From "Perceived Space" to "Usable Space"

Interest in space is intensifying. Amid this trend, planners and teams within the advertising communication world are actively exploring and promoting various collaborations between companies and space. Here, we hear from three Dentsu Inc. communicators working on the front lines about practical examples and the potential of corporate-space collaborations. This is the first of a three-part series.

Kenji Oda

A track record of making space visible.

Having always been fascinated by space, I've been involved in various creative projects and campaigns utilizing space. The catalyst was meeting Mr. Shunsaku Uemura from JAXA, who was at Dentsu Inc. at the time, six years ago. From there, I began working on several space-related projects all at once.

Among these initiatives, the core theme I've consistently focused on is "making the elusive universe visible and accessible." For example, in Recruit Townwork's "Space Part-Time Jobs" series, we experimented to see if part-time jobs performed on Earth could actually be done in a space-like environment. It quickly became a hot topic online and even led to a TV commercial. Additionally, the world's first astronaut experience app, "kibo360°," realistically recreated the interior of the International Space Station in 360 degrees within the app.

In 2012, using Google's then-new communication tool "Hangouts," we realized "THE SPACE HANGOUT." This allowed people nationwide to simultaneously video chat with astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, who was aboard the International Space Station, from their home computers or smartphones. It became the world's first attempt to connect everyone with space via the internet. Additionally, a six-year-long support campaign was conducted for JAXA's asteroid probe "Hayabusa2," launched in 2014 and scheduled to return in 2020.

Creating the "ultimate comfort" using space technology.

Then, in June of this year, to pursue more substantial space initiatives, Dentsu Inc. established the "Space Lab" as a cross-functional organization within the company. We are considering not only creative projects and campaigns utilizing space, but also the development and launch of products and services. Members of this Space Lab have already developed items like down jackets incorporating satellite imagery into their design, and a letter set where affixing a stamp and mailing it results in the letter arriving shaped exactly like a paper airplane. Moving forward, we aim to bring various concepts to life through the combination of ideas and technology.

Specifically, we will provide ideas and technologies born from space to various companies' products and services, exploring new forms. The "Space Part-Time Job" that created a new category of part-time work is also an example of a product developed within a job information magazine. We can pursue both B2B and B2C development. Couldn't we combine space-related ideas and technology across all fields, including education, sports, urban development, and even clothing, food, and housing? By elevating our theme from "Space to Experience" to "Space to Use," we want to pursue making people's lives more comfortable using various space resources.

It would be wonderful if JAXA and private ventures accelerated their efforts through these Space Lab activities. Holding space development competitions more widely open to the public would further invigorate the field. Space technology shares a similar growth trajectory with IT; a breakthrough is bound to happen somewhere. I hope this becomes the catalyst.

Official Name: DENTSU SPACE LAB. A creative collective dedicated to transforming diverse space resources into usable tools for corporate solutions and consumer entertainment, making them accessible and visible. Its activity theme is "Ultimate Comfortable," embodying the wish for as many people as possible to live comfortably and with laughter. Led by Chief Executive Director Yoshimitsu Sawamoto of CDC, with a core team of cutting-edge creators centered around Kenji Oda, the lab flexibly incorporates diverse human resources from both inside and outside the Dentsu Group to pursue the ultimate output.
www.dentsu-space-lab.jp

Some members of the Space Lab

 

～Part-time jobs in unique spaces spark buzz～

An experiment testing whether regular part-time jobs can be done in a space-like environment. In the first installment in January 2015, applicants challenged themselves to flip a frying pan and pack moving boxes in zero gravity. Gaining support from many young people, it continues today as an ongoing series.

 

 

 

~World's First Astronaut Experience App~

A complete 360-degree recreation of the International Space Station's interior. The station's interior appears on the screen, and when you walk around holding your device, the screen moves with you. It also ranked #1 overall in the 2013 App Store's Best Apps in the Education category.