The Passion of the Team × JRFU's Fan-Engaging CX Design Supporting the "Japan Rugby Charity Match"

CX (Customer Experience) continues to evolve daily.
How can the creative world contribute to the CX domain, now demanded in every scenario?

To explore this potential, members of Dentsu Inc.'s CX specialist unit, the "CXCC" (Customer Experience Creative Center), share insights on CX and creativity in this series. This is "Monthly CX" ( For more on Monthly CX, click here ).
 
This time, we spoke with Communication Planner Kazuma Shimokura about the "Japan Rugby Charity Match 2022" held in June 2022.

[Kazuma Shimokura Profile]
Dentsu Inc.
Customer Experience Creative Center
Communication Planner
After working in the Creative Planning Division 3, he joined the Rugby Business Office in the Sports Bureau in 2018. He moved to his current position with the launch of CXCC in 2021. He specializes in full-funnel creative direction centered on video and creating new customer experiences. He started playing rugby as a child and continues to play today.

Not about making pretty materials, but maximizing the volume of conversation

Monthly CX: Please tell us about the "Japan Rugby Charity Match 2022" organized by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU).

Shimokura: This tournament was held to support the recovery of the Kingdom of Tonga (hereinafter: Tonga), which suffered extensive damage from a massive undersea volcanic eruption off Tonga and the subsequent tsunami in January 2022. It took place at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo in June 2022, featuring a match between EMERGING BLOSSOMS and a team of Tongan players residing in Japan. Led by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), the passion of coaches, players, and every single fan supporting the players came together to make this major tournament a reality. We also assisted in planning and operations to the best of our ability to help make it happen.

※EMERGING BLOSSOMS = A special team composed of players with high potential who could be selected for the Japan national team. It also includes many players with experience on the Japan national team.
 

Monthly CX: Please tell us about any challenges you faced or strategies you employed.

Shimokura: Since it was Japan Rugby's first charity match, everything was a ground-up effort from scratch. There was simply a mountain of tasks to tackle. I believe we overcame it all through the passion and teamwork of everyone at the JRFU.

From our side, we contributed by leveraging insights gained through data marketing and target analysis, focusing on how to delight the players and rugby fans. I believe the biggest challenge for everyone involved was how to move things forward as quickly as possible.

Monthly CX: Wasn't six months barely enough time to pull this off?

Shimokura: The tournament was held in June 2022, but during planning, we actually considered holding it in November or December because June wouldn't allow enough time for all the preparations. However, the earthquake happened in January. If the charity match was held in December, nearly a year would pass. That would be far too late, and it would fade from people's memories. That's precisely why we aimed for June – to hold it while everyone's hearts were still engaged. I truly believe it wouldn't have been possible without the tremendous efforts of everyone at the JRFU and the cooperation of the players and their respective teams.

Monthly CX: Shaving off about six months is incredible. How did you overcome the race against time with the JRFU?

Shimokura: Normally, when launching a project, the standard process involves creating documents like proposals, submitting them, and obtaining approval. However, this time, both the JRFU and our team had almost no time to prepare materials. Preparing materials often takes several hours, sometimes even half a day or more. We couldn't afford to delay discussions for more than a day. So, to minimize time loss, we created simple materials each time and increased the number of short meetings. We adopted a method of making decisions on the spot whenever possible. Rather than spending time creating polished materials, having a rough, simple one-page summary and discussing it immediately allowed us to move faster and made conversation easier.

Monthly CX: So, the result was increased conversation and strengthened team relationships.

Shimokura: That's right. It wasn't that we deliberately avoided making materials; we simply didn't have the time (laughs). I realized that constantly sharing information on the same level, keeping everyone on the same page, is crucial for moving work forward quickly.

Monthly CX: That's very important indeed. Were there any other challenges you faced while collaborating to make the event happen?

Shimokura: Organizing such a large-scale tournament is incredibly difficult to begin with. Players have contracts with their respective teams, so freely summoning them for matches is simply not feasible.

Monthly CX: Hearing that, it sounds like this tournament couldn't have happened without some kind of miracle. How did the JRFU team manage to overcome these hurdles?

Shimokura: As I mentioned at the start, I believe the biggest factor was the sheer passion of the JRFU members driving this forward. The presence of two individuals was particularly crucial: Jamie Joseph, the Head Coach of the Japan National Rugby Team, and Sinari Latu, a former Japan national team player who served as Tonga's team manager. Crucial tasks like player selection and team negotiations progressed rapidly.

Monthly CX: So it was the presence of strong leaders that made this possible. Truly a miracle.

Shimokura: I agree. Many players on the Japanese national team originally hail from Tonga, and Japan and Tonga have had strong ties for a long time. I believe the strength of those bonds was also a major key to making this happen.

The key to CX creative is designing initiatives that engage fans, not just one-way communication.

Monthly CX: Regarding the "Japan Rugby Charity Match 2022," could you share the points you and the JRFU team focused on from a CX creative perspective?

Shimokura: The point is that it's not about so-called AD (advertising), but about moving people's hearts through "experience." Rather than unilaterally conveying a message, we thought it was crucial to create a "space" where rugby fans wanting to do something for Tonga and Tongan families worried about their homeland could gather together, share their feelings, and take action.

This time, we also implemented the "Big Flag Project ~BRAVE FOR TONGA~," where fans could send messages of support to the victims of Tonga's massive volcanic eruption and the players participating in the charity match. Rugby fans across Japan wrote messages of encouragement on flags, which were then sewn together into one large flag and unveiled on the day of the charity match. The focus was on the "feelings" of rugby fans thinking of Tonga. This initiative was implemented with the idea of creating a system where fans could take action, not just watch.

Not all rugby fans could attend the charity match in Tokyo. We discussed the need for a place where rugby fans nationwide could express their feelings for Tonga. We hoped to deliver the experience of creating the event together, where message flags gathered from across the country would unite at the venue. Experiencing something firsthand leaves a much stronger impression than just watching. Participation was encouraged via social media, and spaces were set up at match venues nationwide. This initiative spread among fans, delivering many passionate messages to Tonga.

Monthly CX: Creating a system where fans help build the tournament together is a really great initiative.

Shimokura: Exactly. We aimed to create an experience that would stay with rugby fans as a memorable part of their day, not just watching and leaving. Additionally, based on the concept of letting fans preserve memories of historic matches, the JRFU also took on the challenge of selling sports NFTs for the first time. It wasn't one-way communication; it was about sharing the experience. I believe the JRFU's sincere efforts to co-create both the space and the time with the audience led to this success.

Monthly CX: That's wonderful. I believe incorporating a design perspective that involves fans leads to better CX creative.

If it doesn't move your own heart, it won't move anyone else's.

Monthly CX: While this tournament was primarily realized by the JRFU, could you share what you personally value most in CX creative?

Shimokura: It's very simple: "Do what you yourself would be happy to receive as a recipient." That applies to every project. If something doesn't excite me, it probably won't move anyone else's heart either.

It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but when I'm brainstorming ideas, there are moments when I actually get teary-eyed myself. That's because I'm thinking, "Wouldn't it be truly wonderful if someone did this?" or "I'd love to see a scene like this myself." I've played rugby since I was little, so my passion for the sport is stronger than most. I know it's not good to get too caught up in my own perspective, but I believe it's crucial to keep envisioning the scenes I want fans to see – the scenes I want to see myself – without compromise.

Monthly CX: If it doesn't move your own heart, it won't move others'. I think you're absolutely right.

Shimokura: While this wasn't specifically aimed at children, the kids who came to the venue actively wrote messages on the flags. It would be wonderful if the experiences they had as children took root in their hearts and led them to stay connected to rugby as adults. Creating scenes that leave a lasting impression on these children is also something we consider vital at CX Creative.

Monthly CX: Finally, please tell us what challenges you'd like to take on in the future.

Shimokura: Going forward, I want to contribute to expanding experiences through sports content—what you might call "sports CX." Compared to overseas markets, I feel Japan's approach to enjoying sports is still less mature. Overseas, entertainment content designed to make the whole day enjoyable is a viable business. In Japan, however, some see it as stopping short of that stage.

Sports are a special occasion where everyone—not just players, but spectators too—can enjoy themselves. That's precisely why I hope we can work together with all stakeholders to explore more diverse values beyond just enjoying the game itself, like savoring communication with friends during breaks. Nothing would make me happier than continuing to help deliver memorable experiences through sports—experiences that become lifelong memories.

(Editor's Note)

In Monthly CX Issue 20, we introduced the CX creative case study for the "Japan Rugby Charity Match 2022."

The phrase "If it doesn't excite me, it won't move anyone else's heart" is a golden rule we want to share with all creators involved in making things.

This interview was conducted in collaboration with 'CX Creative Studio note' ( see here for details on CX Creative Studio note ). We are also working with Dentsu Digital Inc.'s CX Creative Team, not just the Dentsu CXCC team, to collect and introduce a broader range of case studies. If you're interested, please check that out as well.

If you have requests for future case studies or themes you'd like us to cover, please send a message to the Monthly CX Editorial Department via the contact page below. Thank you for your continued readership.