Rokujigen: "Kintsugi Pieces in Harmony " by BBDO

PROBLEM: When someone breaks a piece of pottery they love, they will try to repair it rather than throw it away. Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese craft of restoring broken pottery with metal. Rather than repairing the damages with an adhesive, it embellishes the crack with metal, treasuring the history of that damaged pottery. But the wonderful philosophy of Kintsugi has not passed onto modern-day people who prefer to buy a replacement when something breaks.

IDEA: Used for a theme appealing to modern-day people, new life has been breathed into this traditional Japanese craft. Representing historically-feuding neighboring countries,two dishes have been combined with Kintsugi with the cracks resembling the national border. We cannot forget cultural differences or things that happened in the past, but we appealed for mutual understanding through Kintsugi by producing a new harmonious shape in a single dish.

EXECUTION: Their special dishes are promoted via exhibitions and posters as well as images, so they got the opportunity to come into contact with mote people than usual exhibitions. By seeing the real thing with their own eyes (beautifully harmonious dish divided by a crack embellished with metal),one can understand Kintsugi’s philosophy of treasuring history.

Advertising Agency: I&S BBDO, Tokyo, Japan
Creative Director: Shinichi Ikeda
Idea / Art Director: Risa Taoka
Photographer: Akira Sakamoto / Doable
Photo Retouch: Keigo Masaki / Rizing
Cameraman: Rakuda
Director: Kazuhiro Yamamoto / Sponge
Producers: Kazuhide Kumada, Tomoaki Watanabe / TCJ, Chisako Yoshizaki / Amana
Managers: Tatuya Ikeda, Masatoshi Tunoda / TCJ
Music: Kaito Sakuma / Apples & Oranges
Coordinator: Hanako Nagai / Incite Japan Tutoring