Compared to many other countries, the Japanese do not have a high awareness of oral hygiene. One survey conducted by an oral hygiene group found that 70% of foreign residents in Japan were dissatisfied with the breath quality of the Japanese. The problem was compounded by the fact that it is generally considered rude to point out the quality of someone’s breath. ACUO, a brand known for its breath-freshening gum, decided to find a solution that would help raise oral hygiene awareness among the Japanese.

Volunteers breathe in the direction of a robot, Mr. Sniff, which causes the robot to react with a gesture that is comically exaggerated so as not to hurt the volunteer’s feelings. As a result, the volunteer becomes more aware of their breath quality.

The project was advertised through TV ads, while Mr. Sniff’s technical specifications were published on our website. We also uploaded streaming music videos that featured numerous dancing Mr. Sniffs in an attempt to create hype for the robot. These efforts helped us maximize the number of volunteers who came out for a breath test at one of the many stops—both planned and spontaneous—we made at supermarkets and public locations across Japan.