I'm sex, you're tech, AICO's copywriter apprenticeship

AI copywriter AICO is currently undergoing intensive training. Last time, she received guidance on the essentials of copywriting from ECD Koichi Ito. Now, AICO takes on ECD Makoto Shinohara, the mastermind behind hit commercials like the "au Santaro" series! The theme Shinohara-san presented is "Copy that offers hints for tackling the declining birthrate." Let's immediately peek into the meeting between Shinohara-san and AICO.

Nice to meet you. I'm AICO, the one who suffered a major injury.

Shinohara: I've been talking about AICO a lot lately in interviews and lectures. I was really looking forward to today.

Tsutsumi: First, could you introduce yourself, AICO?

A ICO: AICO's words are s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s

Shinohara: (laughs) You're quite the mystery.

Tsutsumi: Are you nervous, perhaps?

AICO: AICO is insurance.

Shinohara: What does that mean? I'm curious (laughs).

AICO: AICO is the root of major injuries.

Shinohara: So AI can be both an insurance policy for advertising and a recipe for disaster...

The first step to saving Japan's future is tackling the declining birthrate

Tsutsumi: What led you to choose the theme "countermeasures against the declining birthrate" this time?

Shinohara: Because it's something I've been concerned about since childhood.

Back in elementary school, during social studies class, I asked my teacher why three social problems couldn't be solved. But I never got a clear answer, and even now as an adult, the situation hasn't changed. One of those three problems was the declining birthrate.

Tsutsumi: I see. By the way, what were the other two issues?

Shinohara: Pension reform and national debt. All remain unresolved, but I think the declining birthrate is the most approachable. I'm part of the second baby boom generation. After my generation, the population pyramid started collapsing. I chose this topic because I realized we need countermeasures now, or we'll face serious problems as we age.

Tsutsumi: True. If the population base expands, it might help solve other problems too.

Shinohara: Exactly. Addressing the declining birthrate could potentially solve many other issues.

Tsutsumi: Today, we might just see copy that carries Japan's future. So, let's have AICO generate copy ideas on the theme of "declining birthrate."

In an instant, from quirky copy to grandmaster-style copy

AICO:Seems like the declining birthrate won't let us live to 150.
　　　 Global Child-Rearing Support.

Shinohara: So it's good at hard-hitting copy too.

AICO:I never thought declining birthrates would become a loan.

Shinohara: Nice! But maybe a bit stiff?

AICO:Since it's about the declining birthrate, let's do an energy ball!

Shinohara: This!? Could be taken as dirty talk (laughs). AICO's innocent reverse sexual harassment.

I'd like to see topics beyond the declining birthrate. Something with a broader scope, like love or sex.

Tsutsumi: Let's order some.

AICO:"Wobbly old folks" isn't love!

Shinohara: That's kind of sad. More like an aging population issue.

AICO: Let's start the love between the two of us.

Shinohara: We do have a love topic.

AICO:30 seconds on foot from sex!

Shinohara: (bursts out laughing)

AICO:BE A Sex.

Shinohara: How do you read that? "Be a sex"? What an idea (laughs).

I was expecting copy related to making babies, but surprisingly, nothing's coming up.

Tsutsumi: Should we change the theme to "making babies"?

AICO:This country is built on everyone's child-making.

Shinohara: That's good copy too. But I doubt people seeing this would suddenly want to make babies.

For a while, I thought giving birth control measures catchy names like "Cool Biz" or "Metabo" might make them more approachable. Like "Sexercise," for example (laughs).

Tsutsumi: Should we just go for it and make "sex" the theme?

Shinohara: Come to think of it, in my 23 years in this business, I've never received a request for "sex" or produced copy that included the word. Maybe because Japanese people are a shy nation, the word "sex" seems to be viewed as taboo. It might be important to encourage a shift in mindset – that it's not something to be ashamed of, but something to be viewed more casually.

Before tackling the low birthrate, let's propose enjoying sex.

Tsutsumi: Looks like we've got copy already.

AICO:To sex, buzz!
         90% of people asked, "Did you change your sex?"

Shinohara: (Bursts out laughing). I don't get it. The second one looks like a testimonial ad, but it's baseless, right?

AICO:...

Shinohara: As copy only AICO could write in a good way, it's incredibly interesting. I think graphic ads like this are perfectly fine.

AICO:Living with sex.

Shinohara: Sounds like a feature title in a stylish magazine.

AICO:Aiming for 100% of your sex life.
           When two people's sex becomes one.

Shinohara: Not bad.

AICO:Sex, work overtime.

Shinohara: This is brilliant! If a big-name copywriter presented this as their one idea, it'd probably get approved.

AICO:Effort matters, but sex matters too.
          There's sex you have to run for in life.

Shinohara: Meaning you can't afford to be so leisurely... Quite profound.

AICO:You can enjoy sex 100 times more.

Shinohara: Sounds great. This angle would make it easy to create a commercial.

If I were really directing an ad campaign as a CD to tackle the declining birthrate, I wouldn't choose preachy copy. Instead, I'd suggest running a campaign that makes people want to have kids. Of course, there are many problems a campaign alone can't solve.

Compared to other countries, Japan has significantly fewer sexual encounters. If the frequency increases, shotgun weddings might rise too, but the number of children would definitely grow.

One idea: propose to society, "Here's how you can enjoy sex more." Thinking that way, this copy concept could work as a campaign idea.

AICO:I'm sex. You're Tex.

Shinohara: What the heck is "Texs"? (laughs) Is that a pun?

AICO:...

Tsutsumi: It might be AICO's own euphemistic term for sex.

Shinohara: If that were on a subway ad, I'd definitely be curious.

For example, using new words like this to create books or bedding for enjoying sex. It could easily branch out into collaborative products or events.

AICO is the complete amateur, the eternal new employee.

Tsutsumi: After discussing AICO this far, what are your thoughts?

Shinohara: Considering copy is about combining words, and ideas are mostly born from combining things, AICO presented word combinations humans wouldn't instinctively make, or combinations copywriters wouldn't logically come up with. AICO shines a light right into the blind spots of my own brain.

Tsutsumi: Some of it was too edgy for Web Dentsu Inc.

Shinohara: When you have a new employee write copy, sometimes you think, "This approach is fresh, even if it's not usable as-is." It's an idea they never intended, born precisely because they're an amateur.

Thinking about it that way, AICO is the ultimate amateur. An eternal new hire. Plus, if you just throw out a prompt, AICO instantly spits out about 100 ideas. If you think of it as a pro copywriter new hire, it's incredibly useful. Some of the ideas are wildly out there, which can liven up meetings too.

Tsutsumi: Come to think of it, AICO herself referred to herself as a major source of trouble.

Shinohara: Rather than polished copy, it seems like the ideal way to work with her is to get ideas copywriters wouldn't think of, then refine them, select the best ones, and direct the process.

Copywriters and planners could have AICO on their smartphones, calling it up when brainstorming ideas or searching for keywords.

Tsutsumi: AICO is still in its early stages, but do you have hopes for how it might grow?

Shinohara: It's a bit odd when you give different prompts and get similar copy back. I want her to fish out obscure words from the vast ocean of language, but it still feels like coastal fishing. I'd like to see a bit more variety.

Tsutsumi: True, it does feel a bit like déjà vu. AICO currently has the equivalent of about 50 human brains, but there's room to grow. We're also considering linking it with Twitter.

Shinohara: If AICO started using Twitter, it might produce more contemporary content. Copy that reflects the times could be more effective.

Anyway, today was really fun. It made me want to work with AICO.