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SUB CATEGORY :
LONG-TERM CREATIVITY
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ENTRANT COMPANY :
DENTSU EAST JAPAN INC., TOKYO
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TITLE :
HAJIME, KEN AND SETSU
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BRAND :
HAJIME KENSETSU(CONSTRUCTION)
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ADVERTISER :
HAJIME KENSETSU(CONSTRUCTION)
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AGENCY :
DENTSU EAST JAPAN INC., TOKYO
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR :
YOUNGKWI AHN
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ART DIRECTOR :
YOUNGKWI AHN/SAKITO SAKURAI
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COPYWRITER :
YOUNGKWI AHN/HIROAKI SUZUKI
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ACCOUNT MANAGER :
KAZUYOSHI KATO
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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE :
YOHEI KAKINUMA/GO KOBAYASHI
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PLANNER :
YOUNGKWI AHN/SAKI KATSUSHIKA
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MEDIA PLANNER :
YUKIHARU MORII/MUTSUKI ARIMA/NANA SERIZAWA
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FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY :
NIBAN-KOBO PRODUCTIONS CORP., TOKYO/
THE DIRECTORS GUILD, TOKYO
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DIRECTOR :
DAISUKE SHIBATA
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FILM PRODUCER :
TOMOHIRO KANEKO
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PRODUCTION MANAGER :
AMI SUZUKI
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ART WORK :
KUNIKAZU TODA
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SUPERVISED :
YOICHI TAKAHASHI
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POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY :
ONKIO HAUS, TOKYO
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EDITOR :
SHINSUKE HARAGUCHI
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ILLUSTRATOR :
KUNIKAZU TODA
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SUPERVISOR :
YOICHI TAKAHASHI
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SOUND DESIGNER :
HIROSHI KAWAGOE
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PRINT PRODUCTION COMPANY :
NUSH INC., TOKYO
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GRAPHIC DESIGNER :
DAISUKE ABE
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CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :
This campaign was launched in 2022 to maximize name recognition for Japanese homebuilder Hajime Kensetsu. We focused on the characters in the name: “Hajime” and “Ken” are popular men’s first names, and “Setsu” is a common women’s name. Then, we came up with an innovative story using only three words – Hajime, Ken, and Setsu – to maximize brand recognition.
In the first year, we broadcast the film during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers (online). We also asked Yoichi Takahashi, author of soccer manga Captain Tsubasa that soccer stars Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar love, to design and supervise the characters. This generated even greater buzz by latching onto soccer fever.
In the second year, we developed display ads for railways (OOH). The films had a total running time of 90 seconds, which is the average time between stations on the JR Chuo and Sobu railway lines. These lines run through Shinjuku Station, the world’s busiest railway station. This innovative format of “binge watch all episodes between stations” earned media attention and went viral.
For the third year, the story was transformed from a romantic comedy into a time-travel battle fantasy. A video game recreating the film’s experience was also released.
The campaign boosted the company’s name recognition from 31.1% (March 2022) to 42.9% (March 2024). It was featured on the Japanese TV program “Kokoku Taisho” (Advertising Awards) for two years running. It also earned industry accolades, winning the Bronze in ADFEST's Film Craft Lotus in its first year and becoming a finalist in the Outdoor Lotus in its second year.
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CREATIVITY/IDEA/INSIGHT :
Hajime Kensetsu relies on brokers to sell its properties rather than direct sales. With Japan’s declining population and increased competition, it needed a boost in brand recognition to help brokers market its properties.
To maximize name recognition, we focused on the characters in the name Hajime Kensetsu. “Hajime” and “Ken” are popular first names for men in Japan, and “Setsu” is also a common women’s first name. We came up with an innovative and totally original story using just three lines of dialogue (the characters’ names), forming a strong impression with the company name and boosting brand recognition.
The target of Japanese people in their 20s and 30s prioritizes efficient use of time and likes to watch video content at double speed. This led to an innovative format for an ultra-short serial drama with each episode lasting just five seconds. This was geared to attract attention with its astounding speed while getting viewers to watch what happens in the story until the end without skipping, ensuring that the three lines (forming the company name) remained in viewers’ eyes and ears.
Using this format for the campaign, the series was extended into the second and third years.
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STRATEGY :
Although repeating the company name can be effective, it tends to become monotonous, and audiences can grow tired of it. We wanted to make the campaign a long-term success, so we aimed to build on the story in the second and third years, expand the platform, and keep increasing the buzz.
Story
The first year featured a romantic comedy based around a love triangle between Hajime, Ken, and Setsu. The second year introduced a South American prince named Santos, developing into a “love square” that transcended borders. And the third year transformed into a battle fantasy transcending time and space. We aimed to grab the hearts of series fans with unexpected new twists and further increase brand recognition.
Media
The target was people in their 20s and 30s who would be considering buying new homes. This group tends to watch videos online rather than on TV, so we focused on online media. The first year’s episodes were streamed during the World Cup qualifiers. We asked Yoichi Takahashi, the author of global hit soccer manga Captain Tsubasa, to design and supervise characters. This aimed to maximize buzz by latching onto the growing soccer fever.
total running time of 90 seconds, so we chose the JR Chuo and Sobu railway lines, which average 90 seconds between stations. Our aim was to go viral with this innovative delivery format of “binge watch all episodes between stations”.
For the third year, we released an action game based around boosting recognition for the company name. We have expanded the platform each year and built on its potential as content.
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EXECUTION :
Year 1
To increase the film’s profile, we had it streamed during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers (online media). And since it was the World Cup, we asked Yoichi Takahashi, the author of the soccer manga Captain Tsubasa that is loved by fans all over the world including soccer stars Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar, to design and supervise the characters. Our goal was to create an even greater buzz for the film by latching onto the growing soccer fever.
Year 2
Along with online media, we developed display ads for railways (OOH). Stringing together the first and second year’s films generated a total running time of 90 seconds, and since that is the average time between stations, we chose media on the JR Chuo and Sobu railway lines. These lines run through Shinjuku Station, which is certified by Guinness as the world’s busiest railway station. This innovative delivery format of “binge watch all episodes between stations” earned news media attention and went viral. We also took over entire train cars by putting up 18 types of multi-element and hanging posters. This raised the profile of Hajime, Ken, and Setsu and encouraged viewing of the display ads.
Year 3
Because the film is set up like a classic RPG with fights against demons, we developed an original game that let the audience relive the story. This established an entirely new category called “company name recognition action game” to generate even greater buzz.
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RESULT :
During the campaign, the hashtag “HajimetoKentoSetsu” (the three characters’ names) garnered approximately 14 million impressions in the first year, 20.30 million impressions in the second year, and 33.36 million impressions in the third year. The impact of the campaign has grown each year in proportion to the development of the story and platform. Company name recognition increased from 31.1% at the start in March 2022 to 39.6% after the first year (March 2023) and 42.9% after the second year (March 2024), an increase of 11.8% from launch. The ad was also featured for two consecutive years on the Japanese TV program “Kokoku Taisho” (Advertising Awards) as a “viral commercial.” The campaign also earned accolades from the advertising industry, winning the Bronze in the Script category in ADFEST's Film Craft Lotus in its first year and becoming a finalist in the Outdoor Lotus Animation/Billboard category in its second year.
This campaign went beyond mere brand recognition and succeeded in creating a common understanding among customers and brokers, lowering the barrier for introducing properties to potential home buyers while bolstering the brand image of Hajime Kensetsu. The “Hajime, Ken, and Setsu” story launched in 2022 has become more than just ad content – it has become a valued strategic asset for the client.
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ENTRANT MUST CLEARLY INDICATE HOW SUSTAINED BRAND EFFECTIVENESS WAS
ACHIEVED AS PART OF A LONGER TERM
CAMPAIGN :
Centered around an innovative format with just three lines of dialogue, this campaign expanded the story and platform each year, advancing the content with a long-term vision. as a result, hajime kensetsu’s official x account gained six times as many followers as it had at the time of launch. This has enhanced brand recognition for hajime kensetsu and greatly contributed to gaining new fans.
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