SPECIAL FEATURE 1

Instead of Big Ads, Use Ads That Are Closely Relevant to Consumer's Interests
What are Dentsu and Hakuhodo thinking?

- In-demand ads have changed dramatically. For example, we have gone from ads that spit out commercial messages like a shower nozzle to ones that motivate consumers; and we have moved from ads aimed at a mass audience to those targeted at individual consumers. Consequently, the roles and meaning of “creativity” have changed significantly. It is no longer enough just to make an impact on a large number of people and force them to pay attention. Now, ad agencies are required to provide creative stories that can entice customers directly, and they do this increasingly by using diversified media effectively. Creative strategies must allow ads to sneak up on customers and win their hearts and minds.
Obviously, creative strategies are no longer just a service attached to advertising media, but rather represent the valuable communications that ad agencies can provide to their clients. It is essential and urgent to enhance and effectively use such strategies. Dentsu and Hakuhodo, two leading advertising companies in Japan, are no exception.
What kinds of communications are the ad creators of the two agencies trying to develop? This article examines “new” types of advertisements that are being developed based on increasingly diversified media and along the traffic lines of consumers’ daily lives.
(Kazuya Shimokawa, Ikuno Ito and Hiroshi Maruo)

Prologue: Ads that still hunt

Part 1: The traps of daily life

Part 2: The temptation of unexpected events

Part 3: Spontaneous participation and experience

Part 4: Plotting things out, like a drama or a comedy



SPECIAL FEATURE 2 

Catalogues for Mail-Order Sales

- There are techniques for creating pages that make products attractive for consumers and stimulate purchases as a result

ND Interview