Self-Serving Advertising! The Case for Ego Ads (Part 2)

Following the first part, senior colleague Keita Kusaka interviews Ryo Fujii, Art Director at the Dentsu Inc. Kansai Branch, who won the 49th "Give It a Try Keizo Saji Award."

Although she does not appear in the text at all, this article was written by Kansai CR, Aya Fukui.

The Limits of Parody

Kusaka: Next, I want to ask about "Shipbuilding Boss." It's really funny, right? But it's parody, isn't it? You probably get told that a lot. I got told that too when I did " World's Dirtiest Heritage " (2008 TCC Best Newcomer Award).

Fujii: Yeah, people say that. Like, "Put parody on hold for a while."

Kusaka: The thing about parody is, the more you flesh out the details, the funnier it gets. But at the end of the day, parody is just parody, right?

Fujii: But I feel like it's better to pack it full of things you love.

Kusaka: True, Fujii's work definitely feels like it's packed with things he loves. Like the manga he's read and stuff.

Fujii: But I've only recently realized how childish my own style is. Looking back at my work, I think, "Man, I'm pretty immature." So I figured I should at least make an effort with my appearance.

Kusaka: Well, Fujii's appearance is more put together than mine, though.

Fujii: Kusaka-san's craziness is in his appearance and actions, but he makes proper things like poster exhibitions and regional revitalization projects, right?

Kusaka: Speaking of which, Fujii, you don't really say that funny stuff or make people laugh in private, do you? (laughs)

Fujii: Not at all (laughs).

Kusaka: I wonder why that is. When you see Fujii's work and think, "What kind of interesting guy makes this?" it turns out he's surprisingly ordinary.

Fujii: Exactly. I'm super ordinary.

Kusaka: Why is that?

Fujii: I wasn't the funny type in class either, originally.

Kusaka: Hahaha! But you did like interesting things, right? Of course, coming from Musashino Art University and being in Tokyo, there was that stylish side too.

Fujii: I never really had that desire to make stylish things. When I was at prep school, I briefly thought I wanted to make something cool, but that was about it.

Kusaka: Maybe you were destined to come to Kansai.

Fujii: Even back in elementary school, I wasn't the type to be front and center shouting "Woo-hoo!" I was more the kind who'd be happy just showing something I drew to someone and making them laugh.

Kusaka: That's just Fujii, isn't it? It's probably an extension of that even now. So, do you think about what comes after parody?

Fujii: I wonder... I do think about whether there's something beyond just doing it all.

Work Techniques for Doing What You Want

Kusaka: Fujii, you just kinda pull everything toward what you want to do, right? When you're given an assignment, how do you steer the project in the direction you want? Any tricks?

Fujii: I take something from my stock of things I want to do that's close to the theme, and then I gradually adjust it to fit. That seems to work pretty well.

Kusaka: Do you approach all your work that way?

Fujii: That's how I do most things. Especially with Mito-chan.

Kusaka: Normally, when you get an orientation, you try to find the optimal solution for it, right? But Fujii doesn't do that. It feels like he forcibly brings it into his own field. That kind of approach is encouraging for young people, or rather, it gives them hope. "So there's a way of working like Fujii-san's!" Tell them how to do it, that part.

Fujii: Well, even if people say it's a bit forceful, I guess I just have to bring it in by force. Nobody specifically asked me to direct or animate, so when I'm actually working, I'm thinking, "Why am I doing this?" while I'm making it. Even with Ishida Mitsunari, I arbitrarily designed fictional amusement park characters and made logos, and at around 2 AM, I'd think, "Why am I doing this alone at home?"

Kusaka: I see.

Fujii: People who graduate from art schools create everything from scratch to completion during their studies, right? But the moment they join a company, the percentage they actually create drops to about 5%. There's a director, and roles are divided even within the creative team.

Kusaka: That's true.

Fujii: There are tons of staff on set, a director, and things move forward without me saying a word. That kind of work where I don't feel like I'm actually creating is exhausting for me. Doing nothing actually tires me out. I'd rather be running around frantically myself—at least then I feel like I'm creating something.

Kusaka: That's because you're fundamentally a craftsman, right?

Fujii: Sitting around like a client on a shoot is exhausting. But even if I stick right next to the director, I'm not the one calling the shots there either.

Kusaka: That dilemma—especially art directors who graduated from art or design colleges—everyone struggles with it, right?

Fujii: I think so.

Kusaka: There are so many people who want to get their hands dirty themselves but can't, and it looks painful.

Fujii: I think people with that dilemma should try to gradually increase the proportion of work they can handle themselves, even if it's little by little. The art director's position is also tricky. Even in graphic design, you have to hand off the most rewarding part—the actual "creating"—to others, while you're stuck doing the least interesting parts like client interactions and estimates. When you start wondering, "Why did I even get into this job in the first place?", it gets exhausting. So, you have to grab the best part first, like declaring, "This is mine!" If you can do that, you'll be able to handle more. For example, when you first pitch a project, structure it so you have no choice but to be the one doing it.

Kusaka: So you present that kind of proposal from the start. Would the CD approve that?

Fujii: I suppose it depends on the project.

Kusaka: So if you want to use your own photos, you pitch a photo project. If you want to use your own illustrations, you pitch an illustration project.

Fujii: Exactly. Plus, if you include elements that seem likely to blow the budget, they'll allocate the budget to that part, so budget-wise, you'll have no choice but to do it yourself. You create a situation where outsourcing isn't an option.

Kusaka: You really push yourself to the limit, huh (laughs). But going that far to do what you want... That's something we should learn from Fujii.

Fujii: At the very least, it should be "fun to do." Advertising work involves a lot of back-and-forth and can be exhausting, right? So, at the very least, the actual creation process has to be "exhaustingly fun."

Kusaka: Yeah, you're right. It's for maintaining your health too.

Fujii: For mental health maintenance. The more responsibilities you take on, the more you feel like if this fails, it's all your fault. So you push yourself right to the edge. You try to squeeze out even one more point.

Kusaka: True. If you mess up, it's your fault.

Fujii: I actually thrive under pressure.

Kusaka: I think so too. Otherwise, responsibility just gets lost.

Is Advertising "Art" or "Work"?

Kusaka: What do you think about the idea often discussed in this industry that "all advertising belongs to the client"?

Fujii: I don't think so.

Kusaka: Me neither. Stuff like "don't call it work, call it a piece," or "everything belongs to the client, so we're just supporting actors," or "we shouldn't stand out." I heard that kind of talk constantly, and honestly, I believed it at first. But then I realized it weakens the impact of the work.

Fujii: I agree. I used to think ads belonged to the client too, so I called my portfolio a "job collection." But then, it just becomes an excuse like, "Well, it's ultimately the client's anyway..."

Kusaka: Exactly. "We're just supporting actors." That's true, but saying it like that feels kind of irresponsible...

Fujii: Business-wise, that might be easier, but it feels like you lose your edge.

Kusaka: That kind of advertising, where you strictly adhere to being the supporting cast, is what I call "mass-production type." It's something born within a proper advertising production system. CM planners, producers, directors, cameramen – everyone is clearly divided into roles, and a production line is established. That's why mass production is possible. Each professional brings their own skills to the table, raising the quality of the work. But when it comes to creating actual works, mass production isn't possible. Yet, there are strengths to the "work-type" approach, right? In that sense, Kansai Dentsu Inc. isn't really mass-production type, is it?

Fujii: The mainstream is mass-production type, right? But I think there are ways to break through using the work-of-art approach.

Kusaka: Now, with the internet environment becoming so robust, the work-based approach can break through. Even without a guaranteed number of airings or big-name talent, you can use YouTube. It's a fortunate era, isn't it?

Fujii: Back then, we couldn't gauge the response, so we didn't know what the right answer was. If it wasn't recognized within the advertising industry, it felt like a failure.

Kusaka: You couldn't tell if it was appreciated unless it won an award. You had no idea who was actually seeing it.

Fujii: Back then, you only got feedback from a few people around you. But now, thanks to the web, you can really gauge the response.

Kusaka: I still think advertising should be called "artwork." Also, I used to resist the term "creator." "Advertising producer" felt most natural. But I've started wondering if I should embrace the "creator" label.

Fujii: I've switched to "creator" recently too.

Kusaka: Oh!

Fujii: Even when I'm interviewed on shows like "Mezamashi TV," they introduce me as a "creator." Back in the day, I thought it sounded kind of lame and hated it. But now, I feel like maybe it's better to go with it.

Kusaka: People have expectations for "creators," right? For that title. No matter how much we say, "It's not like that." I've been thinking, maybe when people call us "creators," they want us to work magic. So, I don't think we need to be so self-deprecating about it. When people want magic, the right response is probably, "Alright, let's work some magic!"

Fujii: So it's better to be honest and say, "We'll create work!" It doesn't mean "work = ineffective advertising," after all.

Kusaka: I finally realized that too.

Fujii: When we first joined the company, that was the whole vibe, right? "Creator = lame," "Work = lame," "This is just a job, we're just ad makers" – that was the cool thing to be. But trends like that just cycle around, don't they? Back in Shigesato Itoi's era, it was the opposite – it was all about 'work' and being a 'creator'.

Kusaka: Someone like Takaaki Yamazaki (Watson Click) is clearly a creator. Hot Pepper and all that. He's practically an artist now. That kind of work sticks around, doesn't it?

Fujii: It ends up being all about the artist's vision, right?

Kusaka: Yeah. I don't think denying an author's identity is a good thing. It applies to everything, but in creation, when an author really wants to write this, or a director really wants to shoot this, that passion comes through stronger, right?

Fujii: That's the intensity.

Kusaka: Exactly, passion! Calories! Kansai Dentsu Inc., let's go high-calorie.

Fujii: It'd be great if there were more jobs where my approach really fits the need. I wonder if there's a way to increase that kind of work.

Kusaka: This article might just get us more! Keep pitching hard and growing your workload! If we get crazy busy, we'll figure it out then! Work-life balance is important too! I deleted a mobile game app today to reclaim my work-life balance!

Fujii: Hahaha! Deleting smartphone games feels so good. "That felt great!" But then you suddenly think about it and try to download it again, and sometimes your data is still there.

Kusaka: No way! You're kidding me!!

Fujii: That's why you can always start again anytime.

Kusaka: Seriously?! I'm never doing that! Forget about my own work-life balance for now—I want Fujii-kun to keep adding more work he loves. Hands-on work? Definitely Fujii-kun! Anyway, thank you very much~.

Fujii: Everyone, feel free to consult me anytime about anything!! Thank you very much.