A popular Japanese TV program, which follows children running their first errand all alone, has become a worldwide hit in recent years and has been well received within different cultures not only because it resonates with every parent but also for the entertainment value inherent in the real drama of children venturing into unfamiliar worlds.

In the same way, this documentary film portrayed preschool children and their parents as they choose randoseru; it conveys the brand message of encouraging each child's independent choice and elevates a brand communication into the realm of the drama behind child growth and family ties.

Seiban Ltd. is a manufacturer specializing in randoseru founded 105 years ago that has the No.1 market share in Japan. Our mission is to create products for the growth of children.

For a long time, there were only two types of randoseru: black ones for boys and red ones for girls; but over the past 25 years or so, a wide variety of colors and designs have been released. However, instead of expanding children's choices, parents are in fact more inclined to make choices based on social expectations, norms, and vanity, and only 23% of families in 2022 let children choose their own randoseru. This current situation is a microcosm of the parent-child relationship in Japan, where children’s ability to make independent choices is hindered out of the need to gauge how their parents feel.

Randoseru are unique school bags for elementary school students in Japan. They are usually purchased prior to a child’s entrance to elementary school and are highly durable as they are usually used throughout the entire six-years of elementary school. It is an important item in Japanese culture that symbolizes the growth of a child.

The price range is as high as 40,000–80,000 yen (280–560 USD), and since these price range are increasing year by year, grandparents often contribute financially to celebrate the occasion. In recent years, many people spend several months comparing randoseru prices starting over a year before elementary school begins, and the term “Ran-katsu (randoseru hunting),” which refers to the heated parent-led randoseru selection process, is recognized as a kind of social phenomenon.

We reconceived the process of choosing one’s own randoseru to something more; the first opportunity for children to develop self-expression, a sense of responsibility, and independence. To emphasize that the children should play the main role in this process, we produced a short documentary film to capture the reality surrounding this process for seven actual families.

In the film, we sounded the alarm by exposing how children are missing their opportunity to express their own preferences and individuality due to parents consciously or unconsciously imposing social expectations and norms on their children, and showing how sensitive children are to these expectations.

The brand messaging, “If you like it, it's the right choice,” was conveyed to let children know that allowing them to make their own choices leads to joy and growth.

We raised the issue by posting the film online in February, when all information is released by randoseru manufacturers for students entering elementary school the following year. After creating a positive discussion on social media, PR activities were jump-started three weeks later to accelerate the generation of buzz. We called for a child-centered randoseru selection.

Along with the film, we released an intuitive, easily understood catalog for children as well as a try-on app, and these have created an environment where children can enjoy choosing their own randoseru.

◆Catalogs for children: produced pages and posters that are more intuitive, easier to understand, and less wordy than those for adults.

◆Try-on app “Seotchaou!”: You can try on more than 100 options using images without going to stores. We designed separate buttons for “Kid's favorite” and　“Parent's favorite” making it easier for children to express their preferences.

We were quite particular about the casting as to faithfully represent the reality of the randoseru selection process that we had seen parents and children go through. In order to cast the families with preschool-aged children who were actually facing this phase, we carried out a variety of tests to assess how they normally communicated as well as the self-expressiveness and decision-making ability of the children: without revealing any details of the project beforehand.

To capture authentic reactions, they were shot in only one take. After conducting a number of careful simulations in advance, we were able to shoot with minimal equipment, two cameras and no additional lighting, to keep the children from becoming nervous.

The film became a major topic of conversation immediately following its release. Hundreds of positive comments flooded YouTube, over 4 million X (Twitter) users viewed it, and it received 500K likes on TikTok. It sparked positive discussion and generated a PR effect worth more than 600 million yen in advertising expenses.

Thereafter, we received an offer from the Children and Families Agency, a government agency that protects the welfare and rights of children, wishing to make secondary use of the film, stating, “It was completely consistent with our philosophy of listening to and respecting the opinions of children,” and we gladly accepted. This film is currently being screened many times at childcare support events across Japan.