Viral Movie: Taking It This Far ~Kobayashi City~

Masahiro Higo

Mayor Kobayashi

Kazuhito Ochi

Dentsu Inc.

#Marketing#Advertisement#Management/Business#Digital/Technology#Creative#Media/Contents#Branding#Marketing#Video#Regional Revitalization#Monthly Dentsu Inc. News#Viral Movie#Kobayashi City#Ndamoshitan Kobayashi

Cases where "videos" originating from regional areas capture nationwide attention are becoming increasingly prominent. Videos created by local governments and residents are generating various effects, such as promoting migration, tourism, and a sense of purpose for local residents. One symbol of this is the video PR project by Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture. The first video, "Ndamoshitan Kobayashi," leveraged local resources to spread the name of Kobayashi City nationwide.

The first video, "Ndamositan Kobayashi"

What challenges led to this video, and what did it achieve? Mayor Masahiro Higo of Kobayashi City and Kazuhito Ochi, Communication Planner at Dentsu Inc. CDC/Dentsu Lab Tokyo who worked on the production, discuss the project.

From left: Mayor Masahiro Higo, Kazuhito Ochi

The resource known as "Nishimoroban" has spread the name of Kobayashi City

Ochi: I'm originally from Kobayashi City, and I've always wanted to give back to my hometown. So, I'm truly grateful to have been involved in this video series.

Higo: The appreciation is all ours. Thanks to the videos, many people learned about Kobayashi City and started visiting. As a result, Kobayashi residents and those from here have become genuinely more cheerful. It sparked conversations with people outside the prefecture, and those videos are a source of pride for the city.

Ochi: That's wonderful to hear. Being recognized externally is important, perhaps because it energizes those on the inside. Above all, it's great that it raised awareness of Kobayashi City. When we were making the videos, the mayor said, "I want many people to learn about Kobayashi City." I've heard it's also created a ripple effect, like an increase in hometown tax donations and local products breaking through.

Higo: As mayor, I visit many places, but almost no one knew about Kobayashi City. Amid population decline and aging, promoting relocation or soliciting hometown tax donations starts with making people aware of Kobayashi City. After discussing with staff, we decided to create a video introducing the city. We felt video was best for conveying Kobayashi's beauty.

Ochi: When setting goals for the next few years, we decided awareness was the first priority. For the first installment, we focused on the local dialect, "Nishimoro-ben." Both I and city staff had experienced people outside the city reacting with surprise when we spoke Nishimoro-ben, so we used that as our theme. Also, Kobayashi City had been creating Nishimoro dialect posters and such through the "Tenando Kobayashi Project" for about a year before the video production. This project uses the coined term "Tenando" – combining "tenamu" (meaning "together" in Nishimoro dialect) with "brand" – as its key concept. We were able to coordinate well with that.

Higo: The Nishimoro dialect is a very important resource for Kobayashi City. So, I was thrilled when the first video was completed. Though, my hands were shaking when I pressed the final seal (laughs). I wondered if it was really okay for a local government to release this kind of video. We're not a company, after all. Still, it was such a good piece that I gave the go-ahead.

The second video, "Deep in the Mountains"

Ochi: For the second installment and beyond, we collaborated with high school students and citizens to produce three videos. The concept was to uncover Kobayashi City's appeal from the perspectives of high school students and working adults. The project also included career education workshops, and this initiative aligned perfectly with the video concept, making it possible.

Higo: For the high school students, it became an opportunity to reexamine Kobayashi City. Participating might have made them grow fonder of their hometown. Beyond that, while on location and during production, they interacted with professionals in various fields like cameramen and hair and makeup artists. This experience surely broadened their horizons regarding life and career choices.

The spirit of "tenamu" holds the key to regional revitalization

Ochi: Working with local governments inevitably involves a distance barrier. But through projects like the Tenan Kobayashi Project, the staff members themselves were engaging in trial and error. That's precisely why they had the understanding, the guts, and the network—the foundation for revitalizing the town had already been warmed up enough to overcome that barrier.

Higo: This project itself started as a way to raise awareness about the city. One day, a young staff member said to me, "Mayor, please let us do this," and that's how it began.

Video #4: "Mayor Kobayashi Talks About Kobayashi City!"

Ochi: Actually, we also valued "collaborating" with various people and organizations in all our video productions. Having the "Mayors Kobayashi" from three cities outside the prefecture appear in the fourth installment connects to that.

Higo: We were so happy everyone agreed to help. Mayor Kobayashi of Kodaira City, Tokyo, even said, "I'll come visit sometime." The videos sparked new connections with people.

Ochi: The mayor also emphasized the importance of increasing the "related population" – people who engage with Kobayashi City from outside, perhaps by supporting us in some way even after leaving the area. That truly embodies the spirit of "tenamu."

Higo: What's crucial for regional revitalization is citizens uniting as one. We can't depend on anyone else; citizens and staff alike must take the lead and stand together. This initiative was also one means of creating an "All Kobayashi System." If we achieve this, I'm sure regional revitalization will no longer seem "fearful." We'll keep working toward that goal.

~ Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture Video Project ~

The "connections" between various people and Kobayashi City, born from video

Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture began producing PR videos in 2015. Five works have been released on YouTube to date. The first video, "Ndamoshitan Kobayashi," released in August of that year, introduced Kobayashi's natural resources, water, and ingredients. Its gimmick—presenting the local Nishimoro dialect in a way that sounded like French—became a sensation, recording 2.14 million views. Dubbed "a video you'll definitely watch twice," it sparked a huge nationwide response.

The first video, "Ndamoshitan Kobayashi"

The second installment, "Deep in the Mountains," involved students from Kobayashi Shuhou High School forming groups to plan the video, create storyboards, and present their ideas. One of these group proposals was selected for production. Furthermore, for the third installment, "Freshly Harvested," a similar workshop was held with local working adults. The website for the "Tenando Kobayashi Project," operated by Kobayashi City, features all the groups' ideas. The fifth installment, "Survival Commute," released in November 2016, was also produced through a high school workshop format.

The fourth installment, the "Kobayashi Mayors Talk About Kobayashi City!" series, stood out as unique. It reached out to mayors nationwide with the surname "Kobayashi" and realized a project where they collaborated with their respective cities within the videos. Mayors Kobayashi from Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture; Kodaira City, Tokyo; and Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture promoted their respective municipalities in the videos.