In Japan, hit movies are televised several years following theatrical release. The animated film “Your Name” earned over 300 million USD in revenue worldwide, ranks second all-time at the domestic box office, and a Hollywood live-action adaptation is underway. This was a promotion for the film’s televised broadcast.

"To spur interest in a movie on television in an era ruled by DVDs and streaming, we considered the prime motivator “simultaneity” —watching the same content at the same fixed time. To create maximum simultaneity, and thus excitement, for fans in the digital realm, we turned to mass media. By having the public share in the experience, we used the rigidity of fixed broadcast times as an advantage. To switch mass media’s shortcomings into value, just like the “switch” that takes place in the film, we believed a little creativity and cross-media synergy could flip a switch in people’s minds.

"In a newspaper ad on the day of the broadcast, people could recreate the climactic scene from the movie “Your Name”, with their own hands. An idea that “switched” semi-transparent properties of newspaper into new value. We developed a double-sided ad with images of the main characters printed on each side, which readers could hold up to light, allowing the pair to meet at last. The phenomenon triggered substantial surprise and wonder, leading to more sharing of the television airing schedule via digital media.

It became the top global trend! During the broadcast, our ads generated over 1,350,000 tweets worldwide, with over 20 hashtags trending. Over 5 million people watched the televised movie in real time, amounting to an impromptu digital realm festival of viewers simultaneously enjoying one single movie. Many teens admitted to purchasing a newspaper for the first time, newspaper offices across the country received inquiries, while auction sites enjoyed elevated resale prices. The credits enjoyed a 30% boost in consumer attention. Through masterful use of mass media in the digital age, we succeeded in “switching” the intrinsic value of the media.