High Five Immortal Contenders: Tomoko Kanezaki on Japan

This TVC leaves you with such a positive feeling by shining a light on the teacher / student bond growing ever strong under the Covid-19 situation. The young teenager going through university admission exams gives you the deepest insight: “I now know my days darkened by the invisible were also days of being empowered by the invisible.” Though the support of the teacher and the effort of the student is invisible from each other, the faith that they entrust in each other is heartwarming. There were many TVCs tackling this social issue, but I thought this one was brilliant. And the tag has been the same for the past three or four years: “Show ‘em what you got” - also my favourite that I chant every time I have a big challenge.

For the product Pocari, this is a beautiful depiction of the ups and downs of adolescence concentrated in 60 seconds. There is a longer web movie, but I personally love the 60-second TVC. The drama of flying papers and flower petals and the corridors that distort to express the emotion and the physical burdens is so meticulously calculated. It's designed to remind you of the dizziness you experienced when you were that age running against everything, going through all that trauma to well up the courage to voice that one word - “Wanna walk home with me?” - which might be the magic word to open up a new world. Personal and universal and timeless at the same time. Bravo. (The tagline translates as: “Just reach your hand out and see you can do it”)

This is a project for YouTube where you see billboard artists do a one-take-only performance in a white space where everything is stripped down to the artist and their music. High-resolution sound and visuals to stand out from the crowded platform where amateur visuals and sound are mainstream in a trade-off for making it seem real. This is staged and well-planned, yet very raw and tangible, made to fit the audience who now listen to music on YouTube. 'The First Take' always starts with a profile angle of the artist to give one the sense that you got a sneak peak at something very special. Great point of view and design.

I saw this OOH poster series at the scramble crossing in Shibuya. The design. The colour. The font. It just fit in with the cityscape of Shibuya. I know it’s contracted for a given period, but wished it would stay there forever. Just three OOH posters powerful enough to create an atmosphere that you are amidst a new era. A new world. A new power. A new voice, simple and strong...wow! Break the stereotype and create new rules. Say what you want to say and have fun doing it. It’s part of Nike's worldwide 'Play' campaign localised to jump the gap of gender difference.

This is a corporate ad for a magazine. The term 'fashion' is taking on a whole new look and the fashion magazine SPUR is about to embody the newer definition. It’s not just about how you look, fashion is a statement of yourself. It is still a fashion magazine, so it will not shove answers into your face. Just keep thinking. Keep posing questions. That’s the stand-point of this magazine. The copy reads: “There was a time when you couldn’t choose the person you marry.” / “There was a time when you couldn’t have dual surnames. Ooops, still (is).” #keepYOUgoingSPUR