Chie Morimoto × Naoyuki Sato × Masanobu Sugatsuki "The Era of Individual Power"

Design Talk Session #66 (held August 30, 2011) featured three freelance creators: Chie Morimoto of goen°, active beyond traditional advertising; Naoyuki Sato, a communication director known by the handle "Satonao" since launching his personal site while at Dentsu Inc.; and editor Masanobu Sugatsuke, who handles books, magazines, art books, advertising, and exhibition curation. They engaged in a talk session centered on the theme of "individual power" required in today's era.

Chie Morimoto
goen°
Communication Director / Art Director

Naoyuki Sato
TsunaGu
Communication Director

Masanobu Sugatsuki
Sugatsuke Office
Editor

 

#Connecting Through Communication: The Work of the "Engawa"

In the first half of the talk, three individuals active beyond traditional advertising and publishing presented their past works and creations via slides. They introduced approaches to cross-disciplinary work and communication methods that connect organizations, individuals, customers, and readers. Mr. Morimoto, who worked as an art director at Hakuhodo for 10 years before going independent, handles corporate commercials while also expanding into projects beyond traditional advertising like posters and CMs. His work includes designing nursery interiors and spatial layouts, and even conceptualizing the framework for a zoo project. He views all of this as "one and the same communication work." His work is characterized by expanding from a single advertising concept across various media, fostering connections between people beyond the project itself. "The most crucial part that sparks the work is the 'engawa'—the veranda connecting inside and outside. I see my role as directing the critical junctures between companies and individuals, or between a company's vision and a mother's feelings," he explains. The company name, goen°, was inspired by an elderly woman he met through a project connection who remarked, "So the advertising work you do is about connections, isn't it?" He recognizes that "advertising is communication that chains together so many people, even those you can't see. It's scary, but it's also a rewarding job with great responsibility."

#Operating Borderless Near the Border

Communication Director Sato had actually been freelance for less than six months (at the time), but had been expressing himself through a personal website since 1995, "running personal projects alongside my work at Dentsu Inc." Within that, he cited the following as "image words within myself" that gradually shifted his consciousness even while at Dentsu Inc.: 〈Not from above, but beside〉 〈Not causing a stir in the world〉 〈From "wooing" to "being loved"〉 〈INTO〉〈Slowly, gradually〉〈Hard to let go, lasting long〉〈Connection〉. For the "Hachinohe Review" project at the Hachinohe Portal Museum "Hatchi" (opened February 2011 in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture), he handled writing guidance and app development. Even after the exhibition ended, he stated, "I'm still closely involved with the people of Hachinohe, in a way that's hard to let go of." He remarked, "Coincidentally, like Mr. Morimoto, I operate borderless near the border," but both also share the commonality of quickly taking action using social media, thinking about what they could do as creators immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

 

#Editing Information into Inspiration

Mr. Sugatsuke, who has worked consistently as a freelance editor for over 20 years, stated, "Publications are communication tools rich in interaction, with high publicity impact, easily appreciated, and likely to foster affection." He introduced works from his portfolio: best-selling books, cultural magazines and art books featuring top creators from Japan and abroad that were also sold overseas, photo collections, and free magazines distributed in subways. While the genres covered are diverse, he explains that "planning, gathering people, and creating something tangible—these three elements, encompassing all aspects of creating creative content, constitute the work of editing." He also likened the act of "turning information into inspiration" to cooking, which transforms ingredients into something delicious and easy to eat.

Roppongi Hills by Kishin Shinoyama (Gentosha), edited by Mr. Sugatsuke

 

#The Social Media Wave Immediately After the Earthquake

The direct connection between Mr. Morimoto and Mr. Sato was the "Pray for Japan" project Mr. Sato launched immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake. When a Japanese restaurant in France asked Mr. Sato to design a donation box for relief funds, he reached out to Mr. Morimoto—whom he hadn't met at the time—via Twitter to commission the design. After uploading the quickly created PDF file online, it spread worldwide. Mr. Sato, who had been a victim of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, reflected on the situation at the time: "The strange surge of social media that happened on the night of March 11th, when people who tend to share information connected horizontally, spurred me to think, 'Instead of just grumbling, let's act immediately.'" Morimoto also created a hashtag (#) on Twitter immediately after the disaster and launched a website of the same name, "IDEA FOR LIFE," described as "a place to share ideas for support, connecting people who can turn ideas into action with those who need them." He also designed posters displaying a "power-saving symbol" for shops operating while conserving electricity outside the disaster zone. Amidst this whirlwind, he felt "the incredible power of this chain-reaction media," distinct from traditional media that delivers massive impact all at once. This was a force that moved ordinary people in shopping districts and individuals.

 

#Something unforgettable over fleeting things

While increasingly recognizing the power of the internet and social media, Morimoto simultaneously pondered, "What can advertising and commercials achieve?" This led to the creation of a Suntory commercial. It was made collaboratively by staff who had been preparing for a commercial shoot canceled due to the disaster and all advertising agency representatives involved with that client. Furthermore, his connection to "Hachinohe Review," where Sato was involved, came about through an invitation to a lecture. This connection eventually led to him designing the cover for the book compiling the project. The Hachinohe Review project unfolded during the exhibition period when the earthquake struck. Witnessing "the venue transform into a public bulletin board space for Hachinohe, connecting citizens" reinforced his belief: "Rather than focusing on famous people or specific individuals, I want to carefully and responsibly create compelling narratives about ordinary people and children's stories, within the realistic scope of what I can achieve." He added, "After the disaster, I felt even more strongly about creating something unforgettable rather than something that would quickly fade away." Following the earthquake, Mr. Sugatsuke edited and published the English-language travel guide TRAVEL GUIDE TO AID JAPAN in just four months. It featured volunteer contributions from approximately 60 prominent international figures who love Japan, aiming to support the severely damaged Japanese tourism industry.

 

#What personal skills are required of creators today?

Sato noted that regardless of organizational affiliation, he felt social media audiences "won't acknowledge you unless you engage as an individual." Morimoto cited his reason for going freelance: "I realized I find it more enjoyable to make the person next to me laugh, which then spreads to everyone else, than to make a large crowd laugh. When I decided to pursue that seriously, I couldn't stay within an organization." When asked what personal strength is necessary for today's creators, he answered, "If there is such a thing as 'personal strength,' isn't it about laying everything of yourself bare—not anonymously—and revealing the context of your thinking?" He continued, "In an era where it's easier for external parts of yourself to connect, it's conversely crucial to first establish your own foundation. You need to clearly define what makes you happy, sad, interesting, or and what bores you—it's crucial to clarify that, obvious as it may seem." Sugatsuke then pointed out, "Globally, the creative industry is increasingly freelance-oriented. Creators must skillfully 'turn their lives into works of art,' or their creations won't be valued in this era." He noted that both Morimoto and Sato's approaches "build trust precisely because their individuality shines through."

Paradoxically, a common thread among the three was their admission that "fundamentally, we're all bad at communication." Morimoto emphasized, "It's crucial to transform personal vulnerability into strength in professional expression by fostering empathy around these weaknesses." The three-hour talk session concluded, offering a glimpse of a future society where individual strengths are harnessed.

(Planning & Production: Dentsu Inc. HR Bureau, Aki Kanahara     Article Editing: Sugatsuke Office     Composition Support: Eiji Kobayashi)