Perfume! Little Ben! Ura-chan! Japan's commercial industry ceremony returns in grand style this year
The All Japan Commercial Advertising Association (ACC) held the awards ceremony and commemorative party for the 2015 55th ACC CM FESTIVAL at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo in Akasaka on October 28th. Held in a larger venue than usual, numerous industry and media representatives attended. Talents also made appearances, making the ceremony even more glamorous.
At the venue, works were introduced and awards presented for the Film Category A (TV Commercials), Film Category B (Online Films), Radio Commercials, Marketing Effectiveness, and Interactive categories.
Additionally, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award was presented to the Grand Prix winners in each category by Keiichi Kosui, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications.
See the full list of winners here (ACC official website).
The Grand Prix winners for each category and the comments by the jury chair can be found here (TV Station's Self-Promotional Ad on War Wins Grand Prix - 2015 ACC CM FESTIVAL Winners Announced).
From left: Actor Kenta Kiritani (Acting Award), child actor Kokoro Terada, actress Eri Watanabe
This year's notable change was renaming the TV Commercial category to the Film category and accepting entries separately for TV commercials and online films. This led to a total of 2,609 entries, an increase of 331 over last year. Additionally, the Radio Commercial category introduced a new "Under 29" division, requiring the lead creator to be 29 years old or younger. The Interactive category established a "Special Jury Prize."
The "Akira Odagiri Award," which encourages young commercial planners, was presented to Mr. Shunpei Murata of Dentsu Kyushu Inc. for his work on the Eishinkan Junior High School "Walking Man / Warring States Warlord / Graduation Ceremony" edition.
At the award ceremony for the Grand Prix winner in the Interactive category, Amuse/Universal Music's "Perfume at SXSW" (Dentsu Inc.), the techno-pop trio Perfume themselves made an appearance. Mentioning the many people involved in the project, they expressed their gratitude and aspirations: "We couldn't have won this award without this team. We want to continue working together to challenge ourselves with new, exciting things we've never seen or done before."
Mr. Nao Fujikura, President and CEO of Universal Music, expressed his joy: "Their next goal is to shine in Asia, Europe, and America. We are thrilled that their performance at SXSW (South by Southwest, a music, film, and interactive event held in Austin, Texas, USA) was shared with the world."
Representatives of the Grand Prix and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award winners then took the stage to deliver their remarks.
From the Marketing Effectiveness Grand Prix winner, Mercedes-Benz Japan/GLA "GO!GLA" (HAKUHODO THE DAY), Natsuo Sato of HAKUHODO THE DAY passionately stated from the creator's perspective: "We may not build cars, but we approach our work with the determination to change perceptions in society, even if just a little, through the power of communication. For me, branding is about creating excitement and anticipation. I believe this project successfully added an element of surprise to the brand."
For the Radio Commercial Grand Prix winner, Suntory Holdings/Suntory Beer "Beer-lingual," Kazumasa Kubota, Managing Director of Suntory Business Expert, Head of the Advertising & Design Division and Advertising Department, took the stage. Regarding the work, he expressed the company's collective joy: "We wanted to make it easier for international visitors to order draft beer, and this project gave us a great idea. We've always aimed to boost Japan's economy by making Japanese nights more enjoyable. We're thrilled to see ideas emerge that can revitalize the market."
For the Film Category A Grand Prix winner, Tokai Television Broadcasting's in-house campaign "Compilation: Continuing to Think About War" (Dentsu Inc. Chubu Branch), Tokai Television Broadcasting President Yu Uchida stated, "It's a modest effort, but we're especially pleased that commercials are recognized as playing a part in television journalism."
Regarding the Film Category B Grand Prix winner, OK Go + Honda / OK GO "I Won't Let You Down" (Mori / Drill Inc. / Dentsu Inc.), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Managing Executive Officer Takashi Sekiguchi cited the words of the company's founder, Soichiro Honda: "Good products know no borders." He stated emphatically, "Back then, 'good products' meant physical goods. But now, we've entered an era where such communication crosses borders and earns global acclaim. Good music and visuals transcend the realm of products, and I feel the borderless power of good products."
At the subsequent party, creators honored in the Creators Hall of Fame included Akira Ito, the late Santa Sugiyama, the late Mitsuo Numagami, Kazumi Kurikami, and the late Kiyoshi Onishi. Akira Ito spoke on behalf of the five creators of the same generation. "It was an era of tremendous freedom. The belief that anything was possible sustained the work of these five creators. And we were always surrounded by like-minded colleagues. I want to share today's joy with all those many colleagues," he reflected on the time.
Actress Eri Watanabe (Tokyo Gas "Family Bonds: Mother"), child actor Kokoro Terada (TOTO "NEOREST & Microbes: Parent and Child"), and actor Kenta Kiritani (au "New Hero Series"), who won acting awards in the film category, also attended.
Watanabe shared, "When I received the script, I remembered my mother in the nursing home and started crying," revealing she played the mother role by projecting her own mother onto the character.
Shin appeared in the costume for his role as "Little Ben" in the commercial. "I acted thinking, 'I'm a germ!'" he said, charming the audience with his cuteness.
Mr. Kiritani, who played Ura-chan (Urashima Taro) in the commercial, reportedly showcased his playing of the Okinawan instrument, the sanshin, within the commercial, leveraging his love for it. He teased expectations for the role, saying, "I think he'll keep doing unexpected things from now on."
Was this article helpful?
Share this article
