2020 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Beer brand Sapporo spent many years leveraging its Japanese origins in advertising. But The&Partnership felt it was time to move beyond the traditional associations of sumo, samurai and dragons. On a trip to Tokyo, the agency found the country to be a land of contradictions, steeped in tradition yet fascinated with Western culture. The resulting work, first launched as a TV spot and then spun off as a branded content series, explores Japan’s respect for heritage and appreciation for the West, starting with Sapporo’s use of German beer-making techniques. The stories of an indigo dyer who uses 700-year-old methods to create handcrafted denim and of a surfboard-maker who applies traditional Japanese principles to his craftsmanship, are captured in several minute-long cinematic spots.

Credits

Executive Creative Director: Ron Smrczek
Designer: Hai Nguyen
Agency Producer: Angela Carroll
Group Account Director: Zeeshan Hussain
Head of Strategy: André Louis
Media: Jungle Media
Director: Goh Iromoto
Production Company: Steam Films
Camera Assistant: Courtney Iromoto & Abe Roberto
Producer (Japan): Christian Storms
Editing House: Outsider Editorial
Editor (Johnny & Kaji): Alison Gordon
Editor (Okitsu): John Gallagher
Assistant Editor: Scott Edwards
Online: Tendril
Flame Artist: Patrick Coffey
EP: Kate Bate
Colour House: RedLab
Colourist: Jason Zukowski
Colour EP: Cynthia Veronca
Audio Production: SIM International
Clients: Scott Pederson, Director of Marketing; Tom Rojek, Brand Manager