Why is this work relevant for Direct?

Fukui Prefecture in Japan is home to numerous traditional crafts—kogei—that are renowned for their beauty and elegance. However, changes in lifestyles have caused demand for kogei to plummet, putting one of Fukui’s most important industries at risk. To combat the stereotype that kogei no longer have a place in today’s Japan, we developed a project to rebrand Japan’s traditional crafting techniques as skills that can add value to products for the modern consumer. The fashion accessories we developed for the project introduced an entire generation of young Japanese to kogei, helping revitalize this regional industry.

Background

One region in particular has a rich history in kogei—Japan’s traditional crafts—: Fukui Prefecture. The beauty and elegance of these wares has long provided this rural prefecture with a vital industry. However, changes in lifestyles have caused demand for kogei to plummet—and the high price of many kogei products has given rise to a stereotype that kogei are essentially overpriced ornaments, despite the fact the kogei originated as practical household items.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

We developed a project for applying kogei techniques towards meeting the needs of modern Japanese. First, we consolidated the various kogei industries in Fukui under a unified brand—Fukui Trad—and together developed products based around themes that would resonate with the modern consumer. And we created women’s fashion accessories in a wide range of colors and designs, developed with a variety of kogei techniques. Our lineup included stylish designs—a far cry from the “old and stuffy” kogei stereotype. The items were sold at one of Japan’s most popular boutique department store, both at its flagship store and on its online shop.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

To combat the stereotype that kogei are simply ornamental, we decided to go back to kogei’s roots by developing products that would emphasize their functionality. We created women’s fashion accessories in a wide range of colors and designs, developed with a variety of kogei techniques. Our decision was partly based on the fact that young women are the demographic with the least exposure to kogei, but it was also based on the hope that the very idea of creating casual everyday items using 100-year-old crafting techniques would pique both public and media interest.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Our lineup included handbags, nail tips, and other accessories featuring vibrant colors and stylish designs—a far cry from the “old and stuffy” kogei stereotype. The items were sold at Beams Japan, one of Japan’s most popular boutique department store chains, both at its flagship Shinjuku store—right in the center of Tokyo—and on its online shop. To raise interest in the project, we posted making-of content on social media and held numerous PR events.

List the results (30% of vote)

The media provided positive coverage for this project, creating about USD 2.1 million in earned media. Also young influencers introduced these products and many young Japanese were introduced to Fukui’s traditional crafts for the first time. The success of our lineup of women’s fashion accessories convinced the prefecture to broaden the scope of the campaign to include developing business strategies for revitalizing its kogei industries.