DONBEI is one of the longest-selling instant noodle brands in Japan. However, the interest of the main target group - single males – has been decreasing, so we made it our goal to boost the brand's image and make young Japanese realize that DONBEI is still their brand. Instant noodles are a standard midnight snack in Japan. Aware of young people's habit of watching TV at night, our idea was to attack at the time they usually begin to feel hungry. We hooked up with several popular TV programs and created seamless feature/commercial blends that drew the attention of many young Japanese.

According to our survey, the brand recognition of the product went higher after the spot was aired. Our client evaluated this obvious change of viewer rating and the fact we made it in the low budget of $18,000. This unique approach of using media succeeded.

Linked to the sports program, we gained the cooperation from the actual sports commentators to play on the Donbei commercial. We broadcast the commercial instantly after the program ended and made it appear as sequence of the TV program. We aimed at half time of a soccer game that is the best time because youngsters feel hungry. Showing the sports commentators eating the noodles helped to make their appetite stimulated.

Youngsters watch TV at midnight. They love sports, music and animation. We then decided to pick up channels with sports, music and animation programs at mid night which are popular among youngsters, and negotiated with channels, each of which was custom-made for each channel's midnight program with commentators just after the game.