Background
Outdoor advertising is not known for its green credentials. Giant billboards and canvases create waste, and usually serve no purpose post-campaign. Sony set out to change that perception.
Aim
To generate maximum publicity while recycling. Rather than discard an outdoor promotional canvas once the campaign had ended, the company set about converting what would normally be scrap material into an exclusive clothing range.
Outdoor advertising is not known for its green credentials. Giant billboards and canvases create waste, and usually serve no purpose post-campaign. Sony set out to change that perception.
Aim
To generate maximum publicity while recycling. Rather than discard an outdoor promotional canvas once the campaign had ended, the company set about converting what would normally be scrap material into an exclusive clothing range.
Execution
Working alongside Hakuhodo, the electronics giant used a 10x18 metre advertising tarpaulin that had adorned its flagship building in Ginza as the raw material for a one-off jeans line. The canvas was converted into a total of 90 pairs, each with unique characteristics, priced at 15,000 yen (US$170) each.
The main challenge was to promote them. Instead of taking the traditional retail route, Sony suspended every pair on the wall of its Ginza building, arranged in order of size. The fixture caught the attention of passing shoppers who could subsequently enlist the services of an abseiling member of staff to collect the desired pair from the wall. With no media costs, Sony was able to create a significant, lasting impact.
Results
By the end of November, all 90 pairs had been sold. The initiative generated $400,000 worth of publicity and all proceeds were donated to Unesco for the restoration of world heritage sites.
Credits
Client Sony
Agency Hakuhodo Kettle/Hakuhodo
Creative director Kentaro Kimura
Art director Ken Funaki
Planners Kazuaki Hashida, Ryuichiro Takase, Yusuke Shimizu
Copywriter Koichiro Iizuka
Designer Norihisa Yamaguchi
Producer Kei Mizuta, Shingo Kato
