SUB CATEGORY :

USE OF AMBIENT: SMALL SCALE

ENTRANT COMPANY :

DENTSU INC., TOKYO

TITLE :

APPAREL CONNECTION 118

BRAND :

APPAREL CONNECTION 118

ADVERTISER :

NTT DOCOMO, INC.

AGENCY :

DENTSU INC., TOKYO

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE :

ARATA IKAWA/YUKI YAMASHITA/KANAKO YAMAZAKI/
RYOHEI YASUDA/MASAHIRO SEKIMOTO/
YURIKA TOKUDOME/RYOTARO TSUJI

ART DIRECTOR :

NANAE ISHIKAWA

COPYWRITER :

NAGISA HARUTA/MOMOKO KOBAYASHI

CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

MOMOKO KOBAYASHI

CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIST :

KEN HAGA

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

KAZUHIDE ADACHI/NORIAKI ONOE

PR DIRECTOR :

YUKI SAOTOME/ANNA TATSUNO

CODER :

TOMOYUKI YANAGAWA (FREELANCE)　

PR AGENCY :

CEEDEE,INC, TOKYO

PR DIRECTOR :

TOKI NISHIO/HARUNA MOMOZONO

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY :

DENTSU LIVE INC., TOKYO/TREE DIGITAL STUDIO INC., TOKYO

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR :

YUTO HORI

DIRECTOR :

TAKASHI MUKAI

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER :

AKINOBU TAKAHASHI

FILM PRODUCER :

TOMOYUKI HORI

PRODUCTION COMPANY :

STACKS INC., TOKYO

CHIEF PRODUCER :

MARURO YAMASHITA (STACKS INC.)

EDITOR :

CHISA SHIOHIRA (STACKS INC.)

TRANSPORT :

MARUTO KUROKI (EIKOMARU INC.)

PHOTOGRAPHER :

YUICHI AKAGI (FREELANCE)

MOVIE DIRECTOR :

DAIKI KIKKAWA (FREELANCE)

STYLIST :

KOUDAI SUEHIRO (FREELANCE)

CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :

In Japan, a country surrounded by the sea, approximately 1,000 lives are lost every year to maritime accidents.
118: This is the emergency contact number exclusively for maritime incidents in Japan, allowing direct calls to the Japan Coast Guard. In emergencies at sea, every second counts. However, around 80% of people do not understand its proper usage. Instead of dialing 118, people often call the more familiar numbers like 110 for the police or 119 for ambulances, resulting in critical delays.
The Japan Coast Guard's awareness campaigns, which until now focused primarily on posters, had their limitations. Recognizing this challenge, NTT DOCOMO, INC., Japan’s leading telecommunications company known for its extensive coverage even at sea, stepped up to address the issue.
Docomo collaborated with the marine wear brand HELLY HANSEN to co-develop an apparel collection. The brand identity incorporated the number 118, the frequencies used during maritime communication, and practical tips for handling maritime emergencies. This design ensures that not only the person wearing the items but also those nearby are naturally exposed to the number 118.
As a result, the collection quickly became the uniform at Enoshima and was rolled out nationwide for broader distribution. The project received endorsement from Japan's government-backed Japan Coast Guard. It was featured in news outlets and widely shared on social media, successfully raising awareness of the 118 emergency number throughout Japan.

CREATIVITY/IDEA/INSIGHT :

"Apparel Connection 118" is an apparel project that transforms clothing into a medium for raising awareness about the 118 emergency number. DOCOMO collaborated with the marine wear brand HELLY HANSEN to co-develop a unique apparel collection that incorporates the emergency maritime number 118, the frequencies used during emergency calls, and essential tips for responding to maritime accidents as part of its brand identity.
These garments not only remind wearers of the importance of 118 but also communicate this critical information to those around them. By combining maritime safety measures with fashion, the project effectively reached younger generations and other audiences traditionally less engaged by government-led awareness campaigns, successfully promoting the significance of the 118 number.

STRATEGY :

Unlike the police emergency number 110 or ambulance number 119, 118 is unfamiliar to most people because it is specifically for use during visits to the sea. Ironically, those most at risk of accidents are often people who rarely visit the ocean and are not accustomed to the environment.
To address this challenge, the project turned clothing into a medium for raising awareness. By incorporating 118 into apparel design, the message is naturally conveyed not only to those wearing the clothes but also to those around them. The aim was to create items that combined fashion and functionality, making them desirable for a wide audience.
the collection aimed to garner attention from prominent fashion magazines, elevating its status as a must-have item while promoting the emergency number 118.

EXECUTION :

We co-developed an apparel collection with the popular marine wear brand "HELLY HANSEN." The collection incorporated the maritime emergency number 118, communication frequencies, and tips for handling maritime accidents into the brand’s identity, designing them into a logo. We developed clothing that is both functional, with reflective and waterproof features, and fashionable. After the launch, the collection was quickly adopted as the staff uniform at Enoshima, Japan's most popular beach, where the number 118 was seen by over a million people during the season. The collection was then sold nationwide, and the project expanded across Japan. Furthermore, the Japan Coast Guard supported the project, officially recognizing it as an endorsed initiative, and officials from the Coast Guard appeared at events, further promoting the cause.

RESULT :

Using the clothes as a medium, 118 was seen by people all over Japan. It reached many people through media and social networking sites, and reached a demographic that had previously been completely inaccessible. And most importantly, there were people who actually called 118 and had their lives saved. Furthermore, this clothing has become a sustainable project that will continue to gain recognition every time it is worn.
• Approved by the Japan Coast Guard
• 200+ media exposure including news articles, TV and newspapers
• Featured in a fashion magazine popular with young people
• Six lives were saved at the event venue, Enoshima, by calling 118.
• As a leader in maritime communications, DOCOMO was able to appeal to people even more.