SUB CATEGORY :

ENERGY, SANITATION & SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

COMPANY ENTERING :

TBWA\HAKUHODO INC., TOKYO

TITLE :

SHELLMET

BRAND :

SHELLMET

ADVERTISER :

KOUSHI CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.

AGENCY :

TBWA\HAKUHODO INC., TOKYO/
QUANTUM INC., TOKYO

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER :

TAKAHIRO HOSODA

CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

MASATOSHI USAMI

ART DIRECTOR :

YUHEI ITO/TAKESHI MATSUDA

AGENCY PRODUCER :

YUKI SAKAMOTO/OMU INOUE

DESIGNER :

SHINTARO MONDEN/MINATSU TAKEKOSHI

PR DIRECTOR :

KYOSUKE HASHIMOTO/SUGURU KATO

PR AGENCY :

KMCGROUP, TOKYO

MEDIA RELATIONS :

ERI SATO, TAKASHI HAMADA

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY :

ROBOT COMMUNICATIONS INC., TOKYO

DIRECTOR :

KOHEI INOUE

EDITOR :

NOBUO MITA

MOTION GRAPHIC :

KIYOTAKA SUMIYOSHI

PHOTOGRAPHER :

JUNYA TAGUCHI

RETOUCHER :

TAKUMU KOSHIBA

DESIGNER :

HISAHIRO TOMONAGA

CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :

Background:
Although Scallops are the most commonly eaten shellfish in Japan, they are also the most discarded shellfish. Hokkaido's Sarufutsu Village is home to the largest scallop catch in the country. In 2021, exporters discarded approximately 40,000 tons of shells on the shoreline.
Experts point out not only the challenge of securing a place to deposit shells, but also an environmental preservation issue as piles of shells omit a foul odor, and cause groundwater contamination from heavy metals contained in the remains.
Sarufutsu Village's scallops are well known in Japan and abroad, and scallop fishing is the most important industry underpinning the community. In the village, about 270 fishermen work and fish with passion to grow and catch scallops.
On the other hand, the fishermen felt guilty because scallop shells produced a large amount of waste that polluted the shoreline.
Therefore, we challenged ourselves to transform the scallop fishery in Sarufutsu Village into a sustainable industry by giving discarded shells a new role.
Our Solution:
SHELLMET tackles the problem of fishery waste and provides a new form of environmental conservation. It will protect the fishing industry by converting shells, which have been discarded in large quantities as waste, into a helmet that cleans the ocean the more it is produced.
We innovated and created a solution to a problem that had not been considered an issue until now, namely that "shells are disposed of routinely and are polluting the environment”.
After its release, it gained widespread popularity across Japan, extending beyond Sarufutsu Village. Furthermore, the material of SHELLMET has garnered attention as a new alternative to plastic, leading to collaboration with over 24 domestic and international brands. We are actively involved in businesses related to the utilization of this material, promoting sustainable community development.

CREATIVITY/IDEA/INSIGHT :

Cultural Insight:
Scallop fishermen work for long hours on the sea and face the risk of falling due to the unstable conditions beneath their feet and particularly rough weather.
In addition, due to the high risk of earthquakes and other disasters in Japan, helmets are considered a staple item for disaster preparedness, not only for fishermen, but for many people to protect their safety.
What if we could create an eco-system whereby the helmets worn by scallop fishermen and Japanese people are produced from the scallop shells caught by local fishermen?
Idea:
We focused on the main component and structure of scallop shells, which is "calcium carbonate," a highly versatile component used in a variety of processes to increase strength, such as building materials and cement.
In addition, shells that survive the harsh natural world similarly exhibit high strength.
These two insights led to an idea: "Shells have protected themselves from external enemies and are now protecting human lives." The upshot was SHELLMET, the world's first helmet made from scallop shells.
(Japanese name: HOTAMET)
SHELLMET is made of 100% recycled materials from crushed discarded shells, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 36% compared to plastic.

STRATEGY :

The key message was, "Protect heads and the planet."
We aimed not only to recycle discarded shells, but also to add value by allowing consumers to support this project while protecting the environment.
Many products exist that create new waste in the name of recycling. Contrastingly, we aimed for a sustainable society through a system where SHELLMETs are continuously crushed and reused as building materials or new SHELLMET materials.
We interviewed villagers to ascertain the need for the product among fishermen and villagers, and utilized these interviews in development. Furthermore, with bicycle helmets becoming mandatory in April 2023, we positioned the product as "Sarufutsu’s specialty helmet" to coincide with the growing demand for helmets, sending a message from Sarufutsu to consumers.
More SHELLMETs means less discarded shells that cause soil contamination. This makes a tangible contribution to the planet and nudges the involvement of society, both individuals and companies.

EXECUTION :

In a world awash with upcycled products, we emphasized design in order to differentiate the product with newsworthiness.
There are many structures in nature that have been optimized over a long period of time, and the application of these structures to technological development is called "Biomimicry,". SHELLMET is based on this concept and incorporates a ribbed structure unique to shells. Given this, in the Von Mises Stress Test, it succeeded in yielding 133% strength compared to regular helmets.
On December 14, 2022, SHELLMET was announced as a specialty product of Sarufutsu Village and sold worldwide. Because of its design and the timing of the announcement of the law change that would increase interest in helmets, the domestic media all reported on the product. The major buzz it created in Japan led to major international media outlets such as Fast Company and Guardian, raising the profile of Sarufutsu Village's sustainable community.

RESULT :

Since its launch, received 887 media exposures in 34 countries, reaching 5.6 billion eyeballs. Penetration not just among local fishing communities, but throughout Japan.
Chalked up 1,397% ($37,000+) of sales in 2 months after launch.
In first year, over 24 tons of discarded shells are to be recycled.
*Scale expansion planned.
In recognition of its innovation, it was adopted as the official disaster protection helmet for the 2025 Osaka World Expo.
The SHELLMET material is making waves as a new alternative to plastic,
with offers pouring in from more than 24 global brands, including Shell.
50% of the proceeds from a portion of sales go to the village
Currently, shell recycling projects are underway in Chile and other fishing villages around the world that are facing the problem of discarded shells. This provides a catalyst to the problem of discarded seashells not only in Japan but also overseas.
SHELLMET not only resolved the environmental issues in Sarufutsu Village but also became a new source of income. By harnessing discarded shells that were once a burden to the village as a new resource, the project successfully contributed to building a sustainable eco-cycle.

URL :

https://koushi-chem.co.jp/hotamet/en/