Tokyo Electron: NEWSPAPER AD THAT CHILDREN LOVE

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: TOKYO ELECTRON
Agency: HAKUHODO DY MEDIA PARTNERS
Category: Corporate Image & Information
Advertising campaign: NEWSPAPER AD THAT CHILDREN LOVE
Producer: Aya Hamada (Asahi Shimbun)
Illustrator: Kazuko Kikuchi (Adlay)
Designer: Masahiro Ozaki (Adlay)
Creative Director/Art Director: Masaki Horigome (Asahi Shimbun)
Media Producer: Mitsuki Kyo (Hakuhodo DY Media Partners)
Producer: Tomohiro Nagashima (Hakuhodo)
Copywriter: Keiji Shimizu (Adlay)
Producer: Akiko Takeshita (Hakuhodo)
Media Producer: Tomohiko Sato (Hakuhodo DY Media Partners)

Implementation
To not only encourage a large number of Japan’s children to pursue the study of science but also get a good response in the form of inquiries and the like required avoiding a stuffy presentation. The challenge was how to create a cute character that appeals to children and an easy-to-understand explanation that links real life and the elements. Our solution was the distinguished 'Dr. Element' character design.

Client Brief Or Objective
In Japan, the neglect of the sciences and the declining academic skills of children are striking. While being the world’s third largest semiconductor equipment manufacturer, Tokyo Electron – a company little known among the average person – was concerned over whether it would be able to secure the employees it needed for its future. This company, which until now had focused its advertising at business people, 'unexpectedly' used the newspaper – Japan’s most influential communication medium – for its first campaign to stimulate interest in science and targeted at children who bear the burden of the company’s future.

Execution
Every day, 8 million copies of Asahi Shimbun used for this campaign are delivered to homes. Daily delivery is unique to Japan, and we designed it so children searched for card-size ads with tidbits about the elements in the daily paper to paste on a two-page spread that was a mount-board for the cards. A cute character named 'Dr. Element' entertained the children, who became truly engrossed in this baseball card collecting-like activity. Children constantly wanted reprints of cards they didn’t get the first time is proof of their interest, and the card-size ad was reprinted. Children were truly excited.

Outcome
Readers responding to the campaign ranged widely from 4 years of age to 85. Not only did the client receive more than 8,500 letters and postcards, demand for the mount-board and card-size ad was so strong that 100,000 copies were gone instantly. This campaign resulted in the best ever response for the client. Appearing more than 60 times, it reached 1.2 billion people in total (one copy of a Japanese newspaper reaches 2.5 people). The cost/per-person reached was 0.05 yen(0.05 cent) and the cost per-request and material distributed was 545 yen($5.45), an amazing cost efficiency level for Japan’s ad market.