The difference in energy required between commercials and films. Kishii Yuki × Abe Kotaro

Planning, casting, filming, editing... Advertising connects the efforts of many people to achieve completion.

What emotions drive them from start to finish? What stories unfold along the way? Driven by a desire to uncover the deeper meaning behind advertisements, copywriter Kotaro Abe interviews performers and creators in "Advertising's Tasuki," a serialized project from Dentsu Inc. Casting & Entertainment.

This time, we welcome actress Yukino Kishii. Her thoughts on advertising will be presented in two parts.

Where does compelling expression come from?

Abe: Let's get right to it. What kind of preparation do you do when appearing in a commercial?

Kishii: First, I thoroughly research the product. I just can't accept moving forward without understanding it. So, if there's anything I don't know, I always ask or look it up.

Abe: Wow! For example, what about when you appeared in the "Nescafé" commercial?

Kishii: I researched the sustainable initiatives related to coffee in detail. Understanding the entire process—from coffee bean cultivation to transportation, roasting, and packaging—helped me consider the environmental and social impacts. I feel that doing this makes it easier to convey the appeal in my own words.

Abe: That reminded me of a copywriter. Because I always make sure to not only research thoroughly but also experience the product myself to confirm its feel.

Kishii: We're alike. For the Minon commercial, a skincare brand for sensitive skin, I wanted to deepen my knowledge about skin – the mechanisms of sensitive skin, causes of skin issues, and so on. I checked the product features and ingredient list to understand what skin types it's recommended for. Then I could confidently recommend it to friends and acquaintances, saying, "This is why it's great!"

Abe: I realized your persuasive delivery comes from that very attitude. You've seen countless TV commercials over the years—is there one that's stuck with you from the past?

Kishii: I loved "Doraemon" and watched the anime all the way through middle school. I remember a commercial that aired back then. It was for Omoriya's "Vegetable Furikake." That melody, "Ya~sa~i no~ fu~ri~ka~ke~♪," was incredibly memorable and still sticks in my head today.

Abe: Oh, I remember that too! Back then, you never imagined you'd be on the other side of the camera someday, right?

Kishii: Yeah, not at all (laughs).

Abe: When you appear in commercials, you must get reactions from people around you. Is there anything that stands out?

Kishii: The time I thought "Commercials are amazing!" was about 10 years ago when I appeared in one. Back then, I was also doing dramas, and in terms of time spent performing, dramas were overwhelmingly more than commercials. But so many people told me, "I saw your commercial!" I was surprised by how much response commercials get.

Abe: Commercials really reach a wider audience than you'd imagine, don't they? How did you feel when you saw yourself in a commercial you were in?

Kishii: It felt kind of strange. Seeing myself on TV, I thought, "Huh, so that's what I look like..." I still haven't gotten used to seeing myself on TV (laughs).

The energy required for commercials and movies is different

Abe: You've appeared in many films too, Kishii-san. Do you feel any difference in your approach when acting for commercials versus films?

Kishii: Commercials feel more packed with information. I think what matters is how much you can convey using your whole body within that short 15-second timeframe. On the other hand, movies are about expressing yourself over a longer span, like two hours. There's also the matter of pacing, so the approach to acting is a bit different.

Abe: Do you have a preference for one style over the other?

Kishii: I like both. It's really just a matter of different approaches. Films have a long journey to the final goal, so it feels like climbing a thinly laid staircase step by step. Commercials, on the other hand, are more like leaping onto a platform in one go – that "Heave-ho!" kind of energy.

Abe: I get it. It's everyone pulling together with that "heave-ho!" feeling, exactly.

Kishii: Commercial shoots usually last just one or two days, so the set wraps up in the blink of an eye. Within that limited time, you quickly bond with the entire crew to create the commercial. It leaves you feeling sad, thinking, "This was such a fun time, and now it's already over?"

Abe: That's exactly why shooting everything in just one day creates such strong bonds. Are there other differences you feel between movies and commercials?

Kishii: Yes. On commercial sets, company representatives often visit and passionately explain the product's appeal. Hearing their enthusiastic stories—about the product's origins, their key points of focus—inspires me too. I feel motivated to say, "Rest assured. I'll do my absolute best to convey this product's appeal!"

Abe: That's such a wonderful thing to hear. Knowing that Kishii-san can convey the passion we hold... it's really reassuring.

Kishii: For me, appearing in ads creates a sense of connection with society through the products I encounter there. Have you ever had that kind of experience, Abe?

Abe: Yes, I do. Doing this job changes the scenery I see around town, or rather, it makes things more vivid... For example, you know how you highlight important parts of text with a highlighter? When I come across something related to the work I'm doing now, it visually stands out like it's been highlighted, emphasized. I think, "Ah, it's here too!" It makes me feel connected to society, and the discoveries are fun.

Living Life to the Fullest in Resonance with the CM

Abe: What kind of life choices do you think have shaped who you are today, Kishii-san?

Kishii: I think it's simply that I've always given my all to whatever was right in front of me. I love my work, and even back in my part-time days, I always gave it my all. I've never been good at imagining and planning for years into the future, so maybe I've just always valued this present moment.

Abe: Your approach to life seems to have a core principle. Is there a particular phrase or way of thinking you hold dear?

Kishii: There is a phrase I'm conscious of. You know the saying, "There's no such thing as wasted time in life"? I feel a bit uneasy about that phrase. For example, I think, "If that time is just buying time to give up on something, then maybe that time is wasted."

Abe: That's an interesting perspective. So, buying time to give up means you might not be doing anything at all, right?

Kishii: Exactly. I feel that time spent waiting for someone or something to change, relying on others, isn't productive. I say this because I used to think that way myself. I wanted to do theater, but I couldn't bring myself to act on it. Then one day, I realized, "I'm not special," and "Fateful opportunities won't just come to me." That's when I thought, "Then I have to go out and grab them myself!" From there, I started actively participating in auditions and taking initiative.

Abe: It's true. While there's value in waiting for an opportunity, you can also take action yourself.

Kishii: Blaming others or your circumstances, just wasting time, then looking back later. If nothing remains then, it's just too sad, isn't it? Trying things yourself, even if it doesn't work out, isn't a waste. That's why I decided to actively challenge the opportunities right in front of me.

Abe: Thomas Edison said it too, right? "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." He meant that by continuing to fail, you get closer to success.

Kishii: I think it's similar. That's why I can pour myself into whatever's right in front of me. To be honest now, before I got results as an actor, I worked really hard at my part-time job too. That's why a sushi chef scouted me and said, "You can work here forever."

Abe: Really?! I'd love to see Kishii-san making sushi (laughs).

Kishii: I was working my absolute hardest, that's for sure! (laughs) By the way, I started seriously thinking about this philosophy after a particular play. It was an experimental production called "Sanagine" performed at the Round Theatre in 2014. It simultaneously showed the protagonist at 14, 24, and 60 years old to the audience. The 14-year-old has her worries, the 24-year-old has hers, and they struggle. But looking back from age 60, those youthful worries seem so trivial. Sometimes you don't even remember them. I thought that was awful. So I decided: I'm going to live each day intensely enough to remember it until I die. I'll live every day aiming for that future.

Abe: Kishii-san really suits commercials.

Kishii: Huh? Why do you say that?

Abe: Precisely because you, Kishii-san, treasure every fleeting moment, you can pour your entire being into those brief 15 seconds of a commercial. It's like desperately resisting the flow of time. And within that, you influence those around you. It feels fundamentally aligned with the essence of commercials.

Kishii: Now that you mention it...

Abe: I think there are different types of expressive people. Some excel at creating something over a long period, like a movie, while others are great at making something explode in an instant, like a commercial. You possess both. You can take the experience gained from one and apply it to the other, creating a synergistic cycle that works incredibly well.

Kishii: That might be true. Somehow, I feel motivated again!

(Continued in Part 2 of Dentsu Inc. Casting & Entertainment's serialized "Advertising Tasuki")
 

Dentsu Casting & Entertainment is a Dentsu Group company that handles casting for advertising, film, and events, including talent, influencers, cultural figures, and celebrities.
 

Photographer: Naoya Fujikawa Writer: Sho Sasaki