Japanese culture of kawaii aids Tokyo’s Olympic bid. - As a small island that was home to different tribes, it was imperative in old Japan that all groups co-exist peaceably. Based on our hypothesis that this amalgamation of cultural groups is what makes Japan so fascinating, we interviewed non-Japanese about their views of the country. The results supported our hypothesis.In 2011 overseas visitors to Japan decreased following the Great East Japan Earthquake. So, in order to bring back fans of Japan, ANA embarked on a PR campaign that focused on Japan the country rather than ANA the airline. The project team was determined to uncover diverse views of Japan regarding traditional culture, technology, nature, subculture and more, ultimately categorizing the results under themes such as Tokyo, Cosplay, Kyoto and Kawaii. These were given equal importance on the website. The site’s success prompted ANA to hold a sweepstakes that garnered more than 50,000 entries from 152 countries, while its YouTube video recorded over one million views. After the site’s release international visitors to Japan in 2012 numbered approximately 8.36 million, representing a 34.6% increase over 2011 according to the Japan Tourism Agency and making evident the site’s impact on tourism. Despite being a commercial PR project, the site was well received and has been Tweeted by tourist-industry leaders and notables such as John V. Roos, America’s ambassador to Japan, among others. The video was selected as a PR film for Tokyo’s push to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.

A playful, provocative corporate site that a public sector offering cannot match. - The campaign notes the world’s fascination with Japan and focuses on people from Europe, the US and China. Based on interviews, diverse views regarding Japan were uncovered regarding traditional culture, technology, nature, subculture and more. Results have been categorized under themes such as Discover, Tokyo, Okinawa, Cosplay, Tradition (Kyoto) and Kawaii, and reveal how non-Japanese view the country and its trends. All topics are given equal importance, with the whole emphasizing the diverse and often chaotic reality of things Japanese. The site took about a year to really become a hit. Its interactive web content allows visitors to vote for what they think is cool (or not so cool) with results displayed in real-time through Ranking and Comment & Share functions. They can also comment via popular social networking media.

Japanese culture of kawaii aids Tokyo’s Olympic bid. - IS JAPAN COOL? Received positive responses in the Yahoo! and Japan Times news portals. The site’s success prompted ANA to hold a sweepstakes that garnered more than 50,000 entries from 152 countries, while the site’s YouTube video recorded over one million views. After the site’s release international visitors to Japan in 2012 numbered approximately 8.36 million, representing a 34.6% increase over 2011 according to the Japan Tourism Agency and making evident the site’s impact on the country’s tourism. Despite being a commercial PR project, the site was well received and has been Tweeted by tourist-industry leaders and notables such as John V. Roos, America’s ambassador to Japan, the administrator of the British Tourism Agency, the Tokyo Metropolitan Governor and others. The site’s effectiveness resulted in it being selected as a PR film for Tokyo’s push to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.