monopo Tokyo planned and produced a corporate advertisement for Toray, an advanced materials manufacturer with global operations.
The video and graphics features Sani Brown Abdel Hakim—a top track and field short-distance athlete with whom Toray has entered into a global partnership agreement, as well as employees of Toray.
CLIENT BRIEF
Communicate the significance of the global partnership with Sani Brown
OUR PROPOSAL
Video and graphics depicting the daily efforts of both Sani Brown and Toray employees, through their shared DNA of "Pursuing the ultimate" and "long term continuity”, to better serve people and society
Production featuring actual employees of Toray
DIRECTION
At first glance, the correlation between an advanced materials manufacturer and a track and field short-distance athlete seems distant. So we wanted to begin by clarifying the relationship between the two. The common denominators that emerged were the “pursuit of the extreme” and the attitude of never giving up through “long-term continuity”, which became the driving theme of this project. Toray has continued its daily research and development with their commitment to advanced materials. Some of its main products, such as carbon fiber composite materials and reverse osmosis membranes for water treatment, took nearly half a century from the start of research to the formation of a major market. This persistent attitude and drive to never give up and continual pursuit of the extreme has been passed down in the company from generation to generation. With his own pursuit of the extreme through running, Sani Brown is also involved in training the next generation of athletes. From a big picture and long-term perspective Brown’s goal is boosting the world of Japanese track and field and bringing it to the global stage. Although the industries are different, the DNA of these athletes and Toray’s employees remains the same. By identifying this clearly, we aimed to inspire each as colleagues with shared aspirations and pursuits.
IDEA & EXECUTION
Although it is a corporate advertisement, the focus is on the people who work at Toray, rather than on the corporation itself. The images depict Team Toray, passionately committed to enriching people's lives. The employees featured include those in areas such as sales, production, technology, and research, as well as the Toray Arrows (volleyball team), rowing team, judo team, kendo team and other athletic teams that train to achieve higher goals every day. The main copy reads, "Go beyond the imagination. With the power of technology." By combining the idea of Sani Brown’s well-known 走りの技術 or “running technology” and Toray’s core technology, we hope to create a future that goes beyond people's imagination. By featuring actual Toray employees and Sani Brown as the main characters, we aimed to create images and graphics conveying that they both share the highest pursuit of aiming for a positive impact on today’s society. This project is being developed not only through video, but also through multiple media formats such as newspaper advertisements and OOH ads, including billboards. monopo was also in charge of the design for each of the media.
Creative Director/Planner/JP Copywriter
Ryo Miyakawamonopo Tokyo
Art Director
Akira Yamaguchimonopo Tokyo
EN Copywriter
Karin Kurodamonopo Tokyo
Account Executive
Daisuke Shigamonopo Tokyo
Project Manager
Misumi Shinamonopo Tokyo
Director/DP
Takashi Hirukawa
Executive Producer
Airi Yamawaki
Production
Mt.MELVIL
Production Manager
Shion Kimura
AC
Rintaro Ikeo
2nd AC
Shii Kitada
Gaffer
Katsuyuki Hashimoto
Best Boy
Genki Hoshino
Electrician
Kiyohito Tanabe
Sound
Takatsuku Ibusuki
PA
Isao Tsumanami, Kosuke Onishi
Music
Naoyuki Chikatani
Producer
Miki Murata
DP/Photographer
Ben Van Hook
AC
Ricky Fontanez
Coordinator
Anja Crosby
Stills assistant
Ryan Krause
Digitech
Tony Salankas
Art Director
Akira Yamaguchimonopo Tokyo
Designer
Naoki Iizuka
Photographer
Shota Matsumoto