Newspaper Advertising Day Commemorative Ceremony Held Newspaper Advertising Grand Prize and Other Awards Presented

Chairman Kojiro Shiraishi stated in his opening remarks, "The Newspaper Advertising Award winners featured many works rich in creativity that effectively utilized the characteristics of newspaper advertising. Among them, the Grand Prize winner, the 'Go! Beppu: Let's Go to Oita!' campaign, was a work that delivered a message true to newspaper advertising by responding swiftly to reputational damage. Through these award-winning works, I truly feel that newspaper advertising continues to evolve in response to the changing times. We will strive to further advance newspaper advertising."

Next, congratulatory remarks were delivered by the guests.
Mr. Akira Ohira, Chairman of the All Japan Advertising Federation (AJAF), stated, "The winning entries fully embraced the award's purpose of 'pioneering new possibilities for newspaper advertising' and demonstrated creativity within the rapidly changing media environment. Many tackled weighty, difficult themes like reputational damage and price hikes. They confronted these challenges head-on, crafting outstanding advertisements with compelling copy and visuals."

Masatoshi Ito, Chairman of the Japan Advertisers Association (JAA), stated: "Newspapers possess significant influence in social life, grounded in a stable individual delivery system and adhering to policies of accuracy, reliability, and impartiality. We advertisers wish to work together with the newspaper industry to further enhance the inherent value of newspaper advertising—such as its reliability and depth of information—and through communication activities, ensure newspapers become a medium that is even more useful and valued by the public."

Finally, Nao Ishii, Chairman of the Japan Advertising Agents Association (JAAA), stated, "The winning entries brilliantly expressed the appeal and further potential of newspaper advertising. Newspapers possess the ability to define challenges and connect them to solutions, a capability I believe will continue to surpass other media. It is the mission of advertising agencies to demonstrate this problem-solving power through advertising. Revitalizing newspaper advertising will enhance the media value of newspapers. I am committed to dedicating my efforts toward this goal."

Mr. Yasuhiro Nagano (Mayor of Beppu City), who received the Grand Prize on behalf of the Oita Prefecture Tourism Promotion Council, likened the work to the temperature of hot spring water: "This piece is like water at the perfect temperature of 41 degrees. Not too lukewarm, not too hot. We aimed to create an advertisement that wasn't overly playful and didn't belittle ourselves." He added, "This award came about because many people supported us through this advertisement to revitalize Beppu, Oita, and Kumamoto. The road to recovery is long, but we will strive to regain the lives we had before the disaster."