Solving Future Challenges This Way by Future Creative Center [2]Ideas are about difference. The origin of the concept that created a new eating experience with "Sō".
Dentsu Inc.'s cross-functional creative organization, the Future Creative Center (FCC), is a group that supports future-building domains with creativity, transcending the boundaries of advertising. This series introduces actual initiatives under the theme "Future × Creativity."
Lotte's "Sō" is a familiar ice cream product. A campaign that treated this product as a canvas, allowing people to enjoy not just "eating" but also "drawing," became a hot topic.
This project, which even featured specially designed drawing spoons, not only boosted Sō sales but also earned high global acclaim. It won the Gold Award in the Brand Experience & Engagement category at ADFEST (Asia Pacific Advertising Festival) 2019 for proposing a new food experience.
The creative director for this campaign was Noritaka Obuse (Group Creative Director, Creative Planning Division 3) of Dentsu Inc. How did the idea for this new eating experience, treating a popular ice cream as a canvas, come about? We delve into the thinking behind the concept.
The focus was on "Sō" ice cream's defining characteristic: its square shape.
──How did the concept for this campaign come about?
Our team has been involved in rebranding Sō for the past three years. While it's a long-selling product, it had started to become perceived as "something that's just there." Our goal was to clearly define the brand's contours again and make its presence felt.
In the first year of rebranding, we proposed a new brand concept: "NO THINK Sō Happy." Digital technology is now so deeply integrated into our daily lives that we can handle work communications or reply to emails anytime via smartphone, making everyone busier. Amidst this, the concept means taking time to relax and enjoy ice cream without thinking about anything else.
The third year of rebranding became the phase to let people actually experience this concept. And that's how the "drawing" idea was born.
First, the team brainstormed what kind of experience would let people savor "relaxing without a care." To put it simply, lying on the grass and gazing at the sky also fits the idea of "relaxing." While many ideas were shared, we felt an experience centered around the product itself would best justify why it should be done with that specific product.
That's when we noticed the shape of "Sō." While most ice creams have round lids, this one is square. It's a strong brand identity and also resembles a canvas. So, what if you drew on it before eating? Drawing is a childhood activity, aligning with our concept of "returning to a childlike state."
Moreover, we're now in the era of "100 million creators." Through social media, anyone can become a creator. We thought that if we successfully pitched the "drawing experience" concept with Sō, it would really take off on social media.
During further team meetings, we discussed how "a dedicated spoon for drawing would be great," leading to the development of the "Sō Happy Spoon." When you buy ice cream at a shop, you get a spoon, right? I believe no campaign had ever focused on that spoon before, so we thought it would bring something fresh.
Every member of the team feels, "This project is my idea."
──When coming up with project ideas, is there anything you consciously focus on?
This might just be my own perception, but I believe our team's strength lies in its excellent teamwork. We have experts from various fields, and we share ideas openly and discuss them together. Everyone's ideas build upon each other, and through this process, they evolve into something better. So, it's not about whose idea it is; I think everyone on the team feels like "this project is my idea."
Personally, I believe that in integrated campaigns, ideas that build upon everyone's contributions like this become the best ones. I put a lot of effort into creating the atmosphere, the interplay, and the environment that allows ideas to reach heights unattainable by any single person.
We talk about the "era of 100 million creators," but nobody likes being forced into something. Instead of suddenly pulling out a special spoon and saying, "Alright, let's draw with 'Sō'!" we started subtly incorporating drawing elements into the commercial itself. Watching the commercial featuring Suzu Hirose, you'd notice drawings appearing on the "Sō" product before you knew it. Building on that, we launched a campaign centered on those who showed interest, encouraging them to post their creations on social media. We designed it so interested individuals could enjoy participating there. The structure was always about "people who were curious trying it out because they were curious."
Then, two months later, riding the wave of online buzz, we unveiled the "dedicated drawing spoon." Furthermore, we enlisted the cooperation of Professor Takashi Maeno from Keio University, a researcher in happiness studies. We obtained scientific evidence on the effects of eating ice cream while drawing and published it on our website and other platforms. The response exceeded my expectations, and I was incredibly happy.
The "new experience" combining manga and free materials also became a talking point
──What was your vision for this campaign, Mr. Obuse?
This campaign was an idea we developed together with the client. We learned that for a product to truly resonate, the actual product itself must be central, and the eating experience must be central. So, we focused relentlessly on how to create a "NO THINK Refreshingly Happy" eating experience, refusing to shy away from that core. That led to the new food experience idea: "draw on ice cream and eat it." My focus is on how to elevate this beyond just a spoon as a promotional idea, turning it into a large-scale integrated campaign encompassing mass commercials, events, PR, and the web.
I'm not from the mainstream creative background. I'm a maverick who built my career as a strategic planner—a role focused on marketing strategy and problem-solving—and then expanded into creative. Because of this, I'm fascinated by creating new brand experiences that truly move people and products: experiences that generate positive effects and make people want to share them.
Last year's "Free Edition with a Twist" manga project exemplifies this. There's this incredibly addictive manga called "I Stand on a Million Lives" – once you start reading, you're hooked. But you can't read it unless you buy it. But if you give away the content for free to get people to read it, they won't buy it afterward. To tackle this dilemma, we released the "Free Version with a Catch," where we replaced all the manga artwork with free stock images. You can read it, but you also want to read it with proper artwork, so you'll want to pay for the official version. It became a major talking point as a new form of trial reading.
"I Stand on a Million Lives" Free Version with a Twist
Similarly, we handled branding for Mitsufuji, a startup creating smartwear that reads vital signs like ECG data. Their insight was that ECG isn't just cold, hard line data—it truly reflects each person's "heart pattern," their excitement or anticipation. They developed a system that converts an individual's live ECG data into flower-like designs in real time, which they showcased at CES. This company has a truly wonderful president. While speaking with him, I came to understand the immense potential of ECG data. I envisioned a way for people to sense the company's potential through the new brand experience that ECG data could deliver.
New experiences require ideas, but when I ponder "What makes a good idea?", I define it as "Good Idea = Unexpected - Expected". In other words, the greater the difference from what people anticipate, think, or consider conventional wisdom, the more surprising the idea becomes. And afterward, a sense of satisfaction—akin to resolving a foreshadowed element—must follow.
Therefore, when creating ideas, I first brainstorm many concepts with a large gap from the theme. Then, I identify which one ultimately feels satisfying and brings it to life. "Sō" followed the same logic. I sensed ice cream and drawing had a big difference, making it a strong idea candidate. Then, I realized the square container shape of "Sō" and its meanings like "returning to childhood" and "being able to relax" could form a logical story that pays off the foreshadowing. That's when I knew this would be a great idea.
This process is crucial for idea generation. Starting with logic stifles differences, leading to predictable, uninspiring results. First, we aim as far as possible to create distinct differences, then we tie it all together with meaning. That's how my team approaches ideation.
When people hear "creative," they often think of expression or art. But I see it as a powerful tool for solving social issues, motivating people, and making the world better. That's why I want to keep leveraging the power of creativity—like experience design and branding know-how—to drive meaningful actions that benefit society.
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Author
Noriyuki Obuse
Dentsu Japan / Dentsu Inc.
Engaged in projects across marketing, promotion, and creative domains with various companies. Appointed Director of the Future Creative Center in 2020, supporting the creation of future value. Handles grand designs for management strategies, vision formulation, symbolic action development, and branding and communication initiatives that enhance corporate and business value. Recipient of Cannes Lions 2023 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Lions; ACC 2024 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards; and the Japan Marketing Grand Prix 2024. Also holds numerous other domestic and international awards.
