Kansai is truly fascinating. Exploring that creative power (Part 2)

Kansai boasts diverse history and culture, generating its own unique energy. The advertising and communications field is no exception. Dotonbori's neon signs have become a tourist attraction, famous both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, it has produced numerous "interesting" commercials, and its power is recognized by global advertising awards. What is the source of the power behind the advertising Kansai creates? Alongside creators' voices, we introduce recent topics.

The Unconsciously Cultivated Attitude of "Entertaining"

The Kansai region's foundation of entertaining people and the Kansai perspective seem well-suited for advertising, don't you think? Even young children in Kansai naturally think about how to get a laugh. It's a way to relax people who are guarded and enter their hearts. I believe that's one of the strengths of Kansai creativity.

When people think of Kansai creativity, many picture humorous ads, but "entertainment" isn't just about making people laugh. When I worked at Dentsu Inc.'s Kansai branch, my boss, Mr. Hirotsugu Horii, who led the "Horii Team," often told me, "Ads don't have to be comical." I believe the key is making people feel intrigued.

Advertising is built on two things: getting people to think "What?" and get interested, and getting them to think "Ah, I see" and understand. Getting that initial interest is harder. You can stand on a station platform with a billboard right in your line of sight and not even notice it.

Of course, whether in Tokyo or Osaka, people in advertising everywhere think daily about "how to get noticed," so there might not be a huge difference. But I feel Kansai people tend to have a stronger mental tendency—not just because it's their job, but to constantly, unconsciously think about how to make people turn their heads.

Another key difference between Kansai people and Tokyoites is that Kansai people are less logical. That might sound like a flaw, and sure, not all Kansai people are like this, but they tend to want to boil things down to "So, what's the point?" skipping over the process. It's more intuitive. Occasionally, this leads to incredible inventions. Since Tokyo's logical era has lasted so long, it might be about time for a completely new style of expression to emerge from Kansai.

It's hard to keep seeing things through ordinary eyes

 

Personally, I'm not really into trends (laugh). I prefer ideas rooted in fundamental human emotions. Like thinking in terms of universal thought patterns that transcend time, from the Edo period or even earlier. I feel Kansai has that tendency.

For example, you know those people who get angry easily? When someone like that appears in an ad, you can't help but notice and watch. Ideas born from that kind of human observation aren't tied to a specific era, so they don't really get outdated.

Another Kansai characteristic is its lack of barriers, or to put it another way, a "flat" way of thinking. I believe you can become a decent expert in any field if you dive deep for about two years. But the more specialized you become, the harder it is to keep seeing things through the eyes of the average person. Even we, as we go through multiple meetings with clients, become increasingly knowledgeable about their products or services.

But people encountering ads in their daily lives see them unexpectedly, without preparation—they view them "flatly," so to speak. We need to think from that same perspective. Of course, there's logic between us and the client from concept to execution, but that logic doesn't matter to the viewer. To make someone who had zero interest suddenly notice or understand, it's crucial to sync with their feelings.

A soil where talent grows freely

A place to think plainly and casually. Casual might sound a bit unprofessional (laughs), but when it comes to synchronizing with the viewer, it's surprisingly important. After all, no one really looks at ads in a serious, overly analytical way. In that sense, I think our cultural characteristics give us an advantage.

Kansai creatives consistently win top domestic advertising awards and Cannes Lions, delivering world-class quality. Yet they don't overcomplicate things, making them easy to work with (laugh). Even among younger CD, AD, planners, copywriters, and web creators, there are highly capable individuals. They have a businessperson's mindset, constantly considering cost-effectiveness, which is precisely why they are so focused on results. They are especially useful when you need to quickly establish a clear appeal point or break through a deadlocked situation.

What strikes me as a bit odd is how Osaka seems to nurture talent. For its size, good people just pop up everywhere. I only really noticed this after moving my base to Tokyo. Maybe it's because relationships are so close-knit. There's this intimate atmosphere, like in small businesses, and remnants of an apprenticeship system. You get the sense they're learning from their seniors' skills while freely developing their own abilities. That kind of thing disappeared in Tokyo during the 1990s, but you can still find traces of it in Kansai. That's another reason I have high hopes for the region.

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The sign's history dates back to 1935 (Showa 10). The first generation was a 33-meter-tall neon tower featuring a runner and the word "Glico" changing through six colors, simultaneously illuminated by a floral pattern flashing 19 times per minute. It became an instant Minami landmark as a groundbreaking, unconventional neon display for its time. Since then, it has been cherished by citizens while undergoing successive generations with various innovations. In 2003, it was designated an "Osaka City Designated Landscape Feature" alongside historical structures like Osaka Castle's main tower and Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine.

The sixth-generation sign centers on the goal-in mark, with a backdrop featuring LED images of famous landmarks from Japan and abroad, including Osaka Castle, Tsutenkaku Tower, Mount Fuji, the Eiffel Tower, and Big Ben. The sign, measuring 20 meters high and approximately 10 meters wide, uses about 140,000 LED chips and lights up daily from 6:00 PM to midnight. To see the reborn landmark and the new face of Osaka, locals and tourists from Japan and abroad gather daily on Ebisu Bridge to enjoy taking commemorative photos.

 

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"You don't have to buy anything, just come see!" Poster Exhibition Revitalizes Shopping District

Centered around shops in the Nishidai area near Hankyu Itami Station in Hyogo Prefecture, the "Itami Nishidai Poster Exhibition" (organized by the Itami Nishidai Shopping District Association, Rita Shopping District Association, and Itami City) has been running since November 1st (until March 1, 2015). Under the catchphrase "You don't have to buy anything, just come take a look," young creators from the Dentsu Group designed promotional posters for each store to attract visitors to the area and highlight the shops' appeal. This initiative, aimed at regional revitalization, is the third of its kind following similar projects in Osaka's Shinsekai Market (2012) and Bunnosato Shopping Street (2013). The shopping district gained attention as a place with interesting posters, even receiving an award from the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2013.

This poster exhibition features approximately 180 posters displayed throughout the entire Nishidai district. Display maps are available at the Hankyu Itami Station Town Development Plaza, the JR Itami Station Tourism and Local Products Association, and the 36 participating shops. Activities like a stamp rally and a poster election (starting December 6) will also be held to boost excitement. Nishidai suffered significant damage in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. On January 17, 2015, the 20th anniversary of the disaster, an event titled the "Nishidai Revival Festival" is planned.

 

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Time Slip to the Edo Period at the Nighttime Movie Village
Experience Japan's World-Renowned Traditions

On November 22 and 23, Toei Uzumasa Movie Village in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, hosted the "Uzumasa Edo Sake Bar" (organized by Toei Uzumasa Movie Village, Toei Kyoto Studio, the Rimpa 400th Anniversary Festival, and Dentsu Inc.). This nighttime event allowed visitors to experience Kyoto's world-renowned traditional crafts and culture.

This project transformed the village into an adult entertainment venue from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM after closing, aiming to preserve Uzumasa's heritage as a period drama filming location. Lantern lights, shamisen music, and samurai and town maidens passing by recreated the streets of Edo-period Kyoto. Dentsu Inc. handled the planning, production, and sales.

Visitors felt as if they had time-traveled to the Edo period, immersing themselves in traditional culture while sampling Kyoto sake and delicious appetizers from top-tier restaurants at the four-to-barrel sake dispensers scattered throughout the town. The venue featured events like Noh theater performances and outdoor tea ceremonies. Within individual houses, inheritors of Kyoto culture held workshops, showcasing traditional arts and crafts such as mounting scrolls and performing Noh chanting. Surprise live period drama performances, featuring authentic actors and powerful swordplay right before the audience's eyes, were also woven in, conveying a new appeal of period dramas.
Tickets sold out in advance when released online. Building on this success, organizers plan to launch new seasonal events for future installments.

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Promoting Inbound Tourism to 10 Prefectures Under the "Vibrant Kansai" Concept

In September, the Kansai Economic Federation (KEF), in collaboration with the Kansai Wide-Area Union and the Kansai Regional Promotion Foundation, established the "Hanayaka Kansai Symbol Mark" to promote the 10 prefectures of the Kansai region. To boost inbound tourism (foreign visitors to Japan) across the broader Kansai area, the mark is being actively utilized on websites for foreign travelers and various flyers and posters.

The mark visually expresses the core concept of "Hanayaka Kansai" (Vibrant Kansai), a Kansai regional branding initiative proposed by the Kanto Keiren in 2009, using flowers as its motif. The petals incorporate elements symbolizing the "vibrancy" of each of the 10 Kansai prefectures: It embodies the rich and diverse appeal of Kansai, including Lake Biwa (Shiga), the Five-storied Pagoda (Kyoto), Tsutenkaku Tower (Osaka), Kobe Port (Hyogo), the Great Buddha (Nara), the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes (Wakayama), the 20th Century Pear (Tottori), the Naruto Whirlpools (Tokushima), Eyeglasses (Fukui), and Ise Grand Shrine (Mie). The design was created by the art director collective "Dentsu Design Ninja" (see column below) at Dentsu Inc. Kansai branch.

 

Solving challenges with Kansai's signature, powerful creative expression

 

For more efficient solutions. The special mission project team consists of two distinct teams: "Team Furukawa" and "Team Nakao." They solve clients' marketing and communication challenges with Kansai's signature bold expressions, intense humor, and bold ideas. "Team Furukawa" strongly inherits the DNA of the "Horii Team," the origin of Kansai's fun commercials, including those for Dai-Nichi Co., Ltd. and the Kansai Electrical Safety Association. "Team Nakao" is renowned for its innovative ideas and buzz-generating campaigns, leveraging communication design.

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Design is a universal language Unconventional ideas and humor are our weapons

"Dentsu Design Ninja" was formed to extend the design capabilities honed through Kansai-based advertising into non-advertising fields. Its core members are art directors with international advertising award wins. Their work spans advertising, product development, store development, promotions, character design, content development, and more, addressing diverse client challenges. Guided by the belief that design is a universal language, they work with a global perspective. Their motto is free thinking unconstrained by preconceptions, humor, and fast-paced communication that speaks directly to the heart. This approach has produced numerous unprecedented designs.

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Using humor and honest communication Solving "Mom's" Challenges

Poster by NPO Nobel, a sick child care provider, winner of the 2014 TCC Newcomer Award Composed of 14 "Mom" employees. Founded with the idea of leveraging the unique humor and honest communication style of these "Moms." Since then, they've excelled on projects for children's clothing manufacturers and child education. Collaborated with the sick child care NPO to produce the 'Working!! Moms' Guidebook'—a resource compendium for when children get sick. Also developed the "Mom Newspaper" advertising project for the Asahi Shimbun Osaka Headquarters. Participated in planning and operating "Hatamama!" ( www.babycome.ne.jp/hatamama/ ), a site conceived as a "Relaxation & Resource Hub for Working Moms Who Enjoy Their Role."

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From mass media to digital
Designing new value with boundless creativity across every stage

A team where members with creative aptitude gather, achieving a mashup (synergy) of specialized skills like strategy and technology to design new value centered around ideas, leading to the "next step." Its strengths lie in two pillars: innovation through "accumulating technology and information, then outputting services and products via prototyping," and "communication design for solving problems and creating value." Compass Service at Grand Front Osaka We bring ideas to life with boundless creativity across every stage—from mass media to digital—including UI (user interface) design, various music video projects incorporating social media deployment, product design, business development, and electronics projects.