The Newspaper Advertising Grand Prize went to Outsourcing Technology's "Even if we can't meet, we're lifelong colleagues. 2020.4.1"

The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association held the 63rd Newspaper Advertising Day commemorative ceremony in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on October 20, and presented the 40th Newspaper Advertising Awards. The Grand Prize went to Outsourcing Technology's "Even if we can't meet, we're lifelong peers. 2020.4.1."

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, new employees began their careers without meeting their peers face-to-face due to remote orientation ceremonies. Targeting these new hires, Outsourcing Technology developed a campaign centered around newspaper advertising. Using the tagline "Even if we can't meet, we're lifelong peers," they published mosaic art created from messages collected via SNS and email from new employees, linking to a web video. This campaign treated the newspaper ad on the very day of joining—when anticipation and anxiety peak—as a gathering place for all new hires, creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to exchange encouragement and messages. It was highly praised for inspiring new employees both inside and outside the company, moving many readers, and demonstrating the powerful reach and innovative use of newspaper advertising.

The Newspaper Advertising Awards were established in 1981 to honor advertising campaigns that pioneer new possibilities for newspaper advertising and contribute to the development of newspapers and advertising. It features two categories: Advertiser and Newspaper Publisher/Planner.

This year, 400 entries were submitted: 331 in the Advertiser category and 69 in the Newspaper Publisher Planning & Marketing category (67 solo projects and 2 joint projects). One Grand Prize winner and five Newspaper Advertising Award winners were selected from each category. Additionally, 15 Excellence Awards (for advertisers) and 6 Encouragement Awards (for newspaper publishers) were chosen.

The award-winning entries are as follows.
 

[Newspaper Advertising Grand Prize]

◇Even if we can't meet, we're classmates for life. 2020.4.1
　Outsourcing Technology

［Advertiser Category Newspaper Advertising Award］5 works (listed in alphabetical order by advertiser name)

◇Fate/Grand Order 5th Anniversary ～under the same sky～
　Aniplex

◇My Lover Has Reconciled.
　Ishiyama Confectionery

◇I want to see you soon, so you don't have to go home yet.
　I want to see you soon, so you don't have to go home yet.
　Shimane Prefecture

◇I am me. 2020
　Sogo & Seibu

◇"Your Name." Terrestrial Broadcast Announcement: Newspaper Ad Featuring Taki and Mitsuha Meeting
　TV Asahi

[Newspaper Marketing Department Newspaper Advertising Award] 5 Works (in order of Newspaper Association membership roster)

◇Newspaper Advertising Day Project Asahi Shimbun × Left-Handed Ellen  Powered by JINS
　Asahi Shimbun Tokyo Headquarters Media Business Bureau

◇NIKKEI National Company Song Contest
　Nikkei Inc. Media Business

◇The Day Shan Shan Comes Home
　Tokyo Shimbun Media Services / Newspaper Division

◇"WE'RE Gata Store Supporter" Project
　Niigata Nippo Advertising Department

◇Momotaro Gaiden: Demon Pilgrimage - Okayama Travelogue
　Sanyo Shimbun Sales Department

[Advertiser Category Excellence Award] 15 Works (Advertisers listed in Japanese syllabary order)

◇Disaster Preparedness Food Guidebook
　Ajinomoto

◇#Can'tFaceYouButWantToTellYou
　KUDO Naoya

◇Naked Iyemon
　Suntory Holdings

◇2020 New Year's Advertisement
　Shueisha

◇Film 'The God of Cinema'
　Shochiku

◇Unreadable Newspaper Ad
　Dai-Nichi Co., Ltd. Jochugiku

◇Rui Hachimura Life-Size Advertisement
　Nissin Foods Holdings

◇I'll be waiting in front of PARCO again tomorrow.
　PARCO

◇80th Anniversary Project: Toward a City with Stories
　Akiya Bookstore

◇Doraemon STAY HOME PROJECT "A Message from Doraemon"
　Fujiko F. Fujio Productions

◇Takeout Project for 117,000 Beppu Citizens #BeppuYellMeals
　Beppu City

◇Minerva: 200 Selected Japanese Biographies
　Minerva Shobo

◇Never Forget That Day.
　Yahoo

◇LUX Social Damage Care Project
　Unilever Japan Customer Marketing

◇From Ritsumeikan, a President of the United States.
　Ritsumeikan

[Newspaper Association Planning & Marketing Division Encouragement Award] 6 Works (in order of Newspaper Association membership roster)

◇Let's all get excited together! SMS2020 × Snow Miku Project
　Hokkaido Shimbun Sales Division

◇#ThankYouFromKAMAISHI
　Iwate Nippo Advertising Division

◇Akita Revitalization Junior High School Championship
　Akita Sakigake Shinbunsha Sales Division

◇TEAM STOP TOCHIGI
　Shimotsuke Shimbun Sales Division

◇NAGANO SDGs PROJECT
　Shinano Mainichi Shimbun Advertising Division

◇Rui Hachimura Support Project
　Hokuriku Shimbun Sales Department