Using advertising techniques to create something that isn't advertising. A Gachi Talk!

" GachiTube " is a reality show where seven teams of "GachiTubers" aiming to become next-generation video stars compete in video production. Currently streaming on WOWOW On Demand, the program was conceived by Dentsu Inc. Creative Director Takanori Nakao. It was selected from approximately 800 proposals in the station's program competition.

How did Nakao-san, who has long been involved in TV commercial production as an advertising creator, infuse his creative essence into the show's production? Nakao-san, who also directs "GachiTube," along with WOWOW producers Kazuharu Bingo and Karin Goto, look back on the program's production.

Takatoshi Nakao: An advertising creator behind numerous hit commercials, including Ezaki Glico's "AKB48 Aimi Eguchi," "Imoto's WiFi," and Suntory's "Lemonzawa Tomio" series. Kazuharu Bingo: A producer who has also worked on variety shows like "Denpa Shonen W ~We Want to Collect Your TV Memories~!" Karin Goto: Joined WOWOW's Production Department in 2018. She usually handles production for 2.5-dimensional musicals and regular Takarazuka programs.

A program focused on the challengers' "growth," not their "elimination"

Nakao: The program started streaming in January, and we're already in the final stretch. It's been a whirlwind since production began last August.

Bingo: That's fast. The major goal of the program competition we held last year was to "bring a fresh breeze into WOWOW." We selected three proposals from about 800 submissions, and one of them was "GachiTube," planned by Nakao-san. I believe it showed a new direction for WOWOW, "challenging the reality show format."

Goto: The concept of "video creators' survival" was something we never would have thought of ourselves. Reading the "GachiTube" proposal, I was amazed thinking, "You can actually do something like this...!"

Bingo: Speaking of surprises, the idea of making "video production" the battle theme was also innovative. It fused two media often perceived as opposites: "WOWOW" and "video sites." While we received many reality show proposals, none were as fresh as Nakao-san's. That's why we really wanted to try it.

Nakao: Reality shows are popular content, so I really wanted to propose it. But I didn't want it to just be a show full of messy drama... I wanted to incorporate an element where not only the challengers but also the viewers could "learn skills about video streaming, which is a current trend." This was achieved by featuring popular video creators as "Instructor Tubers," not just competing for wins and losses. I was really happy that WOWOW valued that vision so much.

Goto: I don't think there's ever been an educational & skill-building reality show before.

Nakao: Past reality shows tended to focus on "elimination," but with "GachiTube," we wanted to offer a new way to enjoy the show by featuring "growth." We're committed to making it so viewers can laugh positively while enjoying the challengers' growth, rather than eliciting negative laughter over eliminations.

This approach is heavily influenced by my years working in TV commercial production. Advertising is a genre prone to criticism, but the criticism usually targets the client, not the creators. That makes the creators' responsibility huge. We create with extreme delicacy, especially in expression. In ad production, getting laughs from negative things is a no-go; positive laughter is always required. I think that sensibility translates well to program creation.

Goto: Mr. Nakao himself is just so bright, isn't he? "GachiTube" has more laughter than other production sets, and it makes everyone happy.

Nakao: That makes me so happy! Hearing you say that. I truly believe you can't create something that makes people happy unless everyone involved is in a happy relationship!

Live streaming the show and integrating it with daily video uploads

Bingo: "GachiTube" is scheduled for 12 episodes total, and a key feature is that it includes live broadcasts alongside pre-recorded segments. I've done live broadcasts for music and information programs before, but this is my first time for a variety show. Honestly, when Nakao-san first suggested, "How about doing a live broadcast?" I was taken aback (laughs).

Nakao: While "posting videos online" happens daily, "program broadcasts" have fixed times, like every Saturday at 9 PM. My biggest challenge was figuring out how to collaborate these two things with different timeframes. Serious YouTubers create and upload videos, but I wanted to insert a live broadcast (called a live stream in the case of WOWOW On Demand) into that workflow. I thought this would accelerate cross-viewing between the videos uploaded by serious YouTubers and the program itself.

Another reason I wanted to include live streaming was to showcase WOWOW's program production capabilities. Compared to people primarily posting videos from their PCs, I believe the strength of those involved in program production at a broadcasting station is best demonstrated in "live" settings. People raised in program production environments have honed their live broadcast (live streaming) skills over many years. I wanted to show that.

In "GachiTube," eliminations happen at each stage, and we livestreamed this crucial episode. How would the GachiTubers react to the feedback on their work? Precisely because it's "live" with no retakes, we could effectively convey the "genuine intensity" of the challengers.

Goto: That's true. Some viewers eagerly anticipated the live stream, and on social media, there were many comments like, "I wanted to see more of the eliminated GachiTubers' work." Seeing so many people watching the live stream in real time was a fresh sensation for WOWOW.

The "GachiTuber" Selection Process: Where Advertising Know-How Came to Life

Bingo: Selecting the challengers, the "GachiTubers," was a major point in producing the program. When holding auditions, I wanted to gather a diverse group of members, each with a distinct personality. I thought that way, viewers could immerse themselves in the show while watching their favorite contestant give it their all.

Nakao: Yeah, I totally agreed about wanting each person to be catchy. So, while looking at the entry sheets, we categorized applicants like "Elite," "Young Lady," "Desperate Comedian," "Video Pro," or "Representative of Today's Youth." We also brainstormed with Bingo-san, like "What kind of catchphrase would we give this person on the show?" Ultimately, we selected the challengers based on the perspective that "people who are easy to give catchphrases to = people with sharply defined personalities."

The catchphrases for the "GachiTubers"
LA-raised 8-head-tall college girl
The World's Most Serious Pompadour
Headlong charge! Handsome rider actor
Super Athlete Female Comedy Duo
The Bottom-of-the-Barrel Comedian Duo Living Out of Their Car
Genius talent with a Tokyo University graduate degree
Representative of the Video Native Generation

Bingo: Coming up with catchphrases is something only Nakao-san, who works in advertising, could do. But that idea became the driving force behind the show. It also became the foundation for how MC Chocolate Planet handles the hardcore YouTubers.

Goto: Just as Nakao-san intended, having those catchphrases really amplified viewers' "love for their favorite contestant." Even among WOWOW employees, it sparked conversations about who everyone was rooting for, and many commented using the catchphrases as hooks. The social media response has been great, and industry folks have praised us, saying, "WOWOW is doing something new."

Program production is a marathon; ad creation is a 100-meter dash. We leverage the sprinting power honed in advertising.

Nakao: In terms of length, think of a program as a marathon and a 15-second TV commercial as a 100-meter dash. But even within a long-form program, there are moments where you need to sprint to really get the audience excited. That's when the ideas, experience, and instincts honed through ad production come into play. Plus, my mindset is that short segments build up to create a longer piece.

Bingo: Packing a tear-jerking, laugh-filled story into a short 30-minute program while making each character compelling is something unprecedented for WOWOW. Both the GachiTubers and Chocopla seem vibrant and clearly beloved by viewers.

Nakao: Directing the GachiTubers feels similar to casting amateurs in commercial production. Unlike professional actors, amateurs sometimes don't respond exactly as requested when you say, "Please do this." In those cases, you need to discern their unique charm and figure out how to draw it out. It's not about "staging" them; it's about guiding them to express their own "natural qualities." You have to positively embrace the unpredictability and find ways to make it interesting.

Man, after experiencing program production on "GachiTube," I shouldn't say this, but I'm sick of doing ad work (laughs). Fifteen seconds is way too short! In regular commercial production, we pare everything down to make it fit into 15 seconds, approaching it like making an ultra-concentrated espresso. But there's so much outside that espresso part that people in the world genuinely enjoy.

Especially now, viewers want to see and enjoy the raw material before it's pared down, each from their own perspective. They don't want to be handed a finished product; they want to feel like they're helping create it together.

So getting proper time to communicate, including the space between the lines, is incredibly rewarding as a creator. It draws out reactions from the world that are different from regular ads, making it super fun to do!

We want to engage more creators from diverse genres

Bingo: We need to keep creating new content like "GachiTube" going forward. To do that, I feel we need the power of creators from various genres. We've already started new initiatives, like having an up-and-coming playwright create an MV (music video). Personally, I want to draw more people whose profession is writing into video. Not just screenwriters or broadcast writers, but for example, bringing in someone who writes specialized books and adapting their work into a drama.

Goto: Like Bingo-san, I also feel the need to hire creators who haven't been involved in program production. We're in an era where the boundaries between media like TV and video are rapidly disappearing. So, I actually think it could be interesting to hire people active outside of traditional media. Even if they aren't creators, we could bring in people from different industries as advisors.

Nakao: Today, programs are judged by how well they meet highly specialized needs. This demands deep knowledge and high quality, and I believe professionals from various genres can contribute their expertise.

Bingo: Our vision for WOWOW is a "broadcaster that curates niche content." We want viewers watching niche programs to say, "Yes, this is exactly what I wanted to see." We want to leverage that characteristic even more going forward.

Nakao: Yeah, I really hope WOWOW keeps pioneering this kind of thing ahead of other media. If there's anything we can do to help, we're definitely on board!

[Program Overview]
"GachiTube: Next-Gen Video Star Survival"
Broadcast Date: Every Saturday at 9:00 PM (Partially Live) Total 12 Episodes
MC: Chocolate Planet

[For viewing details and cast information, please visit the official program website]
https://www.wowow.co.jp/extra/gachi_tube/
*Past episodes are also available on WOWOW On Demand