nwm by NTT sonority - BRAND CONCEPT & GLOBAL CAMPAIGN

nwm is a personal audio brand specializing in open-ear listening. Its proprietary PSZ (Personalized Sound Zone) technology cancels outgoing sound rather than incoming noise, minimizing sound leakage to those nearby while delivering speaker-like audio quality. This creates a seamless sense of immersion while keeping listeners connected to their surroundings.

At the time of the launch, the audio market largely associated immersion with noise cancellation and was focused on blocking out external sound. nwm ONE offered a different approach, allowing listeners to move freely between immersion and awareness of the world around them. We positioned the brand as a new audio category that challenged conventional ideas of immersive listening.

While conventional products often focus on shutting out the outside world, nwm ONE keeps listeners connected to it.

At monopo, we saw an opportunity for this idea to resonate deeply with younger audiences, particularly Gen Z.

Our research revealed that:
- 48% of Gen Z experience stress or anxiety all or most of the time.
- Having grown up through the societal shift to smartphones and social media, Gen Z feels a strong sense of nostalgia for physical and tangible experiences.
- Between 2023 and 2024, live concert content emerged as a fast-growing trend on TikTok.
From these findings, we identified a generation that’s tired of constantly striving and carrying the burden of individual responsibility, and is increasingly seeking meaningful connection. This led us to question whether the traditional noise-cancellation-focused headphone marketing might be reinforcing this sense of isolation.

With its distinct product experience, nwm had a unique opportunity to become a brand that keeps people connected to the world without compromising on music listening. From this insight, our central concept was born: “UNMUTE THE WORLD.”

“UNMUTE THE WORLD” invites us to embrace what’s around us instead of shutting it out, allowing the sounds of our outer and inner worlds to flow seamlessly together.

With nwm ONE, listeners can listen to their favorite music while chatting with the barista at a local café. Or their favorite song might blend with the city’s vibrant energy, creating an experience unique to that moment.

This is the world we set out to create.

To translate our vision into creative expression, monopo defined three guiding principles.

1. A Maximalist World
In contrast to a world that often feels muted, nwm ONE adds new layers of sensation to everyday life. “Unmuting” our world colors our surroundings and heightens the senses. We captured this vibrant energy through a bold, maximalist approach.

2. A Gateway to Culture
We positioned nwm ONE as more than a product, envisioning it as an active part of contemporary culture. We believed that creative expression should inspire cultural creators and tastemakers, and encouraged them to naturally engage with and talk about nwm ONE.

3. Celebrating the Product and Its Technology
While positioning nwm ONE within the lifestyle technology market, we also placed equal emphasis on its exceptional and reliable engineering. Every creative expression was designed to naturally showcase and celebrate PSZ (Personalized Sound Zone) technology as an innovative way to deliver high-quality sound.

With these three principles guiding the creative process, we collaborated with Director Yudai Maruyama, known for his evocative, film-like visuals, and photographer Jan Chien, whose powerful work is characterized by the use of fisheye lenses and invites audiences inwards. Together, we captured the streets of Tokyo with a diverse cast.

Our creative centered on blending surrounding sounds with the listening experience, visually bringing nwm’s vibrant new lifestyle to life.

By welcoming the outside world into each moment, we portrayed everyday scenes made more vivid through nwm.