Stores retailing flat TVs are notorious for placing different TV brands side by side while running the same promotional video on all screens. The Hitachi “Dream On” film was created to technically differentiate Hitachi’s X-Series plasma TVs from its competitors by engineering the film in a way that performs best only on the Hitachi TVs. The strategic aim was to win consumers over through direct product comparison at storefronts where they actually make their purchasing decision. This way we could cut costs on general advertising, where our competitors spent heavily. The emotional and ultra-detailed animation of artist Aya Kato was employed to attract the consumers for at least 200 seconds—enough time for consumers to notice Hitachi's imaging superiority.

The story is about a Japanese mystical creature called Baku, which is said to feed on nightmares in exchange for pleasant dreams. The creature was used in order to personify Hitachi’s vision to inspire and improve the world through technological innovation. Hitachi and Aya Kato’s partnership was forged by their mutual respect for passion for craftsmanship, obsession with detail, positive outlook towards the future, and dedication to the environment.