Cannes Lions

Self-spelling Kanji

DENTSU INC., Tokyo / THE SHIZUOKA SHIMBUN AND SHIZUOKA BROADCASTING SYSTEM / 2018

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Overview

Entries

Credits

Overview

Description

Many Japanese names are made up of Chinese characters, “kanji”. These can often be read different ways and difficult to read for children, and when you see it at first time. but by using so-called “okurigana”, one can see the phonetic reading of a name. In this typeface, we mixed okurigana and kanji, inventing a character that can instinctively be read by anyone.

Execution

This special character’s structure was inspired by old Japanese family crests and sigils, so this type design is somehow familiar for many Japanese people. Bonding the new "Self-spelling Kanji" and Japanese old crests to make everyone easy to access the information and accelerate their exceptions for the festival. (not for only those who know design very well.) The typeface was applied on Newspaper Ad in advance to the festival, and on flags and posters at the venue on the day of festival.

Outcome

- The festival had 200936 attendees,

- The music stages were consistently filled (about 3500 people) with a lot of times limiting the admission, but this was especially so on the last day in the afternoon when over 7000 people were present when including the audience standing outside,

- Ended in success when it easily broke the predicted 150000 attendees to become Japan's largest domestic event.

And as result, the client could accomplish a festival slogan "Shizuoka is one" which enhance their brand in the local.

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