ADFEST Award-Winning "Arrange Disaster Prevention": The Communication Design Philosophy Behind the Concept

Proposing "New Ways to Use Newspapers" by Maximizing Limited Space

―So, as a way to improve the situation at evacuation centers, you arrived at 'Arranged Disaster Preparedness,' where citizens prepare their own emergency bags themselves.

Yes. I understand that during major disasters, the first 72 hours focus heavily on saving lives. During that time, police, fire departments, and municipal staff are prioritizing rescuing those in immediate danger, inevitably leaving shelter management understaffed. Consequently, whether a shelter operates effectively depends on the citizens already there. Precisely because the conditions are harsh, we have no choice but to do it ourselves. In other words, it's crucial for each citizen to be mindful and prepared for disaster prevention in their daily lives. How can we make disaster preparedness feel like "something personal" for citizens? That sentiment lies at the core of this initiative.

―How did that lead to the idea of displaying actual-size evacuation supplies on paper?

We gathered various information and data to organize the challenges. For instance, complaints about noise and light, which frequently arise during shelter life, could be significantly alleviated with earplugs and eye masks. However, very few people routinely keep such supplies in their emergency kits. We discovered that very few Japanese households even have disaster preparedness kits to begin with. Naturally, having a properly prepared emergency kit would improve living conditions in shelters. So, I started by holding a family meeting with my wife and my son, who was in elementary school at the time, to discuss, "If we were to face a disaster, what would we take to the evacuation shelter?"

―So it started with a family discussion.

Yes. Various organizations already publish lists of "items to prepare for disasters." However, looking at them, I felt the sheer volume of supplies listed was unrealistic. For example, some lists specified "9 bottles of 500ml water" – that alone would fill an entire emergency bag.

More importantly, if a disaster struck during the day, I'd be at work and my son would be at school. My wife would be the one carrying the emergency bag from home. She said she couldn't manage carrying that many bottles of water.

Through these discussions, I realized we needed to create a new list. We had to rethink it with the person who would actually carry the bag in mind, making it realistic with the minimum necessary supplies. Ultimately, the disaster supplies we published in the newspaper were the ones my wife actually tried carrying and said, "I can manage this."

―It's true, gathering all the disaster supplies listed in manuals is tough. Many people probably give up before even buying them... Focusing on "what you can actually carry" with your family as the core makes a huge difference.

The key to "Arranging Disaster Supplies" is that while you're actually laying out the supplies, "it sparks conversations about disaster preparedness within the family." This greatly heightens disaster awareness. The ADFEST judges recognized this aspect. I was happy they understood the intent.

Ultimately, the supplies needed for life in an evacuation shelter differ for each household. The list in the paper is just one example. We wanted readers to recognize this, so we added a "free space" for them to think about the supplies they personally need.

―I also found it interesting how you proposed new ways to use newspapers, like filling the limited space with life-size displays of disaster supplies and creating free space for each household. Could you tell us more about that?

When planning the feature, our team discussed "leveraging the strengths of newspapers." These strengths include: "being paper = can be physically held," "having a fixed size = can express actual dimensions," and "using ink = allows for two distinct expressions on a single page using special ink that changes color under certain conditions."

As mentioned earlier, the key point of the emergency bag is its "limited capacity." You can't put just anything in it. This is where the newspaper's strength of "a fixed size" comes into play. Furthermore, the ability to actually lay it out and arrange items is something only possible with newspaper.

How to solve problems visualized through data

―Have there been any memorable reactions since publication?

A principal at an elementary school mentioned during morning assembly, "Organizing disaster supplies is an important activity, so I want everyone to do it," and an NPO used it for a workshop. Reactions like that are very encouraging. Ideally, I'd like to see it used as part of elementary school disaster education going forward. If once a year, children in a certain grade took it home as homework, had conversations with their families, and prepared emergency bags together, I believe the entire community's disaster preparedness awareness would steadily increase.

Of course, winning an advertising award is gratifying, but what I truly aim for is the "real solution." That means how deeply each citizen considers 'Arrange Your Disaster Preparedness' as their own personal issue. That is precisely what heightens disaster preparedness awareness and brings us closer to the goal of "improving evacuation shelters." For myself, I want to value connecting any work I do to achieving that "real solution."

―What exactly does Mr. Akimoto mean by "real solutions"?

For example, analyzing data can make problems visible, but that alone doesn't solve them. What's crucial is how we solve the problems we've made visible. I want to create not just data analysis, but the strategies and communication that lead to solutions beyond that.

One project I'm currently involved in is "Relax Surf Town Huu! Hyuga" ( http://www.phew-hyuga.jp/ ). This initiative aims to increase migration to Hyuga City in Miyazaki Prefecture. It's a coastal town with a thriving surfing scene, and the project uses the appeal of surfing as a hook to attract new residents.

Here too, we started by analyzing the "human flow" of people coming to surf the coasts of Hyuga City and Miyazaki City. We used location data and survey data to understand their purposes, travel routes from distant cities like Tokyo and Osaka, and identify Hyuga's rival regions. After analyzing this data, we designed communication strategies to attract surfers from outside the prefecture to Hyuga City.

―The PR video was featured in the media and became quite a talking point, didn't it?

This project gained national attention starting with the PR video, and the number of surfers visiting Hyuga City increased. That said, the number of people relocating doesn't increase that easily. People considering moving ask, "What kind of jobs are available in Hyuga City?" It's true that Hyuga City is a local area, so compared to big cities, the diversity of jobs is limited. That's why we've recently been scheming to increase the types of work available in Hyuga City. For instance, since it's famous for cedar, we could create furniture and interior products using it and build a brand around them. Connecting raw materials with designers might just spark a new local industry.

That's just my nature—I can't help but brainstorm solutions to problems, even when no one asks me to. Solving one issue just leads to the next, and it never really ends.

I want to create projects tied to daily life that move people's hearts.

―So you're aiming to create an entire industry. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a "true solution." That makes it hard to define your "title" in just one word.

Exactly. I do data analysis, production, and storytelling. But the closest term might be communication design. I'm very conscious of that approach myself.

Technology is advancing remarkably fast now, but if we just compete in a "technology arms race" focused solely on technical prowess, the output often becomes something "no one actually wants to use." What's crucial is how to create things people find convenient in their daily lives, things that become part of their lives. That's where technology should be applied. I learned that at Dentsu Inc., and it's a principle I hold very dear.

―Is the concept of communication design also reflected in "Arrange for Disaster Preparedness"?

Yes. We had extensive team discussions about the mechanisms to spark that "maybe I'll give it a try" feeling and the parts designed to generate family conversations. Also, from the project's inception, we aimed for its use as "elementary school homework" after publication. Simply telling adults in the newspaper to "prepare your emergency bags" often gets overlooked because they're busy. But if it's assigned as a child's homework, parents will make time to think about it.

User experience is crucial for any project. It's about seamlessly weaving the initiative into people's daily routines and habits. If there's a disconnect between daily life and the initiative, no one will engage with it.

―Hearing you talk, it was striking how you combine data analysis—this "technology"—with people's actual lives and movements.

Exactly. My goal is to combine data and creativity to motivate people or bring about change. Dentsu Inc. plans to focus more on location-based data solutions going forward, and as someone in that department, I want to explore what we can achieve.