SILVER WINNER: Microsoft Windows Mobile — Christmas Illuminations in the Sky

Client: Microsoft Japan
Entrant Company: McCann Japan
Entry Category: A local brand or service in a local market with innovation solutions worthy of international adaptation or of world class standards

The Challenge: The goal was to capture the fun, innovation and great gadgetry of Touch!-- the Microsoft Windows touch screen program for mobile. The Japanese, especially those under 30, are very sophisticated users of mobile phones with extensive applications and functionality. To gain their attention, a program needed to be spectacular, interactive and memorable, while also illustrating the tagline: Touch! Windows Mobile: Touch It & You’ll Understand.

Digital Strategy: During the Christmas season, the Tokyo neighborhood of Roppongi Hills with its city views is well known for its holiday illuminations. Windows Mobile teamed with radio station, J-WAVE (81.3 FM) to present “Christmas illuminations in the Sky.” Participants, through a Windows Mobile Touch Screen, could create an illumination of their own through the “Touch the Illumination” promotion.

In fact, 200,000 people visited the Touch! Event to interact with J-WAVE artists, experience the new touch technology, and witness a Christmas spectacular. By using Windows Mobile, individuals could customize their own illumination by selecting gender, color, name and then choosing a character to represent their image. The designs were then immediately projected for all of Roppongi to see.

The custom illuminations could also be created in pairs for partners, causing the event to become a fun destination for dating couples. (The event quickly became known as a romantic experience among young Japanese.)

Results: A new media idea was created by integrating the multiple mediums of mobile phone, physical space and the Internet. As a result, the event was successful in attracting great numbers of visitors to the Windows Mobile “Touch!” experience. It also created many forms of engagement with the audience. For most visitors, the night view of Tokyo and the personal illuminations created through “Touch the Illumination” contributed to their fond memories of the Christmas season.