prefecture. Distributed via Twitter, the content aimed to generate interest among consumers, attract them to the e-commerce website and encourage purchase of Saga Prefecture products and specialties.

Background

Tourism to Saga Prefecture declined significantly during the pandemic. Though many delicious local products were approaching the seasonal peak of flavor, people could not find opportunities to consume and revenues were shrinking. Because travel restrictions made it difficult to create opportunities for face-to-face sales, we needed to encourage consumers around Japan to visit the e-commerce website and purchase local specialties on-line. Amidst food-related PR campaigns conducted by various local governments and corporations, we aimed to draw attention to Saga Prefecture’s delicious “Saga-meshi” (local Saga specialties) and encourage people from all over Japan to “spontaneously hunger for Saga specialties.”

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

We focused on animation techniques that could depict Japanese ingredients and specialties in a delicious way. Aiming for 23:00, a time that’s often associated with hunger pangs, we assembled a highly acclaimed crew including voice actor Mamoru Miyano to produce a series of high-impact super-short Saga-meshi anime films that were posted to Twitter 10 nights in a row. The short anime films focused on Saga-meshi specialties that were coming into season and directed viewers to an e-commerce site where products could be purchased. In addition to the super-short anime films, the Twitter account featured trailers, audio to arouse people’s appetites, and other food-related content. Encouraging late-night hunger pangs via Twitter successfully fueled on-line impulse purchases.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

With straightforward promotion of local food products and tourism difficult under the pandemic, we aimed for millennial and generation Z targets who receive much of their information from SNS. Twitter, known for high affinity among the target generations, was positioned as the main communication platform. Due to the large number of fans among the target, we maximized anime and voice character content to produce high-impact “Saga-meshi anime” films. Among Twitter users, posting films of delicious-looking meals that fuel hunger pangs on time lines during late night time periods has become known as “food porn.” We focused on this “food porn” phenomenon and set our animated films for 23:00 release to stimulate our targets’ late night appetites. We also prepared links to an e-commerce site to encourage “impulse purchase” triggered by late-night hunger.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

Based on the message “because seasonality can’t be extended,” we created anime films mainly featuring Saga-meshi specialties made with ingredients approaching the peak of seasonal flavor. Produced by a highly acclaimed crew including voice actor Mamoru Miyano, a series of high-impact super-short “Saga-meshi anime” films were posted to Twitter 10 nights in a row, aiming for the 23:00 time zone of hunger pangs and leading viewers to an e-commerce site where products could be purchased. In addition to the super-short anime films, the Twitter account featured trailers, audio to arouse people’s appetites, and other food-related content, entertaining viewers, stimulating their appetites, and encouraging them to visit the e-commerce site.

List the results (30% of vote)

(1) Anime films were played approx. 2 million times and generated approx. 21,500,000 impressions. Earning coverage on 19 TV programs and 436 websites, the campaign successfully generated a buzz, triggered by anime fans who were excited by the “way too delicious anime films.” (2) Sales from the Saga Prefecture website (food products featured in the anime films) increased 130% from the previous month, and the site registered approximately 40,000 clicks. (3) Supermarkets in Tokyo inquired about mentioning our “Midnight Temptation Anime” in leaflets publicizing Saga Prefecture promotions and the Hong Kong office of the Japan National Tourist Organization asked to introduce the campaign on their SNS, indicating third-party dissemination of campaign information, even in overseas markets. (4) In an April 2021 survey, Saga Prefecture was ranked No. 8 among Japan’s 47 prefectures for destinations chosen for local cuisine and food products (placed out of the top 10 in previous survey).