Sleek suits for surfing salarymen

Client: Quiksilver Japan

Agency: TBWA Hakuhodo

Market: Japan

Campaign scope: Online film

Details: The video showcases the brand's True Wetsuits, a line of wetsuits that can double as business attire.

Press release quote:

"Quiksilver Japan and TBWA Hakuhodo today announce the launch of a revolutionary new product that enables Japan’s over-working businessmen to regain their work/surf balance."

"With this revolutionary product, sports-minded workaholics can head straight from the beach to the boardroom."

Campaign Asia Pacific's comments: We watched the video before reading any of the supporting materials, so we initially assumed the ad was some sort of whimsical, metaphorical story. Perhaps, we hypothesised while watching, the product being promoted was the man's iPhone, or the Nissan he's driving (both fair assumptions given the agency's prominent clients), or the app he uses or even some other product or service that's not even shown.

When it ended with the apparent call to action to buy a wetsuit that looks like a regular suit, we checked the calendar to make sure it did not say April 1. In the end, partly based on the over-the-top comments from the press release (above), we conclude that this is a clever, well-executed promotion for the technical prowess of the quick-drying materials used in the brand's more conventional products.

And we can only clap in admiration—whether one can actually purchase a wetsuit tuxedo or not. (We've asked for clarification about product availability, and will let you know the answer.) Our only remaining question is why the company has apparently not thought of the plight of the surfing/working women of the world?  

Update, 22 April: A TBWA spokesperson assures us that the items on the website are actually available, but only to customers in Japan. The company is considering whether to accept international orders and also exploring the possibility of offering some womens' items.

CREDITS

Creative Director: Kazoo Sato (TBWA\HAKUHODO)
Copywriter: Takahiro Hosoda (TBWA\HAKUHODO)
Interactive Planner: Tetsu Suzuki (TBWA\HAKUHODO)
Art Director: Keisuke Shimizu (TBWA\HAKUHODO)
PR Planner: Hideyuki Kobayashi (TBWA\HAKUHODO), Wataru Seki (Material)

Brand Director: Shin Kimitsuka (QUIKSILVER JAPAN)
Merchandiser: Eiji Kobayashi (QUIKSILVER JAPAN)
Apparel: Kim Hyoksu (QUIKSILVER JAPAN)
Factory Manager: Satoshi Terai (C.WORLD)

Movie Producer: Teppei Ohno (TAIYO KIKAKU)
Production Manager: Shinya Shimizu, Mari Matsumoto (TAIYO KIKAKU)
Director: Takumi Shiga (CAVIAR)
Director of Photography: Makoto Okuguchi
Surfing Photographer: Hisayuki Tsuchiya
Aerial Shoot: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Kinya Hirose (Warner Gray)
Visual Effects: Taito Ohyama (PROGRESSIVE)
Gaffer: Akiyoshi Iris
Stylist: Shinichi Mita (KIKI), Takashi Usui
Pattern Maker: Tadashi Kiuchi (TRIBE)
Hair Make: Shinji Konishi (band), Aya Takahashi
Prop: Etsuo Fujii (ONEUP), Naomi Hayashi (VOLVOX)
Location: Amami Island
Location Coordinator: Yoshito Midori (Green Hill), Naoki Komamiya (KLF), Ryohei Hamasaki (Amami TV)
Colorist: Yasutaka Ishihara (SONY PCL)
Offline Editor: Taichi Okada (STUD)
Online Editor: Kenji Yamamoto (DIGITAL GARDEN)
Music: AUDIOFORCE
Mixer: Hiroki Okumura (DIGITAL GARDEN)

Cast: Masashi Miura (INDIGO), Sally Mizuno (model agency friday)

Making Director: Tomohiro Suzuki (TAIYO KIKAKU)
Making DOP: Masataka Kato, Toshihiko Kubo
Making Editor: Nobuo Mita (DIGITAL GARDEN)

Interactive Producer: Yusuke Yamanaka (AID-DCC)
Assistant Producer: Kazuki Shirahata (AID-DCC)
Interactive Designer: Yuri Morimoto (AID-DCC)
Technical Director: Takanubu Noso, Masashi Ohashi (AID-DCC)
Developer: Kiki Hasegawa (AID-DCC)
Motion Designer: Takayuki Kitai (AID-DCC)
System: Masaharu Kinoshita, Jun Takashima (AID-DCC)
Device Producer: Kenjiro Matsuo (Invisible Designs Lab.)
Device Engineer: Shunichi Yamamoto (tkrworks)