How do we go beyond the conventional functionality and passive beauty of the ubiquitous printed calendar and make it a dynamic and engaging part of everyday life? Can we go further and move people on an emotional level? Stagnant economic growth, the tragic earthquake of 2011 and its aftermath have clouded the outlook of the average Japanese. Can we create a calendar that injects a spark of optimism at the beginning of every day? These were both our creative challenges and our key objectives.

Create a calendar for distribution to our clients that serves as a self-promotion tool for our advertising agency and enhances our corporate image as a creator of original communication.

Patterns inspired by natural beauty have traditionally brightened life in Japan. We combined this wise graphic design legacy with the vibrant “happy” colors of Japanese pop culture to communicate the confidence of our proud tradition and the vitality of our globally popular modern culture. Every day the user pops up and folds over the date to reveal a new colorful Japanese pattern. The result is the POP! CALENDAR – a dynamic calendar that rewards interaction with a new uplifting motif, fills the year with 365 days of vivid beauty, and colorfully pops with the air of optimism.

MAKE EVERYDAY POP!

The effect of a calendar is difficult to measure, especially at this early stage, but it has already won an award from the prestigious 65th All Japan Calendar Competition. There is also the anecdotal evidence of quite a few telephone inquiries asking where it can be purchased. As for the reception by clients, our account service staff have noted that the calendar has been hung in client offices where it is a tasteful and vibrant daily reminder of our agency’s creative originality and popped dates indicate daily use. The emotional impact is impossible to measure – but we are optimistic!