Advertising can become a new platform for expressing "personal aspirations."

"Advertising for every message you want to deliver." Launched with this vision, AD MISSION is a new service platform that enables anyone—individuals or small organizations—to conduct advertising communication using mass media as a medium by leveraging crowdfunding.

This time, we feature a conversation between Tomoyasu Katagai from Dentsu Inc.'s Business Transformation Division, who planned this service, and Takeshi Ohtaka, CEO of the crowdfunding platform "MOTION GALLERY," who co-manages AD MISSION. They discuss the background of the service's development, the impact supporters' actions on crowdfunding have on society, and the future of crowdfunding, marketing, and advertising, sharing examples along the way.

<Table of Contents>

▼ Advertising as an Ally for Everyone, Not Just a "Weapon for the Powerful"

▼ The Success of the "Mini-Theater Aid Fund" Revealed Crowdfunding's Potential as an "Opinion Media"

▼ What Moves Fans Isn't Short-Term Profit, But "Altruistic" Feelings

▼ The Key to Success Lies in the Proponent's "Passion," Not Research. Marketing and Advertising Enter a More Primitive Era

&nbsp;Advertising as an ally for everyone, not just a weapon for the powerful

Katagai: We collaborated with Motion Gallery about a year and a half ago on a different project. Following that, when we considered combining crowdfunding with advertising marketing to create something new, we came up with the idea of building a system like "Senyil Advertising" (*1) that uses ads to express "individual aspirations." When we reached out to Mr. Otaka, he replied that he had been wanting to do something similar.

※1 = Senil Ads
Support ads fans place for idols' birthdays. "Senil" means birthday in Korean.

Ōtaka: That's right. Back then, within the crowdfunding framework, I wanted to create a project that would be the sum total of people seeking new forms of expression and implement it in society. I was curating the "Saitama International Art Festival 2020" at the time, and I thought it would be interesting to use spaces like billboard ads in front of train stations as venues for art (expression) and disseminate such artistic activities. It could present a new crowdfunding scheme to many people, and if successful, it could make advertising usage more interesting. I hoped a trend like "advertising as expression" could emerge, so I replied that I definitely wanted to collaborate.

Katagai: Some people in society don't have a very favorable impression of advertising. It can sometimes be perceived as a "weapon for the powerful" with deep pockets. But from our perspective, that's not the case at all. Through this service, we want to prove that advertising can also convey the aspirations of individuals and small organizations. We'd be delighted if people came to understand that advertising isn't just for a select few corporations; it can be an ally for everyone.

The success of the "Mini Theater Aid Fund" revealed crowdfunding's potential as an "opinion media"

Katagai: Crowdfunding platforms have distinct characteristics, but Motion Gallery excels in film and creative fields, making it highly suitable for AD MISSION's collaboration. One famous success story is the "Mini Theater Aid Fund." What was the vision behind this project?

Ōtaka: When the COVID-19 outbreak first began, compensation and support for "non-essential" cultural activities were completely pushed to the back burner. Among these, support for small theaters and mini-theaters was pushed back the furthest. While these are private businesses, we fully understand that structurally, they are not inherently profitable ventures. Yet, many venues strive to operate for the sake of culture and their local communities. If they shut down for even a month, they could truly go under. Restarting would require hundreds of millions of yen in equipment investment.

If mini-theaters disappear, venues for showcasing films that may not be box office hits but win awards at Cannes, or for presenting the budding seeds of new culture, vanish. Amid this situation, several projects emerged aiming to protect specific theaters or small venues. Each project garnered significant attention and succeeded. However, I also felt that if projects proliferated haphazardly for each individual theater, it could lead to a misguided impression. Amidst the various divisions exposed by COVID-19, I believed the most important message was the "solidarity" between theaters nationwide and their audiences.

It was then that I received calls, just hours apart, from two directors: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who won an Academy Award for "Drive My Car," and Koji Fukada, whose "Standing at the Edge" won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. They both suggested, "What if we establish an intermediary organization to support mini-theaters nationwide? We could collect funds uniformly and distribute them to save them." It was a proposal to create a large-scale movement centered on "solidarity over division." That's how we launched the "Mini-Theater Aid Fund."

Katagai: I heard about 300 million yen was raised in the end.

Ōtaka: Yes. We clearly defined our purpose as a bridge until public subsidies became available, aiming to raise funds that would prevent bankruptcy even if operations were suspended for three or four months. We started with this short-term goal. Perhaps its simplicity worked well; the initial target of 100 million yen was reached within just two or three days, and it ultimately grew to 300 million yen.

Actors also cooperated and helped energize this project. Then, more than our own PR efforts, media outlets began spontaneously covering it one after another. We sensed a shift in public opinion, with people contributing money imbued with the belief that "culture is not non-essential." A key realization from that time was the feeling that crowdfunding could also become a kind of "opinion media."

By contributing money, supporters' sentiments toward society become visible and conveyed. As a result, no cinema closed within at least one year thanks to the distribution of the "Mini-Theater Aid Fund."

What moves fans isn't short-term profit, but "altruistic" feelings

Katagai: Through these examples, how do you, Mr. Otaka, view the impact and power crowdfunding has on society, and its future trends?

Ōtaka: Motion Gallery launched in 2011, the year crowdfunding first emerged in Japan. Even back then, skepticism was widespread—"Will that really work?"—with the lack of a donation culture in Japan cited as the reason. However, we fundamentally believed crowdfunding wasn't about donations or investments. So what was it? We saw it as a "voting action" and an expression of "participation." Broadly speaking, it might be a mechanism that materializes Joseph Beuys' concept of "social sculpture" (*2).

※2＝Social Sculpture
A concept proposed by the contemporary artist and social activist Joseph Beuys, stating that society is a sculpture, and that all people can and must participate in its creation through their own actions.

Within the choices of where to allocate one's money, the very act of contributing to crowdfunding—which may not yield immediate personal profit—is itself a form of expression. People invest not because supporting a project guarantees profit, but purely out of feelings like "I want to support this person" or "I want them to create new work." They invest as an act of expression, knowing that the result will materialize as actual work or action in the real world.

I believe the "Mini Theater Aid Fund" is a project example where this concept became more concretely defined. Through such projects, expressing where money is directed in ways beyond short-term profit creates various possibilities for society. It seems to more effectively realize the creation of diversity through the use of money.

Katagai: Speaking of social sculpture, Mr. Otaka himself crowdfunded and built a mini-theater called "K2" in Shimokitazawa, right? Director Hamaguchi's new film "Drive My Car," following "Drive My Car," was screened there and won awards overseas. And "Drive My Car" ultimately won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. This story—a wonderful film screened in a small theater later gaining worldwide recognition and winning prestigious awards—feels like the very output of social sculpture.

Ōtaka: Speaking of "Drive My Car," Director Hamaguchi's "Happy Hour"—the film that brought him significant global recognition—was made possible by raising production funds through a crowdfunding campaign on Motion Gallery. For directors and projects not solely focused on commercial success, especially when they're young filmmakers, securing production funds through business financing is simply impossible. However, the value of such projects is best understood by film fans who believe in the talent behind them. It was the support of these individuals at the time that made the project possible. This time, with Director Hamaguchi winning the Academy Award, it was heartening to see a concrete example of a kind of cycle: the support given by those who believed in him years ago, seven or eight years prior, returning in a much larger form.

Katagai: That very point is precisely where the world of marketing is changing now. We often ask, "Who is the target audience for this ad?" But in the crowdfunding world, it's not about "targets"—it's about "partners" and "resonators." Supporters of "Happy Hour" become even more dedicated fans as the director grows. They become "partners" who support his next project and even support the theaters. I believe corporate marketing must start viewing things the same way.

Companies are now realizing they can't grow their fanbase by simply saying, "Please become our fans." Rather, I believe we're moving toward a world where companies with a genuine passion for how their business can contribute to society will thrive by attracting fans who share that same mindset. I describe this mindset and action of "for someone else" or "for society" as "altruistic." Companies need to be altruistic, and fans should act with altruistic intentions. When companies and fans align in this way, marketing expands, revenue grows, and you gain true fans. Crowdfunding seems to have this foundational community element built in.

The key to success lies more in the project creator's passion than in research. Marketing and advertising are returning to a more primitive era.

Katagai: The interesting thing about crowdfunding is that you do it because you want to, but it's no longer just for yourself. It's social sculpture; actions taken for your favorite idol or for the community ultimately become your own satisfaction. Because the project creator has a solid core belief, they can respond with sound reasoning and produce output no matter what is said. That's the beauty of crowdfunding and a new form of marketing.

Ōtaka: For better or worse, this era is all about two-way communication, and even a single person can embody multiple personas. Crowdfunding backers are truly diverse in age and gender – it's not about targeting "men in their 30s." Instead of defining them by demographics, we need to engage with each individual's interests and passions to connect with those who resonate with the crowdfunding project.

In that sense, the conventional marketing approach of quantifying "PV numbers" or "demographic analysis" – while seemingly rational – is at least unsuitable for crowdfunding. It doesn't work for the act of creating new paradigms outside the realm of conventional statistics, which is precisely what crowdfunding aims to do.

Katagai: Through the "AD MISSION" project, I've come to realize that the most crucial element in crowdfunding is the passion of the project creator. When this passion and conviction resonate with others, supporters multiply, making the project stronger. Conversely, without it, even a project tied to a celebrity won't gather much support. Simultaneously, how you convey that passion is extremely important. To communicate it effectively, I believe empathy and a compelling story are essential.

Ōtaka: With crowdfunding, it's more rational to focus on vision, passion, and non-scientific elements than on statistical data. Rather than a "new form of marketing," I feel it's actually something quite primitive.

Katagai: Personally, I believe marketing has moved beyond "R&D" into the era of "I&D." When identity (I) is solid, development (D) naturally follows. While the final outcome is important, identity is more crucial than research or personas to achieve it. Thinking this way, I believe companies must implement what they truly want to do with empathy and storytelling.

Currently, we're receiving requests from companies and local governments who want to use "AD MISSION" with empathy. I believe this stems from that underlying sentiment.

Ōtaka: One of the strengths of crowdfunding is that it avoids situations where superficial advertising, often called "washing," backfires and causes controversy. The fact that money won't come in unless the underlying passion is conveyed acts like a litmus test. If you create a project using polished, polished language, people won't feel compelled to spend their money to support it.

Katagai: With "AD MISSION," creators naturally consider what would make supporters happy during the creative process. Without interference from upper management or external constraints, we can genuinely align with the creator's and supporter's intentions. That's why the creative work becomes stronger. Plus, when we propose such creative ideas, people genuinely appreciate them, which makes our work truly rewarding.

Earlier you mentioned marketing is becoming more primitive. In that sense, I believe advertising expression will also become increasingly primitive going forward.
If you have a strong vision you want to shape through advertising, we'd be delighted to discuss it with you.
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