Digital Slr Cameras: "OLYMPUS SPACE PROJECT" Promo / PR Ad by Dentsu

Category: Best Use of Special Events and Stunt/Live Advertising
Advertiser: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Product/Service: SLR CAMERAS
Agency: GROUND
Agency: DENTSU
Date of First Appearance: Sep 12 2009 12:00AM
Entrant Company: GROUND, Tokyo, JAPAN
Entry URL: http://www.ground-tokyo.com/awards/2010/CANNES/OSP_03.html
Creative Director: Satoshi Takamatsu (ground)
Producer: Keisuke Kayama (Dentu Creative X)
Director: Naoto Nakanishi (Dentu Creative X)
Offline Editor: Kenji Nishino
Online Editor: Yasuhiro Ohuchi (Digital Egg)
Music: Masamichi Sigeno (and music ltd.)
Art Design: Hiroyasu Koizumi (Art Breakers)
Photographer: Akihiro Okabayashi (Pict)
Media placement: TVCM-2 Spots - JAPANESE TV - 12.Sep.2009
Media placement: Website - Web - 14.Sep.2009

Results and Effectiveness
We were able to draw society's interest by timing the launch of Olympus SLR 'E-3' into space with the Japanese astronaut's departure and long-term stay at the International Space Station. The 'Photo exhibit on Earth' that was held after the astronaut returned from space featured photographs he had taken from space with the 'E-3' was well reputed. The commercial featuring Aoi Miyazaki, a well-known actress in Japan, and the astronaut was covered in the news on TV, newspapers, magazines, web, and blogs. Its impact and audience-friendly communication gave way to a synergy effect that helped raise recognition for the high performance, reliability, and compact, light-weight body Olympus product promises.

Creative Execution
We wanted to raise the awareness among Olympus users and new consumers for the excellent performance the Olympus product promises and for the global environment by communicating how the products have passed stringent performance tests of JAXA and NASA, which are among the hardest to pass in the world, and by having the product be used in space. The concept of this unparalleled commercial shot in space featuring Aoi Miyazaki, an actress who represents Olympus in its commercials, and Japanese astronaut, Koichi Wakata, is "Let's rediscover our planet". We live on planet Earth without giving it much thought, but by 'rediscovering' the planet, we hoped that people would think again about the precious planet and its environment. We created buzz by only broadcasting the commercial on Space Day (September 12) in Japan, which helped heighten the audience's interest.

Insights, Strategy & the Idea

As part of the campaign commemorating the 90th anniversary of Olympus Corporation, we proposed the 'Olympus Space Project', which involved shooting the Olympus SLR 'E-3' up to the International Space Station on the NASA space shuttle. We wanted to communicate the advantages of Olympus SLRs, which have been strongly supported by many professional photographers (i.e. animal and nature photographers), such as high performance, light weight and compact body, in a way that is easy to understand for professionals and consumers alike. Also, by looking at planet Earth from space, we wanted to encourage people to rethink about how precious Earth and its environment really are. With these objectives in mind, we proposed launching the 'E-3' into space, and to have it used in space by a Japanese astronaut.