Expert Views
Interview with the winners of the 9th Japan Student BtoB Newspaper Advertising AwardOur thoughts and wishes for the future of manufacturing
First Published in Japanese in September 2024 [2 parts]
- SHIMAMURA:
- What did you find challenging when working on your advertisements?
- SASAKI:
- If the goal were just to create an eye-catching poster, there would be many ways to do that. But I found it much harder to create a design that communicated the message I wanted to share. In my ad, I wanted “The current of love never stops!” to grab attention first, followed by “But…” to draw viewers into reading the rest of the text.
Izumi Sasaki, winner of the Mitsubishi Electric Sponsor’s Award, with her winning entry “The current of love never stops!”
Akuri Komatsu, winner of the Jury’s Special Award, with her winning entry “Cutting off the overcurrent”
- KOMATSU:
- As Ms. Sasaki said, in B2B advertising, it's not just about making something visually appealing. Especially when creating an advert for a large company like Mitsubishi Electric, you have to balance what you want to express with what should be communicated. In my poster, I carefully considered this balance, from the precise design of the dominoes to the representation of the computer.
- SHIMAMURA:
- I was really impressed by how your designs captured the role of the circuit breaker. You clearly understood the significance of the product and successfully reflected that in both your visuals and copy. What did this experience teach you about creative projects?
- SASAKI:
- The creative process can really change how you see things, much like how my own perspective on circuit breakers has evolved. It also changes you as a person—I think that’s one of the joys of creative projects. Also, the target audience for this ad was business professionals, who are quite different from me. I learned a lot by trying to think from their perspective.
- KOMATSU:
- Creating something from scratch is hard, but it’s also enjoyable. While working on this ad, I filled a notebook with keywords and developed visuals through trial and error. When the final design was complete, the sense of accomplishment was huge. I secretly hoped I would win an award [laughs].
Akuri Komatsu’s rough sketch, showing signs of trial and error
- SHIMAMURA:
- Ms. Komatsu, you mentioned earlier that you sought advice from your teacher. Did anyone else help you?
- KOMATSU:
- At first, I thought about using yellow as the background color to represent danger. But then I considered green for safety or white for simplicity. There were many decisions I couldn’t make on my own, so I asked for advice from teachers and friends. This experience taught me the importance of listening to others' opinions rather than sticking to my own ideas.
Izumi Sasaki’s rough sketches, showing several attempts at the challenge
- SASAKI:
- I would have liked to get feedback from others, like Ms. Komatsu did, but I was working on my design during spring break, so I spent most of the time alone [laughs]. When I got stuck, I would take a break and come back with a fresh mind, which helped me come up with new ideas. It reminded me how important it is to step away and reset.
- SHIMAMURA:
- You must have learned a lot during the process of creating these adverts. How do you plan to use this experience after your studies?
- KOMATSU:
- As we’ve discussed, this project taught me the value of communicating with others when creating something. As I want to work in graphic design, I’ll always keep this lesson in mind.
- SASAKI:
- I aspire to become a copywriter, and I felt this project has taught me so much about the production process. I believe this experience has given me the strength to achieve my dreams, and I’ll do my best to find the job I want.
Commemorative photo of the winners holding their awards at the Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo, the venue for the award ceremony of the 9th Japan Student BtoB Newspaper Advertising Award
- SHIMAMURA:
- What are your hopes for how factory automation (FA) can improve manufacturing in the future?
- SASAKI:
- We often hear that traditional techniques are dying out because there’s no one to pass them on to, and many skills have already been lost. I’d like to see FA play a role in preserving these traditional manufacturing skills for future generations. For example, if we could quantify techniques that rely on the experience and intuition of craftspeople, those skills wouldn’t be lost.
- KOMATSU:
- Some processes will always take a long time and be prone to errors when done by hand. The advantage of FA is that it allows products to be made quickly and accurately. Like Ms. Sasaki, I believe there are many areas where FA is essential for producing high-quality goods. I hope this technology will continue to advance.
- SHIMAMURA:
- To help FA evolve in this way, what do you expect from Mitsubishi Electric?
- KOMATSU:
- I use a lot of Mitsubishi Electric’s home appliances myself, and I hope the company continues producing high-quality products that make life easier.
- SASAKI:
- I think Mitsubishi Electric is one of the leading tech companies in Japan. I hope they’ll further develop AI-based technologies and robotics to help create a society where humans and machines can work together.
- SHIMAMURA:
- Finally, do you have a message for our readers working at the forefront of manufacturing?
- SASAKI:
- I believe our lives are supported by the manufacturing industry—everything from food and clothing to housing. So many things we enjoy every day are the result of manufacturing. I’m truly grateful for this.
- KOMATSU:
- Circuit breakers may not be flashy products, but people work hard to create them. I’ve learned that they make our lives safer and better. Please keep up the great work—and don’t overwork yourselves!
Mio Shimamura, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Factory Automation Systems Division, Digital Marketing Group
After the interview
A product that’s familiar, but surprisingly unknown: that’s why the circuit breaker was chosen as the challenge for this contest. The team behind the product was thrilled to receive so many impressive entries from the students, which gave them a renewed sense of pride in their work. The winning designs from Ms.Komatsu and Ms.Sasaki, along with all the other submissions, were displayed at the JECA FAIR 2024 (72nd Electrical Construction Equipment and Materials Fair), where they received positive feedback from visitors.
No matter how well a product is made or how hard we work, some products simply don’t gain widespread recognition. I hope the Japan Student BtoB Newspaper Advertising Awards will bring more attention to circuit breakers and the people dedicated to manufacturing them. We look forward to continuing to support initiatives like this.
Mio Shimamura, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Factory Automation Systems Division, Digital Marketing Group
Tsuyoshi Imamura,Product Promotion (Exhibitions), Planning Division, Product Sales Department, Fukuyama Works, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
A message from the product promotion team, Mitsubishi Electric Fukuyama Works:
Thank you very much for creating these advertisements for the low-voltage circuit breaker, manufactured and marketed at Mitsubishi Electric’s Fukuyama Works. When I learned that this product had been selected as the challenge for the 9th Japan Student BtoB Newspaper Advertising Award, I was concerned it might be difficult for students to work with a product they may not know. However, after seeing the entries, I can describe my reaction in one word, “inspired”. The incredible range of designs brought a smile to my face.
Everyone involved was particularly impressed by the two winning entries, which are both insightful and humorous, while clearly conveying the features and importance of the product. These designs highlight the various creative ways to communicate the circuit breaker’s key features, reminding us of the value of flexible thinking. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude.
The entries were also featured as part of our promotional display at the JECA FAIR 2024, where they were met with great enthusiasm. Thank you again.
Tsuyoshi Imamura,Product Promotion (Exhibitions), Planning Division, Product Sales Department, Fukuyama Works, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Poster showing entries to the 9th Japan Student BtoB Newspaper Advertising Award
Exhibited at Mitsubishi Electric’s booth at the JECA FAIR 2024
* This article is based on interviews conducted in June 2024.
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