#FIND JAPAN

Social Media Campaign 
Company: Google
Year: 2021

Responsibility:
  1. Concept
  2. Support for design production

Most countries closed their borders in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan was supposed to host the Olympic Games that year, but because of travel restrictions, it was difficult for people to attend the event in person. To address this challenge, Google's Brand Studio APAC created a virtual showcase of Japanese culture using Google products before the games began.

The team chose 14 themes and produced 14 videos highlighting different aspects of Japanese culture suitable for all ages. They completed the project within three weeks and launched the videos on Google's social media platforms, such as Instagram, just before the start of the Tokyo Olympics.

Art Director: Suparom Ronyut-Henry
Brand Studio APAC Lead: Matt Clack + Kazuha Okuda
Lead Designer: Julien Michel
Motion Designer: Jihye Lee
Content strategy + Copy Lead: Michele Laudig
Content Strategy + Social Coordinator: Naomi Oren
Editor: Cutters Tokyo


IDEA

After researching, I reflected on the question, "What connects Google, Japan, and the Olympics?"

  • Google: The rounded corners of the search bar and the circular shape of the magnifying glass conjure a feeling of embarking on a journey through a portal to seek information.

  • Japan Flag: The bold presence of the red circle serves as a poignant symbol of unity and national identity.

  • The Olympics: The intertwining rings, numbering five, symbolise the spirit of global cooperation and unity.

I am inspired to incorporate this common theme of circularity into the design and video. By leveraging this motif, I aim to create seamless transitions between different sections, enhancing the overall user experience..

OUTCOME

To ensure continuity and cohesion, we divided the video into two parts. (1) The first part maintains the same introductory segment to establish consistency. (2) In the second part, we delve into a selected Japanese theme, seamlessly transitioning the narrative through circular shapes.

This approach maintains coherence and allows for a focused exploration of Japanese culture within the broader context of the video's theme.