Media innovation leads to advances in communications and entertainment. Advertising is clearly lagging behind. Advertising anticipates future trends.We advertising professionals, who move the hearts of the people, can achieve this with our specialised skills.Arch-rivals Dentsu and Hakuhodo, launched a joint project Mirai (meaning 'future') Design Lab. Its theme: One future. We may be business rivals, but we only have one future. With the premise of a new era every 2 decades, we decided to envision the near future of 2030. Firstly, we asked the next generation, the leaders in 2030, for their ideas - the 'seeds'. Using our wisdom and experience we took the seeds that were feasible, and turned them into proposals for the government and companies.The joint-project offered surprise and hope. We also gained support from youth on Social networking Sites. As a result, new seeds were sent in from all over Japan, and awarded top prizes across 5 themes.This project has generated over 13,000,000 yen's worth of PR, and leading business-publisher, Nikkei, has decided to make a book about it.Mirai Design Lab became a magnet for advertising agencies, youth, and intellectuals.

We organized Mirai (meaning 'future') Design Lab. Its theme: 'One Future'. We may be business-rivals, but we only have one future. With the premise of a new era every 2 decades, we decided to envision the near future of 2030.First, we asked the next generation, the leaders in 2030, for their ideas - the 'seeds'. Dentsu and Hakuhodo using their wisdom and experience would take the seeds that were feasible, and turn them into proposals for companies and the government.We released information on the joint-project for newspaper publishers, advertising-industry magazines, TV stations and universities all over Japan with news-releases and posters. And we set up a workshop for both the next generation and journalists about the world of 2030.University professors, former prefectural governors, and others, in an effort to attract great minds of Japan, joined as judges and advisors.

The sight of 2 rivals working together offered surprise and hope, and new 'seeds' were sent in from all over Japan.As a result, Mirai Design Lab produced 5 innovative themes for 2030, held workshops with the younger generations, and proposed ideas to the goverment and companies.We also gained support from young people on social-networking sites: over 10,000 tweets generated a significant buzz; over 13,000,000 yen's worth of PR; and leading business publisher, Nikkei, has decided to make a book about it.

Dentsu and Hakuhodo’s job applications skyrocketd. Dentsu from number 20 number 1; Hakuhodo from number 27 to number 10. It is obvious that a positive image for the advertising industry has been conveyed.Mirai Design Lab became a magnet for advertising agencies, youth, and intellectuals.The seeds of the future are growing with wisdom and experience. The future is being made now.