| Title | INCENSE OF MEMORIES |
| Brand | KAMEYAMA |
| Product / Service | INCENSE |
| Category | F01. Consumer Products |
| Entrant | WUNDERMAN THOMPSON Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Idea Creation | WUNDERMAN THOMPSON Tokyo, JAPAN |
| PR | WUNDERMAN THOMPSON Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Production | WUNDERMAN THOMPSON Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Takayuki Niizawa | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Chief Creative Officer |
| Tetsuya Mita | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Creative Director |
| Satoko Iida | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Creative Director |
| Tohko Kanzaki | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Art Director |
| Hidenori Tsumoto | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Agency Producer |
| Yuko Uchiyama | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Communication Manager |
| Ko Ishizaka | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Account Director |
| Sayaka Ono | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Account Manager |
| Junpei Sango | Wunderman Thompson Tokyo | Activation Planner |
| Naoko Onishi | Naoko Oishi design | Product Designer |
| Masanobu Nishino | free-lance | Film Director |
Japanese people practice the centuries-old tradition of lighting straight incense sticks to honor the deceased. Founded in 1927, Kameyama, Japan’s oldest and most widely loved incense brand, had the desire and challenge of wanting to update the tradition of remembering the deceased by transforming incense into a more impressionable and evocative product.
To address Kameyama’s challenge, we proposed the idea of incense that would allow people to reminisce about the “individuality” and personalities of their loved ones, which the current tradition of lighting straight incense sticks had not yet incorporated. We were sure that creating a new form of incense that allows us to feel the individuality of the deceased and celebrate their lives in a more positive light than ever before was the true manifestation of updating this tradition.
Leveraging their many years of experience and expert craftsmanship, Kameyama created “INCENSE OF MEMORIES”, the world’s first incense stick that gives shape and form to the departed. From thermal conductivity to burn time, every detail was meticulously calculated, transforming the form of incense sticks, which had traditionally maintained a straight shape for about 400 years since its creation. A variety of designs were created to give shape to a loved one’s hobbies and the things they enjoyed during their life such as reading, mountain climbing, surfing, and golfing, with each reminding us of the “individuality” of those who were so vibrant and vivid during their life.
This groundbreaking concept of offering prayers while reminiscing about loved ones became a big topic of conversation on social media and throughout Japan. As a result, Kameyama received ten times more orders than their production volume, products sold out instantly, and they reached a user satisfaction rate of 94%. Kameyama reinvented and updated the tradition of how people memorialize the deceased and ultimately became a part of the hearts of many and brought a brighter light to those remembering their loved ones.